In a plot twist that no one in the LGBTQ+ community asked for, J.K. Rowling has officially taken her long-running anti-trans crusade to new heights — by declaring her religion as a “believer in biology,” based on a Scotland census.
Thanks to Scotland’s newly released census data, the author’s fixation on trans identity has gone from Twitter rants to government paperwork, cementing her position as the self-appointed high priestess of “gender critical” ideology. And honestly? Scotland’s queer community deserves better than this never-ending wizard-themed headache.
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The census, which offered important insights on LGBTQ+ identities, gender diversity, and religious affiliation, also revealed something more bizarre: 3000 people wrote “believer in biology” in the religion box. No, it isn’t a real belief system. It’s a protest phrase cooked up by For Women Scotland, a gender-critical group whose mission circles almost entirely around opposing transgender equality.
Out of Scotland’s five-plus million residents, 2,883 people chose that phrase — including Rowling herself, who proudly confirmed online that she was “one of those people.” It’s a declaration that doesn’t read as faith so much as fixation.
Rowling’s public hostility toward trans women, in particular, has escalated dramatically over the past few years. She has repeatedly refused to respect gender identity, insisted she’d be prepared to go to jail if misgendering ever became a criminal offense, and even questioned the documented fact that transgender people were persecuted under the Nazi regime. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans women, it has been a painful, exhausting spectacle — a constant reminder that someone with enormous cultural influence chooses to punch down rather than uplift.
But 2025 brought a new level of intensity.
Rowling’s Victory Lap After the U.K. Supreme Court Ruling
In April 2025, the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court delivered a sweeping decision that narrowed the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act to biological sex only. This effectively removed trans women from certain anti-discrimination protections — a devastating setback for trans rights across the country.
Rowling responded not with concern or nuance but with open celebration.
On X, she unleashed a string of triumphant posts, cheering on gender-critical activists and christening the ruling “TERF V-E Day” — a term playing on Victory in Europe Day, which marks the end of Nazi occupation during World War II. Critics quickly pointed out how offensive and inappropriate the comparison was, especially considering the very real dangers trans people face.
To cap it all off, Rowling posted a photo of herself reclining with a cocktail in one hand and a cigar in the other, smugly captioned:
“I love it when a plan comes together.”
For trans people and allies, the message was unmistakable: she sees their loss of rights as her personal triumph.
The Broader Picture: Scotland Moves Forward, Even If Rowling Doesn’t
What makes all this even more striking is how out of step Rowling’s worldview is with the country she calls home. The census showed that 51.1% of Scots now report no religion, an enormous cultural shift toward secularism and inclusivity. Meanwhile, approximately 184,000 Scots aged 16+ identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and nearly 20,000 peopleidentify as transgender or say they have a trans history.
Scotland, in numbers and in spirit, is moving toward acceptance — not fear.
The findings also follow a 2020 court ruling that allowed people to record their sex on the census based on biological sex, legal sex, or lived gender identity, a decision aimed at making demographic data more accurate and more affirming. For Women Scotland’s “believer in biology” protest was, in many ways, a backlash to that progress — an attempt to turn the census into a battleground rather than a snapshot of modern Scottish life.
And yet, despite the noise created by Rowling and her followers, the data shows that the overwhelming majority of Scots did not join her new “religion.”
A Final Thought
Rowling’s transformation from beloved storyteller to figurehead of anti-trans rhetoric has been jarring, especially for LGBTQ+ readers who once found meaning in themes of chosen family, resistance, and identity in her work. But the census — and Scotland’s broader cultural shifts — make one thing clear: her views aren’t shaping the future.
The future is being built by LGBTQ+ people who continue to live openly, bravely, and beautifully, even in the face of backlash from those with louder megaphones.
And perhaps that’s the real magic she can’t control.
honestly idk who to support cuz my friends r les but they r amazing ppl and im fine with them but trans people in my changeroom when im already uncomfortable changing there? hell no. sorry, but thats my opinion.