A British news outlet geared toward children has apologized to J.K. Rowling after the Harry Potter author hired libel lawyers over an article that implied that she was transphobic. A statement from The Day said the article in question, titled “Potterheads cancel Rowling after trans tweet,” was intended “to provoke debate on a complex topic.” The article described Rowling’s June tweet—in which she objected to the use of the phrase “people who menstruate” instead of “women”—and asked that readers consider if it’s possible to enjoy art produced by “deeply unpleasant people.” It drew comparisons between Rowling and Pablo Picasso and Richard Wagner. “We did not intend to suggest that JK Rowling was transphobic or that she should be boycotted. We accept that our comparisons of JK Rowling to people such as Picasso, who celebrated sexual violence, and Wagner, who was praised by the Nazis for his antisemitic and racist views, were clumsy, offensive and wrong,” a statement from The Day said. The organization committed to donating to a charity of Rowling’s choice.
