J.K. Rowling Doubles Down on Anti-Trans Rhetoric as Brandon Sanderson Champions LGBTQ+ Representation
J.K. Rowling is doubling down again, blasting trans-inclusive ideas and keeping herself at the center of culture-war crossfire beyond the wizarding world, while fellow fantasy heavyweight Brandon Sanderson has repeatedly addressed the topic.
Two of fantasy fiction's biggest names just ended up in the same conversation for very different reasons. J.K. Rowling jumped back into the debate over trans-inclusive policies with a fresh round of posts on X, while Brandon Sanderson laid out, in unusually clear terms, how and why he puts LGBTQ+ characters in his books.
Rowling re-ups her position, and the debate follows
Rowling has been publicly arguing against trans-inclusive measures for years, usually framing it as a women-and-girls safety issue. That drumbeat continued this week. In new posts on X, she zeroed in on single-sex spaces and the role of the government, casting her stance as a defense of privacy and safety.
"I want my daughters to live in a country where their right to single-sex spaces isn’t under attack from their own government."
On December 20, 2025, she pointed followers to reports and statistics she believes back up her position. One example she highlighted: a report from the Women’s Rights Network, which says it obtained police data and counted 80 sexual assaults, 16 rapes, and 65 voyeurism incidents in unisex changing rooms across England and Wales. She also referenced figures cited via freedom of information requests about UK prisons, claiming a high percentage of trans-identified male inmates had prior sexual offense convictions.
Rowling criticized politicians and trans rights advocates who disagree with her, accusing them of brushing off what she sees as clear evidence and warning of long-term consequences for women’s safety. None of this is new for her, but every time she reiterates it, the conversation lights up again far beyond books or movies.
Sanderson explains why inclusion is a feature, not a quota
Meanwhile, Brandon Sanderson — one of the most-read fantasy authors on the planet — used a public FAQ to spell out his approach to representation. He says he includes LGBTQ+ characters because it makes the worlds he writes feel honest and alive, not to tick a box. He also ties that choice to his faith, and does it in a way that surprised some readers with how candid it is.
"I put LGBTQ+ people into my books, and will continue to do so. Not because I want to fulfill a quota, but because I genuinely believe that it is right for the characters–and is a good and important thing for me to be doing. God created LGBTQ+ people in this world; to ignore such an important aspect of His creation would be to deny, in some small way, Him."
He adds that reflecting real people on the page is basically a personal mandate now, shaped by what he felt was missing in the fiction he grew up with. Sanderson also talks about how his thinking has changed over time, crediting actual conversations with LGBTQ+ people for shifting his perspective.
"I am a practicing and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As part of that, I support the leaders of the church, accept them as my spiritual advisors, and believe they are led by God. That said, on the position of gay rights, I find my own beliefs more liberal than the general tenor of the church. Over the years, through interaction with wonderfully patient members of the LGBTQ+ community, I think I’ve come a long way."
The short version
- Rowling: Reiterates her opposition to trans-inclusive policies around women-only spaces; cites safety, privacy, and rights of women and girls; points to Women’s Rights Network numbers (80 sexual assaults, 16 rapes, 65 voyeurism incidents in unisex changing rooms in England and Wales) and FOI-based figures on UK prisons; posts on X on December 20, 2025; criticizes politicians and activists she says ignore the data.
- Sanderson: Uses a public FAQ to say he includes LGBTQ+ characters because it is right for the stories and reflects the real world, not to satisfy a quota; links that stance to his faith; says his views have evolved through listening to LGBTQ+ people; notes he is LDS but more liberal than the general tenor of the church on gay rights.
Why this matters beyond books
Rowling's posts reliably pull the broader culture war back into the spotlight; Sanderson's FAQ is the opposite vibe — methodical and introspective — but just as telling about where major fantasy voices are planting their flags. Same genre, wildly different approaches, both shaping how fans (and future adaptations) navigate representation and real-world politics.