JK Rowling doxxing controversy explained: Author accuses Georgia Frost, Holly Stars, and Richard Energy of leaking house address

On Monday, November 22, JK Rowling took to Twitter to claim that she and her family have been doxxed by three actor-activists, Georgia Frost, Holly Stars, and Richard Energy.

The author of the famous Harry Potter series wrote that on Friday, November 19, the activists intentionally stood outside her house and took photos with the author’s address visible in the background. She mentioned that the pictures were later circulated on social media and left her exposed to threats.

JK Rowling appreciated her followers for reporting the image and also thanked the Scotland Police for their support and assistance. She also asked fans to delete the photos and requested them to refrain from circulating the image even for the purpose of condemning the actions.

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A detailed look into JK Rowling's doxxing controversy

JK Rowling mentioned that she was doxxed for speaking out her opinions on trans women (Image via Getty Images/Anadolu Agency)

JK Rowling’s doxxing incident comes in the wake of her transphobic controversy. Last year the author came under fire for her remarks on gender identity, specifically targeted towards trans women.

She was criticized for her book Troubled Blood that portrayed a man dressed up as a woman as a serial killer and lead antagonist. The author was largely slammed for harboring transphobic sentiments and even deemed a member of the TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists).

JK Rowling left the community and several Harry Potter fans disappointed by her comments. Over the years, people continued to call out the writer for her opinions.

More recently, actors and trans activists Holly Stars, Georgia Frost, and Richard Energy posed in front of JK Rowling's residence with pro-trans signboards and ended up revealing her address through photos shared on social media.

In light of the latest incident, JK Rowling claimed that the activists doxxed her to leave her “intimidated” and scared for speaking up for “women’s s*x-based rights”.

The 56-year-old mentioned the names of several women who reportedly contacted her to share similar experiences:

“Over the last few years I’ve watched, appalled, as women like Allison Bailey, Raquel Sanchez, Marion Miller, Rosie Duffield, Joanna Cherry, Julie Bindel, Rosa Freedman, Kathleen Stock and many, many others, including women who have no public profile but who’ve contacted me to relate their experiences”

JK Rowling also wrote that these women have allegedly faced similar “campaigns of intimidation” and “hounding on social media” for refusing to accept the “socio-political concept of gender”:

“[The women] have been subject to campaigns of intimidation which range from being hounded on social media, the targeting of their employers, all the way up to doxing and direct threats of violence… None of these women are protected in the way I am. They and their families have been put into a state of fear and distress for no other reason than that they refuse to uncritically accept that the socio-political concept of gender identity should replace that of s*x.”

The world-renowned writer also went on to claim that she has received constant death threats following her opinion on trans women but has continued to maintain her stance on controversial views:

“I’ve now received so many death threats I could paper the house with them, and I haven’t stopped speaking out. Perhaps – and I’m just throwing this out there – the best way to prove your movement isn’t a threat to women, is to stop stalking, harassing and threatening us.”

Following the incident, the U.K. Prime Minister’s office at Downing Street also addressed the situation. Speaking to The Independent, the office mentioned:

“We don’t think that any individual should be targeted in that way. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and people are able to share their views as long as it’s done in that fashion.”

In response to the accusations, Holly Stars took to social media to share that the trio have decided to take the image down for receiving “threatening and transphobic messages” following the incident:

“Yesterday we posted a picture we took at JK Rowling's house. While we stand by the photo, since posting it we have received an overwhelming amount of serious and threatening transphobic messages so have decided to take the photo down.”

As of now, the official Twitter accounts of all three actor-activists have been removed or deleted. It remains to be seen if there will be any further consequences of the incident.

Amid the ongoing controversy, no mention of JK Rowling has been made as part of the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special. Sources close to the organizers told TMZ that the author would only appear on the show through archived footage.