J. K. Rowling

Joanne Rowling ( ; born 31 July 1965), known by her pen name , is a British author, philanthropist and anti-transgender activist. She is the author of ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume fantasy novel series published from 1997 to 2007. The series has sold over 600 million copies, has been translated into 84 languages, and has spawned a global media franchise including films and video games. She writes ''Cormoran Strike'', an ongoing crime fiction series, under the alias Robert Galbraith.

Born in Yate, Gloucestershire, Rowling was working as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International in 1990 when she conceived the idea for the ''Harry Potter'' series. The seven-year period that followed saw the death of her mother, the birth of her first child, divorce from her first husband, and relative poverty until the first novel in the series, ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', was published in 1997. Six sequels followed, concluding with ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' (2007). By 2008, ''Forbes'' had named her the world's highest-paid author.

The novels follow a boy called Harry Potter as he attends Hogwarts (a school for wizards), and battles Lord Voldemort. Death and the divide between good and evil are the central themes of the series. Its influences include ''Bildungsroman'' (the coming-of-age genre), school stories, fairy tales, and Christian allegory. The series revived fantasy as a genre in the children's market, spawned a host of imitators, and inspired an active fandom. Critical reception has been more mixed. Many reviewers see Rowling's writing as conventional; some regard her portrayal of gender and social division as regressive. There were also religious debates over the ''Harry Potter'' series.

Rowling has won many accolades for her work. She has been appointed an OBE and a Member of the Companions of Honour for services to literature and philanthropy. ''Harry Potter'' brought her wealth and recognition, which she has used to advance philanthropic endeavours and political causes. She established the Volant Charitable Trust in 2000, and co-founded the charity Lumos in 2005. Rowling's philanthropy centres on medical causes and supporting at-risk women and children. In 2025, ''Forbes'' estimated that Rowling's charitable giving exceeded US$200 million. She has also donated to Britain's Labour Party, and opposed Scottish independence and Brexit.

Since 2020, Rowling has been vocal about her gender-critical views on transgender people and related civil rights. Her remarks have been described as transphobic, resulting in condemnation from various sectors and fuelling debates on freedom of speech. Rowling denies being transphobic, stating that her views stem from her experience of domestic abuse and sexual assault. Her expression of these views has impacted her public image and relationship with readers and colleagues, altering the way they engage with her works. Provided by Wikipedia