Author J.K. Rowling reaffirmed her stance on sex and gender issues Wednesday, writing in a new essay that she would not back down from her advocacy despite facing what she described as a relentless "avalanche of death, rape and torture threats."

The British author, best known for writing the "Harry Potter" series, published the piece six years after her June 2020 essay sparked widespread debate over transgender rights and women's single-sex spaces.

Rowling wrote that her views "haven’t changed" since 2020, but that "the landscape certainly has, and my own involvement in the issue has become practical as well as theoretical, so I thought it was time for an update."

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Her original essay drew criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations and transgender rights activists, along with calls to boycott her work.

In the new essay, Rowling defended her opposition to policies allowing transgender women into certain female-only spaces, arguing that they undermine protections for women. She also characterized modern transgender activism as "elitist to its core."

"It’s true, of course, that trans activism doesn’t impact all women negatively. In fact, the more privileged you are, the less it tends to affect you, and the more it might benefit you. Aside from an avalanche of death, rape and torture threats, it hasn’t noticeably affected my life," Rowling wrote.

Rowling has rejected accusations that her views are "anti-trans," maintaining that her advocacy centers on women's safety and privacy.

"Should trans people be discriminated against when it comes to housing or employment? Of course not," Rowling wrote. "Should trans people be stripped of their human rights, or denied personal safety? Again: of course not."

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Earlier this month, transgender rights activists protested a gala performance of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" in London. A demonstrator wore a T-shirt reading, "Rowling money kills," and security personnel eventually removed the protesters from the red carpet.

In response to Rowling’s earlier 2020 comments on sex and gender, LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD criticized the author, writing on social media that "JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people."

Actor Daniel Radcliffe, who starred as Harry Potter in the film adaptations, also publicly criticized Rowling's comments in 2020, issuing a statement through The Trevor Project.

"Transgender women are women," Radcliffe wrote. "Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I."

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May Mailman, director of the Independent Women's Law Center, told Fox News Digital that she agrees with Rowling's criticism of wealthy supporters of transgender activism, arguing that working-class women are more likely to be affected by policies governing single-sex spaces.

"For people in the United States who have real problems to deal with, they need to figure out how they're [going to] put food on the table," Mailman said. "They're not worried about pronouns. They're worried about improving their families and improving themselves. And so, there is this elitism that's like when you run out of problems, you start inventing them."

Rowling has also supported the campaign group For Women Scotland, which challenged the interpretation of "woman" under the U.K.'s Equality Act 2010. On April 16, 2025, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that the terms "woman" and "sex" refer to biological sex for the purposes of the law. The court also affirmed that transgender people remain protected against discrimination under the law's gender reassignment provisions.

Mailman welcomed the British court decision but warned that she believes free speech in the country is increasingly under threat.

"I think the status of free speech in Great Britain is much more under attack than it is in the U.S.," Mailman said, adding, "I think we should treat it as a warning sign, because I think people look to Britain as where the United States could and often does head."

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Jeremiah Igunnubole, U.K. legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom International, a Christian legal advocacy group, also welcomed Rowling’s essay in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"We welcome JK Rowling doubling down on her determination to challenge gender ideology and defend the importance of biological reality. Truth matters, and we should not be afraid to uphold it simply because doing so is controversial," Igunnubole said.

He added that Alliance Defending Freedom International would "continue to defend these principles and the protections that flow from them robustly, including through litigation in the UK where necessary."

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A representative for Rowling declined to provide additional comment to Fox News Digital.

FIRST ON FOX: A conservative legal group is calling on the Trump administration to investigate a Rhode Island school district over a policy that allegedly allows school officials to facilitate students' gender transitions behind their parents' backs, accusing the district of violating multiple federal civil rights laws.

America First Legal (AFL) filed a formal complaint Tuesday with the Justice Department and Department of Education targeting Westerly Public Schools in Westerly, Rhode Island, over a transgender student policy adopted in 2017.

"Westerly Public Schools' policy blatantly violates federal law, tramples on parents' rights, and embraces radical gender ideology," Ian Prior, senior counsel at America First Legal, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Male students claiming to be female receive every privilege while actual female students are shoved aside. AFL is calling on the Department of Justice and the Department of Education to step in and hold WPS accountable."

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The complaint from America First Legal alleges that Westerly Public Schools' transgender student policy, adopted in 2017, allows school officials to facilitate students' gender transitions, including changes to names, pronouns and school records, without parental notification or consent. The group also alleges the policy permits students to use bathrooms, locker rooms and participate in sports based on their gender identity rather than biological sex, while requiring students who object to seek separate accommodations.

The policy defines "Gender Identity" as "a person's deeply held sense or psychological knowledge of their own gender. One's gender identity can be the same or different than the gender assigned at birth. Most people have a gender identity that matches their assigned gender at birth. For some, however, their gender identity is different from their assigned gender."

The guidance for secondary students reads, "Generally, notification to a student's parent(s)/guardian(s) about their gender identity, expression, or transition is unnecessary, as they are already aware and supportive. However, some transgender students do not want their parents to know about their transgender status. These situations must be addressed on a case-by-case basis and require schools to balance the goal of supporting the student with the desire that parents be kept informed about their children."

