JK Rowling blasts 'barbarous' doctors responsible for gender transitioning children: 'Worst medical scandal of all time'

According to reports, Ms Varian’s mother told the court she had opposed the surgery but felt pressured into consenting after being warned that her daughter was at risk of suicide if she did not transition.

Responding on X, Ms Rowling said the case marked the beginning of a wider reckoning for clinicians involved in youth gender medicine, claiming more detransitioners would now pursue legal action.

She argued that gender identity activists would continue to deny evidence of harm, while insisting that medical interventions for minors were “of proven benefit”, a claim she rejected outright, calling it “a lie”.

Ms Rowling cited comments made at a 2021 conference by British endocrinology consultant Dr Leighton Seal, who acknowledged that some procedures were being carried out without outcome data.

She also referenced testimony from patients who said they felt clinicians were “winging it” when it came to treatment.

“This will go down in history as one of the worst medical scandals of all time,” Ms Rowling wrote.

“Adults inside and outside the medical profession sold troubled young people the idea that all of their complex trauma would be resolved by removing healthy body parts.”

She went on to accuse not only clinicians but also politicians, celebrities, academics and media figures of creating a cultural climate that discouraged scrutiny and attacked whistleblowers who raised concerns.

The comments were made in response to an article detailing Ms Varian’s background, which included a turbulent childhood, autism diagnosis, depression, anxiety and body image issues.

The report said she began questioning her gender at 15 and underwent surgery less than a year later.

A young detransitioner, Fox Varian, has won $2 million damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit, in which she sued the psychologist and surgeon who approved her for a double mastectomy, aged 16. Varian's mother testified that she'd been against the surgery, but was pressured into…

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) February 4, 2026

Many fans of the Harry Potter author took to X to show their support for Ms Rowling.

Social media personality Oli London wrote: "This is a huge step and will open the floodgates to so many others who have been pushed to transition and have suffered the devastating effects. Finally this young woman can have some feeling of justice after what these doctors did to her."

Other commenters welcomed the judgement, with some suggesting insurance companies may eventually stop covering such procedures. One viewer said: "As soon as insurance companies are forced to pay enough, they will then exclude those surgeries and treatments from medical malpractice insurance and doctors and hospitals will stop. It always takes money to dictate morality for these people."

Another added: "These de-transition stories make me well up. So happy for that judgement."

Some fans praised Ms Rowling for her ongoing advocacy: "Thankyou @jk_rowling for leading the global public opposition to abuse of children and youth by the transgender industry. Without your profile and resources, the voices of the many campaigners would not have been nearly as loud," one wrote.

Ms Rowling has repeatedly argued that children cannot be born in the “wrong body” and warned that social media, schools, and clinicians may be encouraging medical transition without sufficient safeguards.

She has also been a vocal critic of the Scottish Government’s proposed gender recognition reforms, opposing the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and calling it a threat to the safety of vulnerable women and has supported For Women Scotland both financially and publicly, donating tens of thousands of pounds to back their legal challenges.

Following the 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling that “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex, she celebrated the decision, having backed the campaigners involved.

Notably, the core members of the original Harry Potter cast have distanced themselves from Ms Rowling due to her outspoken views.

In September 2025, Ms Rowling launched a scathing attack on Emma Watson, calling the actress "ignorant of how ignorant she is" in a lengthy post on X.

She revealed that Ms Watson had sent her a single-sentence handwritten note reading, "I'm so sorry for what you're going through," during a period when Ms Rowling was receiving death, rape, and torture threats.

Ms Rowling claimed that, despite having her phone number, Ms Watson had "publicly poured more petrol on the flames" with her statements at the time before sending the brief note.