Rowling, who is well-known for her vocal support of transgender rights, came under fire after getting into a contentious Twitter debate on trans people using women's locker rooms. In response to a video of Willoughby, Rowling allegedly misgenderd her and questioned whether or not she was a woman, which infuriated people.
The Harry Potter author, who has previously declared her opposition to adopt preferred pronouns for transgender people, has become a divisive figure in the continuing discussion surrounding transgender rights. Concerns about her position on the matter have been rekindled by her latest remarks, as many have accused her of promoting transphobia.
Willoughby expressed her displeasure at Rowling's comments and denounced what she called "grotesque transphobia." Willoughby asserted her gender identification, criticising Rowling's remarks and launching a controversy about the author's purported transphobia.
In defence of her stance, Rowling denied charges of misgendering and said that appropriately identifying trans people is not discriminatory. Her comments, however, have provoked more indignation and claims that they are encouraging derogatory language against transgender people.
There has previously been conflict between Rowling and Willoughby on matters pertaining to gender, so this is not the first instance of it. The terminology used to discuss transgender issues and the underlying conflicts around them have been highlighted by Willoughby's statement of her womanhood and Rowling's response.
Rowling criticised Sky News for calling a murderer who had undergone gender transition a woman, which sparked the current issue. Critics continue to scrutinise and denounce Rowling for her frequent intrusions in conversations around gender identification.
Rowling's most recent remarks have rekindled the ongoing debate about the limits of free speech, the rights of transgender people, and the role public celebrities have in influencing public opinion.