J.K. Rowling deserves a break from social media

Let’s give Rowling a break. For four years, she has spoken up consistently and courageously in defence of women’s rights – in sport and elsewhere – when politicians and officials were unable to even to define the word ‘woman’.

Now her recent lack of tweeting has led some to suggest that she’s gone quiet because of the lawsuit launched by the boxer, Imane Khelif. This week, the New York Post suggested that ‘J.K. Rowling has gone silent on X since being named in a legal complaint by Algerian boxer Imane Khelif over online harassment she faced during the 2024 Olympics.’ Khelif’s lawsuit named both Rowling as well as Elon Musk – and could lead to criminal sanctions against the pair. 

Perhaps the reasons for Rowling’s silence are far more mundane though. During her flurry of social media activity on the Olympic boxing competition, Rowling posted an idyllic photograph of mountains, glacier and lake, and told her 14 million followers that she was ‘in the most beautiful place on earth’ for her birthday.