HBO defends JK Rowling’s ‘right to express her personal views’ [Video]

Television network HBO has said it believes JK Rowling has a right to express her views on trans people.

A TV adaptation of Rowling’s Harry Potter books is currently in the works from the studio, despite the long-running controversy surrounding her comments about transgender people.

Rowling, who is an executive producer on the series, has been criticised for her views on the community, as well as gender-affirming care, single-sex spaces and women’s sports. The author has called trans women “crossdressing straight men” and “trans-identified men” in posts on X/Twitter. She denies being transphobic.

An HBO spokesperson told Variety that the company was “proud” to be producing the adaptation, adding that Rowling had a right to express her views and that it hadn’t “affected the casting or hiring of writers or production staff”.

They went on say: “We remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”