Russia Ukraine Crisis: JK Rowling Slams Putin For Referencing Her While Stating Russia Is Being 'Cancelled'

Putin made a televised statement saying that Western culture has cancelled Russia like Rowling whose books were read all over the world but they cancelled because of her views on gender rights.

J.K. Rowling & Russian President Vladimir Putin (image Source: AFP, PTI)

New Delhi: British author J.K. Rowling slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin after he made a reference to her while talking about cancel culture, according to ANI.

The report said that Putin stated Russia was being "cancelled" by Western culture just as she was cancelled for her controversial anti-trans comments. Responding to this comparison on Twitter, the 'Harry Potter' franchise author wrote, "Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics," followed by 'I Stand With Ukraine' hashtag.

"They cancelled [J.K.] Rowling recently, the children's author. Her books are published all over the world, [but they cancelled her] just because she didn't satisfy the demands of gender rights," Putin had said.

Putin had further also likened "cancel culture" to Nazis trying to burn books in the 1930s.

"We remember the footage when they were burning books. It is impossible to imagine such a thing in our country and we are insured against this thanks to our culture. And it's inseparable for us from our motherland, from Russia, where there is no place for ethnic intolerance, where for centuries representatives from dozens of ethnic groups have been living together," he said.

In 2020, Rowling cause a stir when she made spoke about her gender beliefs and posted a series of anti-transgender tweets. At the time the author had argued that discussing gender identity negates biological sex.

The controversy continued as Rowling generated backlash for opposing a reform bill in Scotland that would make it easier for transgender people to legally change their gender, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the author posts about her children's charity organization Lumos which is currently collecting donations for children in Ukraine. She makes regular posts about her work for Ukraine through the organization.