JK Rowling has pulled no punches with her verdict on the decision by Glamour fashion magazine to honour a group of trans-women at this year’s Women of the Year Awards.
The annual event is regularly billed to honour “the world’s most extraordinary women—trailblazers, rule breakers, visionaries, and champions”, and this year, has extended that honour to a group the publication has named “The Dolls”.
According to the publication, the decision came “as trans rights face increasing threat in the UK”.
As a result, awards bosses decided to pay tribute to “nine of the community’s most ground-breaking voices at this year’s Women of the Year Awards”.
JK Rowling has faced huge backlash for her views on the trans debate over the years
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PAThe publication added: “From fashion and music to charity and activism work, these trailblazers work tirelessly to empower, uplift, and celebrate trans voices.”
Trans journalist Shon Faye commended the decision, writing for the publication: “Trans people – and especially trans women – are facing a committed attempt from anti-trans pressure groups and right-wing politicians to make exclusionary policy the default across British public life, including toilets, changing rooms, leisure facilities, workplaces, hospital wards and crisis support services.
“The intention is clear: to drive us out of public life to repress, then deny our existence.”
The Dolls has become a popularised term for transwomen, with “Protect the Dolls” becoming a phrase of solidarity projected in the media by several famous faces, including Madonna, Pedro Pascal, Tilda Swinton, Troye Sivan, Addison Rae, and Mariah Carey.
I grew up in an era when mainstream women’s magazines told girls they needed to be thinner and prettier.
Now mainstream women’s magazines tell girls that men are better women than they are. pic.twitter.com/ybEFr8XdSv
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 30, 2025
Actor Bel Priestley, author Munroe Bergdorf, models Munya, Ceval Omar, and Taira, as well as activist Dani St James, content creator Maxine Heron, and musician Mya Mehmi are among The Dolls.
The decision has been criticised by Ms Rowling, however, with the Harry Potter author taking to X to ridicule the honour.
She said: “I grew up in an era when mainstream women’s magazines told girls they needed to be thinner and prettier.
“Now mainstream women’s magazines tell girls that men are better women than they are.”
Munroe Bergdorf is among The Dolls honoured by Glamour
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GETTY
Several other public figures have also mocked Glamour’s decision, including Father Ted creator Graham Linehan, who also used X to share his thoughts.
This isn’t the first time Ms Rowling has used her social media platform to wade into ongoing discourse surrounding trans-people in the media.
The author has been a vocal supporter of biological women’s rights and is often at loggerheads with trans activists over issues affecting women and trans-people.
For instance, just hours after she ripped into Glamour’s front cover that featured The Dolls, Ms Rowling leapt to the defence of Turning Point USA contributor and fellow biological women’s rights supporter, Riley Gaines.
JK Rowling publicly mocked Glamour
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GETTYMs Rowling responded to an X user who mocked Ms Gaines’s rise to stardom after she’d publicly criticised trans swimmers competing in female categories.
The X user had penned: “If you took every trans athlete out of sports, no one would have heard of Riley Gaines.
“She owes her livelihood to trans athletes,” they mocked.
Ms Rowling took it upon herself to respond, defending Ms Gaines by typing: “@Riley_Gaines_ doesn’t defend women’s rights for attention or money, any more than I do.
Graham Linehan also criticised Glamour’s decision
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GB NEWS“We fight because it’s the only thing to do if you’re not a coward, a pick me or a living doormat.” (sic)
Ms Gaines responded to Ms Rowling’s public show of defence, writing in response: “Moral conviction is a foreign concept to some.”