It seems that the continued controversy surrounding authorJ.K. Rowlingand herfrequent spats with followers online over her views on transgender rights has finally led to one bookstore in San Francisco banning the author’sHarry Potterbooks from their store. While it seems like there is no big bookstore chain that is going to take this kind of stance,The Booksmithin Haight-Ashbury has taken a stand on behalf of those who have felt personally aggrieved by Rowling and her beliefs.
In a statement written where thePotterbooks would normally be found, The Booksmith owners wrote:
“In May 2025, author J.K. Rowling publicly committed to using her private wealth from the Harry Potter series to develop the J.K. Rowling Woman’s Fund, an organization dedicated to removing transgender rights “in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces. With this announcement, we’ve decided to stop carrying her books. We don’t know exactly what her new “woman’s fund” will entail, but we know we aren’t going to be a part of it.
As a group of queer booklovers, we also had our adolescences shaped by wizards and elves. Look at us, it’s obvious. If you or someone you love wants to dive into the world of Harry Potter, we suggest you do so by buying used copies of these books.”
Naturally, one bookstore not selling Rowling’s work is not exactly going to bankrupt the author, but it sends out a message that others could see and decide to follow. Just as it is Rowling’s right to air her views, it is the right for those selling the work she produces to decide if they want to continue doing so.
The J.K. Rowling Controversy Has Been Going on for Years
Although it may seem like it only began yesterday, thecontroversy sparked by Rowling’s transgender views began almost exactly five years ago. Her initial statement on social media alluded to that transwomen are “not real women” and should be treated as men. This led to Warner Bros. Pictures – who at the time were not quitereworking theHarry Potterfranchise into a TV show– issuing a statement that seemed to suggest they did not stand with Rowling, but also did not outright say as much.
Subsequently, several high-profile actors who have worked on thePotterfranchise over the years shared their own opinions, with some siding with Rowling, others condemning her, and a few who wanted nothing to do with the discussion either way. In the years since, little has changed, and the content of Rowling’s social media feed continues to focus a lot on the author airing her views on the matter.
With theHarry PotterTV show now heading into production, it is obvious that the unrest over the author’s work being set to earn her even more money is hitting hard with those who feel most impacted by her words and views. Whether more will take a stand like The Booksmith seems unlikely, but revolutions always start with just a few people.
Source: Deadline
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