Taiwan turns against JK Rowling following her comments about Olympic boxer Lin Yu-ting

The media, politicians and former Harry Potter fans in Taiwan have all rallied round Olympic boxer Lin Yu-ting following comments made by JK Rowling (Getty/PinkNews)

Widespread outrage has broken out in Taiwan in the wake of controversial comments made by former Harry Potter author JK Rowling about Olympic boxer Lin Yu-ting.

Time reports that Taiwanese “government officials and citizens alike are furiously denouncing JK Rowling” after she waded into the current Olympics boxing controversy – specifically, the eligibility of Taiwan’s star female boxer, Lin Yu-ting, at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Boxers Lin Yu-ting and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif have both been cleared to participate in the women’s events at the Olympics. However, both were disqualified from last year’s World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) after failing to meet eligibility criteria.

Lin, who is representing Taiwan, was stripped of third place at the championships in March 2023 after failing a gender eligibility test. Algeria’s Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi for failing a testosterone level test.

However, the Russia-led IBA had its authority over Olympic boxing events revoked because of “long-standing concerns about integrity and governance”, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has repeatedly declared that Lin and Khelif are eligible to continue competing as women, Time reports.

Both athletes have identified as women since birth, and have competed and lost to women in international boxing events, including previous Olympics.

“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA … without any due process,” the IOC said in a statement. “Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination.”

Sharing an article about the IOC’s decision on X on 30 July, Rowling wrote: “What will it take to end this insanity? A female boxer left with life-altering injuries? A female boxer killed?”

The row has since intensified after Italian boxer Angela Carini abandoned her preliminary fight against Khelif on Thursday (1 August).

The response in Taiwan has been swift and unforgiving. The Liberty Times, one of Taiwan’s leading newspapers, blasted Rowling for her remarks, accusing her of being ill-informed and out of touch.

“It’s one thing to criticise transgender issues, but our Lin Yu-ting is completely not transgender!” the paper said in a withering post on X. “If J.K. Rowling can’t even tell the difference in this, this editor suggests she focuses on writing novels!”

United Daily News, another major Taiwanese publication, echoed these sentiments, denouncing the uproar as a “mistaken transgender controversy” that “even JK Rowling has misunderstood.”

“No baby at birth would have schemed this way just to take part in the Olympics 28 years later”

Politicians also weighed in, “Let’s not even talk about the fact that JK Rowling’s opinions and stance on transgender issues in recent years have been very controversial. I’ll say just one thing: identity card number,” Keelung City Councillor Jiho Tiun wrote on Facebook.

Taiwanese citizens’ national identification numbers begin with 1 for males and 2 for females.

“If she was biologically male and went to change her gender to get better results in competition, then her identity card would have begun with 1 instead of 2. Because no baby at birth would have schemed this way just to take part in the Olympics 28 years later,” the councillor continued.

“This may make sense for a novelist specialising in writing about magic and wizardry. But in Taiwan, registering your identity and gender after birth is something that can’t be simpler.”

The outcry also spilled over onto social media, where Taiwanese former fans are disavowing Rowling and pledging to boycott her work.

“JK Rowling is suspecting Taiwan’s Olympian for competing as a transgender, I shall boycott all Harry Potter merchandise and movies,” declared one disgruntled fan, with many others also expressing their disappointment at the author’s stance: “Even though I love Harry Potter, I no longer like Rowling.”

Another accused her of “maligning an innocent person.”

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s spokesperson also weighed in, saying that Lin “has shown incredible strength, overcoming doubts to compete fairly on the world stage. Your determination inspires the nation!”

Lin Yu-ting has told reporters in Paris that her emotions and resolve have not been affected by the controversy. “I can definitely interpret these challenges as opponents being so afraid of our ability, that they’re making an issue out of some problems,” she explained. “The more they fear me, the better I’ll perform in the boxing ring.”