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."

JK ROWLING CONFRONTS THE BBC FOR PUSHING 'PROPAGANDA' OVER ITS TRANSGENDER SPORTS HEADLINE

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."

HBO’S 'HARRY POTTER' GETS A HARD NO FROM 'BLACK MIRROR,' 'LOKI' DIRECTORS OVER JK ROWLING’S TRANS VIEWS

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."

ROYAL FAMILY FACES BACKLASH FROM CRITICS AFTER QUEEN CAMILLA HOSTS JK ROWLING

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."

JK ROWLING CALLS OUT THE 'GROTESQUE' BEHAVIOR TOWARDS SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM FANS IN SCATHING POST

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."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

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

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.

BROADCAST BIAS: FEMINIST FREAKOUT OVER SHANE GILLIS COMMENT IS THE REAL JOKE

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."

SWIFTIES CLAIM TRAVIS KELCE DID THE UNSPEAKABLE BY LIKING SHANE GILLIS' 'SNL' MONOLOGUE & THEY'RE NOT HAPPY

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?"

SETH MEYERS ADMITS SHOCK OVER SECOND TRUMP VICTORY PROMPTED SIT-DOWN WITH LATE-NIGHT TEAM TO ADJUST TONE

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."

RICKY GERVAIS REJECTS CALLS TO TONE DOWN COMEDY: 'BE OFFENDED IF YOU WANT'

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?"

BILL MAHER ARGUES CANCELED STARS LIKE LOUIS CK, KEVIN SPACEY SHOULD BE LET OUT OF 'SHOW BUSINESS JAIL'

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.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News’ Lindsey Kornick contributed to this report.

Paul Finebaum says ESPN did, indeed, sideline him after an interview with OutKick last year.

Last September, Finebaum told Clay Travis during a podcast that he was considering leaving ESPN to run for U.S. Senate in Alabama as a Republican, revealing that he had also voted for President Donald Trump in 2024. A week later, Travis reported that ESPN had removed Finebaum from his scheduled television appearances because of the interview.

"Per sources: Disney/ESPN has removed @finebaum from appearing on @ESPN since his @outkick interview expressing interest in running as a Republican for senate in Alabama. ESPN has canceled all network appearances on all shows, including some that have occurred for a decade plus," Travis posted on X.

An ESPN public relations executive disputed the report, despite the obvious fact that Finebaum had disappeared from his usual ESPN television appearances, even following a weekend of major college football upsets.

"This is not true at all. The below is TOTALLY FALSE," ESPN's Bill Hofheimer wrote above Travis' report.

Finebaum sided with Travis' version of events this week.

"Of course, I was sidelined," Finebaum told Awful Announcing when asked about the story. "I’d done the same shows every day for 13 years, and the next thing you know, I’m not on there after a college football weekend."

OutKick asked ESPN for comment Thursday following Finebaum's remarks. The network sent the following statement:

"As we stated last year, Finebaum was never banned."

The dispute is largely a matter of semantics. Finebaum was not booked for his regular appearances on shows like SportsCenter and Get Up the week after his interview with OutKick. He did, however, continue hosting his eponymous show on SEC Network and ESPN Radio. He remained on some ESPN platforms.

The network can also claim it simply chose not to book him for certain television appearances and tried out other personalities in case Finebaum ultimately left the company to run for office. In fact, that is what we hear ESPN told people who inquired at the time.

As a matter of technicality, ESPN did not "ban" Finebaum. However, what is technically true is not always the same as what is obvious.

What appears obvious is that ESPN responded to Finebaum's interview by not booking him on the shows he has spent the past decade appearing on during the college football season.

Further, it would have been understandable for ESPN to take issue with Finebaum making national news about a potential political campaign while still employed by the company. We wouldn't have faulted ESPN for deciding not to use Finebaum on television while he was publicly flirting with a run for office, which he ultimately decided against.

THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!

The issue is the double standard.

Stephen A. Smith has spent years publicly discussing the possibility of running for president as a Democrat. ESPN did not respond by removing him from his regular television appearances or publicly preparing replacements in case he left the company to seek office.

That contrast makes ESPN's handling of Finebaum harder to dismiss as ordinary programming rotation.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Finally, there is the broader question of how much longer Finebaum will remain at ESPN.

Nearly every football season seems to bring another story about Finebaum potentially leaving the network, whether for political office or a media competitor. At some point, that recurring uncertainty begins to say something about the partnership.