On the subject of the existing
reputation and PR elements of JK Rowling's negative
JK ROWLING
AND PR REPAIR
2017 - 2020
TRANS RIGHTS AND JKR'S PR
JKR has come under fire for her
current and past transphobic
.
public tweets and trans-
exclusionary stances. Unmitigated
public responses will only further
divide JKR from her readers, the
public, and the LGBTQ+
community.
Continuing to invalidate trans
individuals and advance the
transphobic rhetoric further
enhances the systemic exclusion of
trans voices and representation.
Proper PR strategy and
management will repair both JKR's
credibility and relationship with
the public and the LGBTQ+
community.
SOCIAL MEDIA, CELEBRITIES AND
PUBLIC REACTIONS TO SCANDAL
Celebrities like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma
Watson, Rupert Grint, and Stephen King
have all publicly renounced JKR's
transphobic comments. Warner Brothers
put out a response statement, as well.
Harry Potter fans have trended
#jkrowlingisoverparty and have publicly
stated they no longer support her past
and future literary work.
comments toward trans individuals
A REPUTATION
MANAGEMENT PLAN
JKR'S
TRANSPHOBIC
ACTIONS
From 2017 to
2020, JKR has
engaged in a
series of Twitter
rants, likes, and
retweets with
transphobic
rhetoric.
In June of 2020, JKR published a
blog post regarding her stance on
trans-exclusionary radical feminism
and tweeted the link with the
comment: "TERF wars." (See
appendix 1b)
"People who menstruate": there is a
word for that - A tweet mocking
transgender and intersex
individuals by categorizing them
only by sex ("women" she
insinuates)
She has liked tweets referring to
trans individuals as "men in
dresses" and has heavily insinuated
"trans women are not women" and
do not deserve the same
bathroom/changing room rights as
cis women with her written blog
posts.
Her recent book, Troubled Blood,
features a male villain who dresses
in female clothing to murder
women and insinuates "never trust
a man in a dress.
01
 -ACTION OVERVIEW-
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
JK ROWLING
AND PR REPAIR
2017 - 2020

Negative actions: A collection of tweets,

links, and blog posts (like TERF) with
transphobic comments and rhetoric. This
includes blocking comments on
controversial Twitter posts and continuing
to like tweets with transphobic comments.
Positive actions: Minimal to non-existent
positive actions. PR reps have responded
JKR had a "middle-aged moment" for
publicly supporting a woman who was fired
for her incendiary transphobic comments.
(see appendix 1A) Little to nothing has been
done to correct her reputation and
credibility within social media and the
public. Public outrage continues.

PUBLIC RESPONSE
EXAMPLES (SEE APPENDIX
FOR MORE EXAMPLES)

02
 PR PLAN THAT SHOULD
JK ROWLING
AND PR REPAIR HAVE BEEN USED:
2017 - 2020

Off the bat, from the first misplaced tweet in 2017: Restraint, Education,
Change and Implementation
This means:
monitoring the client (JKR) or controlling the client's tweets and media
relations
Educating the client and client's PR team representatives by utilizing
proper and extensive research (not just one-sided research
Listening to public response, meeting with Trans and LGBTQ+
communities, and responding accurately
Allowing open conversation and learning and implementing change

FUTURE
PR PLAN
TIMELINE
In :order to move forward or restore reputation there are several steps
that should be taken and public and social media monitoring that should
be done:
1. Education: Educate the client with the mistakes made. Explain the
issue and start management PR. This means no personal usage of
social media. Comments and posts must be done by PR rep, if
necessary. Restraint and silence for the first few moments after
another potential mistake.
2. Social Work and Activism: Collaborate with organizations (like The
Trevor Project or GLAAD) that boost and support LGBTQ+
communities. This should be done to show client has been properly
educated and is working to better themselves socially, publicly, and
personally for the sake of repuation.
03
 3. Change and Implementation: Implement what
you have learned into your work. The client should
publicly apologize at this point. Donations can be a
JK ROWLING
AND PR REPAIR good option to show change. Other examples can
2017 - 2020 be writing LGBTQ+ positive work or including
LGBTQ+ characters into work (rather than post-
publication - as seen with Dumbledore's queerness only being detailed
weeks after the publication of the last Harry Potter book (see appendix
2a). Take down transphobic tweets and blog posts.
4. Public Work: The client can appear on various news or media outlets
to show and discuss the scandal and her reputation repair. Extensive PR
and media prep should be done. Work with media to avoid incendiary
questions that can harm rather than help.
5. If all else fails: Social media and public silence. This could include
stopping future publications or working silently on future projects.

SUMMARY:
Following these steps can improve social reputation and allow for literary
readers to continue buying her work. Best outcome: public acceptance
of apology and returning to "golden era" JKR, before the public
controversy. A public apology alone does not always work. A public
apology and showing proven action to correct the issue is the best
option. This theory can be applied to recent social issues where
"thoughts and prayers" are not enough. Actions can speak louder than
words. (see appendix 1c)

Ultimately, encourage the client to use social status and large social
following for good. Follow the words: "if you have nothing good to say, do
not say anything at all."

Note: this plan can only work if the client chooses to participate. It is highly encouraged to
push the client to better their image for their reputation, even if they do not like it. Avoid
"social suicide." Steps can be used to move forward or repair reputation but will only work
with clients cooperation.

04
 APPENDIX WITH LINKS
JK ROWLING AND SCREENSHOTS
AND PR REPAIR

Outside links to timeline of issue:

2017 - 2020

1. https://www.vogue.com/article/jk-rowling-transphobic-tweets
2. https://www.glamour.com/story/a-complete-breakdown-of-the-jk-rowling-transgender-
comments-controversy
Previous PR Response
1. A https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/03/22/jk-rowling-reps-blame-middle-aged-moment-
for-liking-tweet-calling-trans-women-men-in-dresses/
Links to TERF post:
1. B: https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-
out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/
Other related links:
1. c. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/07/29/gilroy-shooting-democratic-
candidates-gun-legislation/
2. a. https://ew.com/movies/2019/03/19/harry-potter-fantastic-beasts-jk-rowling-
dumbledore-sexuality/
Bottom left: Harry Potter actress Emma
Watson post a shirt that says "trans
rights are human rights" during the
midst of the controversy.

05
 GLAAD, an
organization
dedicated to
speaking out
against
defamatory
actions regarding
LGBTQ+
TIMELINE:
individuals, speaks
out against JKR's
comments:

Robbie Coltrane,
AKA Hagrid in the
movies, publicly
supports her
statements:
https://www.standard.co.uk/sho
wbiz/celebrity-news/robbie-
coltrane-jk-rowling-trans-row-
a4547546.html

Warner Bros.
comments their
stance on
inflammatory issues
within their platform
after JKR's scandal.