JK Rowling launches scathing attack on BBC over 'absolutist' reporting following trans neo-Nazi coverage

The controversy centres on a BBC News report about Liebich that employed she/her pronouns throughout. Rowling shared the article on X, formerly Twitter, accompanied by sharp criticism of the corporation's approach.

Her intervention marks the latest clash between the bestselling novelist and the BBC over transgender reporting.

Despite maintaining a business relationship with the broadcaster through her Strike television adaptations, Rowling has repeatedly challenged their coverage of gender identity issues.

Liebich received a conviction for extreme right-wing incitement to hatred, defamation and insult. The extremist has been granted permission to serve the prison term in a German women's facility.

The gender change occurred under Germany's Self-Determination Act, despite Liebich's documented history of anti-transgender rhetoric.

Previous social media posts from the convicted criminal included describing transgender individuals as "parasites on society".

The BBC calls a male neo-Nazi ‘she’, because their absolutist belief in gender identity ideology means any man - rapist, voyeur, terrorist, murderer or paedophile - must be described as a woman the moment he says he’s one. https://t.co/NfTKo5PkSJ

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 21, 2025

Liebich also shared an image depicting a rainbow flag in flames. These inflammatory statements and actions preceded the December transition by several months.

The case has drawn attention due to the apparent contradiction between Liebich's past expressions of hostility towards the transgender community and the subsequent decision to change gender identity.

German authorities have approved the transfer to a women's prison following the legal gender recognition.

"The BBC calls a male neo-Nazi 'she', because their absolutist belief in gender identity ideology means any man - rapist, voyeur, terrorist, murderer or paedophile - must be described as a woman the moment he says he's one," Ms Rowling posted on X.

The author characterised the broadcaster's editorial stance as an "absolutist belief" that compels them to accept any male criminal's gender identity claims without question.

Her post specifically listed various categories of serious offenders to emphasise her objection.

This represents Ms Rowling's most recent public challenge to the BBC's transgender coverage policies.

The writer has previously described the corporation's reporting on gender identity matters as "shameful".

Her criticism follows an established pattern of confronting media organisations over their handling of transgender issues in news coverage.

The BBC's editorial guidelines specify that journalists "generally use the term and pronoun preferred by the person in question, unless there are editorial reasons not to do so".

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The broadcaster issued two apologies to Rowling in 2023 after presenters failed to properly challenge accusations of transphobia made against her by transgender rights advocates. Radio 4's Evan Davis was among those involved in the incidents.

Despite these tensions, Rowling maintains commercial ties with the BBC through Brontë Film and TV, the production company she established to adapt her literary works. The firm continues to produce the Strike detective series for the corporation, based on her crime novels written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

GB News has contacted the BBC for a comment on Ms Rowling's claims.