Overview

• Rowling announced the creation of the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund on May 24 to finance individuals and groups contesting transgender inclusion in workplaces, public life and protected female spaces.
• The private fund, wholly financed by Rowling, will assess applications from the UK and Ireland based on criteria such as impacts of inclusion policies on earning capacity and sex-based rights advocacy.
• The move has drawn sharp criticism from figures like actor Pedro Pascal, who has urged a boycott of Harry Potter products and adaptations.
• Despite ongoing backlash over her anti-transgender stance, Rowling’s net worth has rebounded to an estimated $1.2 billion, driven by consistent book sales, merchandise, theme parks and spin-off profits.
• Rowling stands to earn at least $20 million annually from a planned HBO Max remake of the Harry Potter series, which is expected to debut in 2026 and run for a decade.