John Waters has criticised JK Rowling’s views on transgender people.
Waters was discussing “cancel culture” when he said that he would like to “cancel” the Harry Potter author.
The Pink Flamingos director told The New York Times: “I have a thing about who I would cancel: JK Rowling. What’s the matter with her?”
Waters also defended his friend Johnny Depp, who has been accused of domestic assault by his ex-wife Amber Heard: “There are people I would like to cancel, but at the same time I’m saying it humorously. I’m not going to go through each person who’s been canceled and say what I think, but I never saw Johnny Depp act negatively to a woman in my entire life — and I did drugs and got drunk with him.”
Rowling has repeatedly come under criticism for various social media posts, which many have accused of being transphobic.
Earlier this month, the author sparked a backlash over a tweet regarding International Women’s Day in which she criticised the Labour Party’s position on women’s rights.
She posted: “Apparently, under a Labour government, today will become We Who Must Not Be Named Day.”
Rowling also personally criticised Labour leader Keir Starmer for saying “trans women are women”.
She had also been critical of the Scottish government’s proposal to introduce a law that would make it easier for transgender people to self-identify.
Rowling has repeatedly rejected the idea that she is “transphobic” and has said that she “knows and loves” trans people. The author has also received death threats over her posts and previously had her address in Scotland leaked online by activists.
The Independent has contacted representatives for Rowling for comment.