It continues, "In these circumstances, school administration should ask the superintendent for direction on how to proceed. If the administration determines that notifying the family carries risks for the student, it should work closely with the student to assess the degree to which, if any, the family will be involved in the process and must consider the age, health, well-being and safety of the student."

America First Legal alleges the district's policy violates multiple federal laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), by withholding information about students' gender transitions from parents, and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), by allowing certain student evaluations without parental consent.

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The group also argues the policy violates Title IX by permitting students to use bathrooms, locker rooms and participate in sports based on gender identity rather than biological sex, potentially compromising female students' privacy, safety and athletic opportunities, and is urging the Trump administration to investigate the district, require changes to its policies and ensure compliance with federal law, including parental notification requirements.

The complaint marks the latest effort by America First Legal to challenge school policies it argues infringe on parental rights. The group previously developed resources in 2022 to help parents use the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) to hold schools accountable. AFL pointed to a recent Trump administration lawsuit against Kansas City Public Schools in Kansas over allegations involving undisclosed student gender transitions and violations of FERPA and the PPRA, saying it is seeking a similar outcome in Westerly.

The Department of Education told Fox News Digital that it does not confirm complaints.

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A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told Fox News Digital in a statement that, "The Department has received the complaint and will review it. As a matter of policy, the Department does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations. The Justice Department is committed to enforcing Title IX and to protecting the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children."

Fox News Digital reached out to Westerly Public Schools for comment.

A southern Michigan school district has voted to restrict participation in girls' sports to biological females, approving a new policy in a 4-2 school board vote amid the ongoing national debate over transgender athletes competing in women's and girls' athletics.

"The Board of Education approved a new policy with a vote of 4 yes and 2 no with one board member absent," Andrew Shaw, superintendent of Monroe Public Schools, told Fox News Digital in an email Wednesday.

"As the superintendent it is my role to implement the policies established by the Board of Education," he added. "The policy that was approved is for Monroe Public Schools only and does not impact any visiting school."

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The policy, titled "Girl's Athletic Participation and Facilities Use," addresses participation in girls' athletics and access to facilities. A copy of the proposed policy obtained by Fox News Digital states that participation in girls' athletics at Monroe Public Schools would be restricted to biological females, with eligibility tied to documentation on a student's birth certificate.

The policy reads, "Participation in girl's athletics at Monroe Public Schools shall be restricted to biological females as documented on the birth certificate at the time of birth. Access to and use of girl's athletic facilities (locker rooms) shall follow the same restriction."

The decision comes as school districts across the country continue to grapple with questions surrounding transgender student participation in girls' sports and access to sex-separated facilities.

The new policy announcement also comes after Briley Lechner, a varsity volleyball player at Monroe High School in Monroe, Michigan, and her father, Sean, filed a federal lawsuit on Oct. 9, announced by the Thomas More Law Center, raising Title IX and constitutional claims against Monroe Public Schools, the Michigan High School Athletic Association and school officials over the alleged incident.

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Briley Lechner said she filed a lawsuit after she unknowingly shared a locker room with a transgender athlete.

"What's very scary is that the day that this happened, I had no clue that there was a boy on the other team," Lechner told Fox News Digital in an interview on Oct. 15.

The lawsuit from the Thomas More Law Center "alleges that school officials knowingly concealed from the Monroe High School girls' volleyball team and their parents that the September 9, 2025, match with Ann Arbor's Skyline High School would involve a biological male (transgender female)," according to the legal group.

In a statement, Briley Lechner told Fox News Digital, "Our family loves and respect everyone, regardless of our differences. This has always been about my privacy, my safety, and fair play. Nothing more, nothing less."

She added, "Every female athlete deserves to have her rights respected and protected. Boys do NOT belong in girls’ locker rooms or girls’ sports. Every girl deserves to feel safe, respected, and protected, both in the locker room and on the court. We should NEVER have to fight for that."

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Sean Lechner, her father, told Fox News Digital, "The new policy may be watered down, but it's an incremental victory for my daughter and every female athlete. It's shameful it took nearly a year to get here but we still have work to do. Who's to say they can't change it again? Regardless of how some try to twist the narrative, this has ALWAYS been about my daughter's privacy, safety, and fair play. Nothing more, nothing less!"

He continued, "Since our lawsuit was announced, my daughter and I have received even more harassing and threatening messages. But at the heart of everything I'm doing is something simple — being a father, being a parent, and loving my daughter enough to stand beside her when she needs me most." 

He added, "To all parents....put aside your differences, bring faith, common sense, and respect back into our homes. Our children are God's most precious gifts. Love them. Cherish them. Protect them. One day, your daughter may look you in the eyes and ask, 'Why didn't you stand up for me when I needed you?' I never want my daughter to ask me that question. I want her to know her father stood beside her and never backed down. No amount of hate or threats will silence us. I will never stop standing up for my daughter."

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Thomas More Law Center for comment.

