JK Rowling’s AI transphobic post reignites feud with Harry Potter stars as black mold jokes return online

Highlights:

• Author slammed for posting anti-trans message with bizarre AI-generated gibberish
• Social media users mockingly suggest black mould exposure is behind her behaviour
• Rowling continues to face criticism from Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson
• Online debate intensifies over her use of AI to push anti-trans views

JK Rowling is facing renewed online heat after sharing a transphobic post filled with Artificial Intelligence-generated gibberish, sparking ridicule across social media. Alongside slamming her views, many netizens bizarrely linked her behaviour to black mould exposure, a theory that resurfaced after earlier online jokes about her home environment. The Harry Potter author’s use of AI in this context has added a new layer to the controversy.

JK Rowling sparks outrage with AI-generated video called transphobic by critics Getty Images

What did JK Rowling post with AI?

On 8 September, Rowling uploaded a six-second clip on X, claiming that “gender identity ideology is homophobic.” The video began with a tweet from Dr Helen Webberley of GenderGP, followed by distorted AI-generated images resembling a comment section but filled with jumbled letters and gibberish. The visuals with a typing sound effect left many confused.

She captioned the post: “Tell me again how gender identity ideology isn’t homophobic. Would you trust this UK doctor… to be sympathetic to a young girl who’s attracted to other girls?”

The video quickly spread online, with users mocking the author for relying on artificial intelligence to back her arguments. One post read: “Kinda pathetic having to use AI to make up reasons to be hateful towards others.”

Why are people blaming black mould?

The backlash also revived a long-running social media joke about black mould in Rowling’s house. In 2024, eagle-eyed users noticed what appeared to be mould on her wall in a profile picture, sparking widespread memes linking her anti-trans stance to potential neurological effects of mould exposure.

This theory resurfaced after her AI post, with comments such as: “How much mould do I need to understand this?” and “Did the mould tell you this was real, or do you think AI fakes are real?” While clearly satirical, the “mould theory” has become a shorthand way for critics to ridicule the writer’s increasingly controversial online presence.

How have fans and Harry Potter stars responded?

Rowling’s anti-trans views have long divided fans of the Harry Potter franchise. Many of the actors who rose to fame through the films have publicly disagreed with her stance. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint have all expressed support for the trans community, distancing themselves from Rowling’s repeated comments.

This latest episode only deepened the rift between Rowling and sections of her fanbase, many of whom see her use of AI as an escalation in her campaign against trans rights.

Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson distance themselves from Rowling’s commentsGetty Images

Has JK Rowling faced this kind of backlash before?

Yes. Since 2020, Rowling has made multiple posts criticising gender identity, each triggering major backlash. She has defended her stance as protecting women’s rights, but critics say her rhetoric fuels transphobia.

Her frequent use of social media for these debates has meant that Rowling, once best known as a children’s book author, now trends more often for her views on gender than for her literary work. The latest AI clip only adds to this trend, shifting focus from her books to her online persona.