JK Rowling posts stinging tweet about Nicola Sturgeon's comments on women's rights

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has weighed in after former first minister Nicola Sturgeon made fresh public comments on women’s rights.

Ms Sturgeon, in addressing an in-conversation event at Portobello Town Hall alongside crime author Val McDermid, warned about a “push back" against women's rights and suggested misogyny was "on the rise again".

But the comments have sparked criticism of the former first minister, with Rowling, who has herself hit the headlines for her public views on transgender issues, issuing a post in response on social media site X.

In a one-sentence response to The Scotsman’s article outlining Ms Sturgeon’s comments, Rowling said: “'Whale hate and harpooning is on the rise,' warns Captain Ahab.”

Ms Sturgeon had told the Portobello event there was something "really timely" about the release of Ms McDermid's new book “around the treatment of women”.

The main character of the novel, Queen Macbeth, is said to “outwit the endless plotting of a string of ruthless and power-hungry men”.

Discussing the relevance of the new book, Ms Sturgeon: "Having gone through many years of what felt like progress, there seems to be push back again. Women's rights are under threat, reproductive rights are under threat, there's a lot of abuse and toxicity towards women on social media, and misogyny seems to be on the rise again."

JK Rowling. Picture: Stuart C Wilson/Getty Images

Rowling is not the only critic to have responded to Ms Sturgeon’s assessment of women’s rights.

SNP MP Joanna Cherry also took to social media to post: “It’s not often I’m rendered speechless…….”

Alba party Westminster leader Neale Hanvey added: “There’s hypocrisy, there’s gaslighting…and then there’s this.”

Scottish Tories deputy leader Meghan Gallacher said in response to Ms Sturgeon’s comments: “Really don’t know whether to laugh or cry at this.”

Nicola Sturgeon appears at the in-conversation event at the Portobello Town Hall. Picture: Greg Macvean

Ms Sturgeon has previously come under fire from women's rights campaigners for her support for trans rights, such as allowing trans women to access women-only spaces.

She was leading the SNP Government when the Gender Recognition Reform Bill was passed through the Scottish Parliament in December 2022, before later being blocked by the UK government using a section 35 order.