Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is once again under fire after liking a tweet that is critical of trans hormone therapy.
The tweet was posted by a user named Sophie (@Manaxium), who wrote that "Hormone prescriptions are the new anti-depressants." She went on to say that, while they are "sometimes necessary and lifesaving," those "who would rather medicate than put in the time and effort to heal people’s minds" are lazy.
@sineadactually and @TrinerScot noticed Rowling's like and criticized her for "supporting those who call people who take mental health medication "lazy.'"
Rowling then issued a statement on the matter, first noting that she has "written and spoken about [her]Â own mental health challenges, which include OCD, depression and anxiety" and that anti-depressants she took in the past helped improve her mental health.
She then started discussing the trans community and her worries regarding hormone treatment. "Many health professionals are concerned that young people struggling with their mental health are being shunted towards hormones and surgery when this may not be in their best interests," she wrote.
"Many, myself included, believe we are watching a new kind of conversion therapy for young gay people, who are being set on a lifelong path of medicalisation that may result in the loss of their fertility and/or full sexual function," she continued.
Rowling went on to cite a documentary and several articles that discuss the long-term health risks of hormone therapy and the overprescription of anti-depressants to teenagers.
These posts and statements come nearly a month after Rowling's initial comments on June 7, which caused an uproar in the LGBT and trans communities, and among their allies. Various Harry Potter stars have issues statements of support to their trans fans, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Katie Leung, Eddie Redmayne and Evanna Lynch. Warner Bros., which distributes the Harry Potter films, and Universal Parks & Resorts, which hosts The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, also issued statements.
Those outside the world of Harry Potter have also spoken out against Rowling's controversial comments. Horror author Stephen King said that "trans women are women" after seemingly accidentally liking one of Rowling's anti-trans tweets. Furthermore, there are reports of unrest at the publishing house Hachette, where younger staff are refusing to work on Rowling's new book, The Ickabog.