Longtime "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kenan Thompson said he would sit Shane Gillis down "like a little kid" to discuss the comedian's controversial joke about women's gym attire during his recent hosting stint, which drew criticism from fellow entertainers earlier this month.

Speaking at the Axios Media Trends Live summit on Tuesday, Thompson addressed the criticism of Gillis and discussed how he would handle the comedian's potential return to host the show for a fourth time.

"If he were to come back, I'm sure we would have a conversation of like, ‘How do you think that went?’ You know what I mean? And what do you think you could have done? Like a little kid, you know? Like I would just sit him down and be like, ‘Yeah, so what do you think we could change there, pal?’ And just figure it out," Thompson said.

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Thompson, who is now in his 24th season of the show, stopped short of condemning the routine, but suggested performers must strike a balance between taking "creative liberties" in comedy and avoiding "harmful words."

"I guess it's just finding the balance of both things, like allowing creative liberties, but also kind of like watching your step as far as harmful words are concerned," Thompson said.

"Because I think everybody's focusing in on this one specific word or one specific part of the monologue, and then the rest of the monologue, or even the rest of the show, is getting overshadowed."

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Thompson also said the decision to invite Gillis back was not up to him, but he suggested the two would need to talk if the comedian returned.

"But if he were to come back, then yeah, I think we would have to have some sort of like, a real chat where, you know, people's actions don't, you know, kind of overly like wave pool the rest of us, if you will," he said.

Sitting alongside Thompson on the panel, Range Media Partners CEO Peter Micelli defended Gillis, arguing that fear of offending audiences is stifling comedy.

Calling Gillis a "lovely human being" and a "wonderful man" who spent most of his opening monologue poking fun at himself, Micelli argued that comedians need room to take risks without fear of backlash.

"There's so much focus on what makes you angry and afraid. And there needs to be more focus on what makes you laugh and love and enjoy life," Micelli said.

"Comedians need some space to do some stuff to make us laugh. And if every time they step a little too far, in your opinion ... then we're gonna shut the whole thing down, then what kind of world are we [going to] live in?"

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Gillis drew criticism from entertainment figures after joking during his opening monologue earlier this month that women at gyms "just dress like whores now." The appearance marked his third time hosting the NBC sketch series.

"I haven’t been to the gym in so long. I didn’t know women just dress like whores now?" Gillis said. "Look, I’m sorry, there’s no other way to describe [it]. Have you seen it? I’ve seen it. You’ve seen the shorts? They’re those neon, like, artificial bait-colored [shorts], and the wrinkles go around the cheeks and all combine at the butthole. And don’t look! You’re not allowed to look."

Among those who criticized the routine was "Schitt’s Creek" co-creator and star Dan Levy, who posted a video on social media condemning Gillis' remarks.

"Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores. It makes the men calling them whores misogynists," Levy said. "There’s a difference there. By the way, I’ve seen more men’s nipples at the gym than I’ve ever seen women showing their bodies off."

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Other comedians, however, offered a different perspective. Fellow "SNL" cast member Michael Che addressed the controversy on NBC's "Today" show Thursday, arguing that jokes don't always land with audiences.

"That’s comedy. It’s like, you think it’s funny, and then some people don’t," Che said.

He said he did not initially see Gillis' monologue when the show aired. When he eventually watched it, Che said he "didn’t think about it, honestly." He added that his experience delivering jokes that haven't landed while co-anchoring "Weekend Update" with Colin Jost has kept him from criticizing other comics.

"That’s why I can’t criticize anybody for swinging and missing, because I’ve definitely swung and missed, too," Che said. "I try to keep that heat off of me."

Former "SNL" cast member Dana Carvey also questioned the criticism during Monday's episode of his "Fly on the Wall" podcast with David Spade, saying he didn't "understand the kerfuffle."

"When you say jokes, you’re not literally saying ‘women are whores.’ You are literally joking," Carvey said. "Isn’t that kind of the idea? No? Did I just get canceled?"

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Comedian and media analyst Tim Young had a similar take, telling Fox News Digital that the controversy surrounding Gillis reflects what he sees as a growing divide between comedy fans and audiences of traditional network television, including "SNL."

"Comedy is the last bastion of free speech. So if we’re [going to] start policing comedy, then we’re going to lose basically our First Amendment," Young said. He also pointed to Gillis' success selling out arenas outside traditional network television.

"This wasn’t for that audience in New York, and it wasn’t for the ‘SNL’ audience," Young added. "It was for his audience, and his audience, I think, is much larger than the ‘SNL’ audience."

Young also argued that comedians should resist pressure to apologize in response to criticism on social media.

"Never apologize, because the apology is never enough," Young said. "This audience, the leftists, they want this attention. They want to keep drowning out any other voices that they disagree with, and when you acknowledge that by apologizing, and you give them the power, they will never give it up and they will always want more. So it is very important to never apologize."

Fox News Digital reached out to Thompson's representatives for comment but did not receive a response. Gillis' team declined to comment.

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Fox News’ Lindsey Kornick contributed to this report.