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J.K. Rowling burned the Westboro Baptist Church so hard that it’s not even funny

J.K. Rowling won't tolerate homophobes on Twitter.

 

Gavia Baker-Whitelaw

Tech

Posted on May 27, 2015   Updated on May 28, 2021, 6:07 pm CDT

As a longtime supporter of LGBT rights, Harry PotterΒ author J.K. Rowling was excited to hear the results of the marriage equality referendum in Ireland last week.

Replying to a tweet from a fan, Rowling joked that now Dumbledore (who is gay) and Gandalf would be able to get married.

Rowling often replies to fans on Twitter, so this dorky but heartfelt message was pretty normal.

Unfortunately, it was picked up by a member of the violently homophobic Westboro Baptist Church, who tweeted that the group would picket any potential wedding between Gandalf and Dumbledore. (A bizarre threat, given that both men both fictional wizards. But whatever.)

Warning: Like many messages from the Westboro Baptist Church, this tweet includes some offensive language.

https://twitter.com/WBCSaysRepent/status/603288066388828160

Not one to let hate speech slide on a public forum, Rowling hit back with a badass response.

Some fans disapproved of Rowling even acknowledging the WBC, an organization that thrives on public controversy and outrage. However, Rowling made it clear that her message wasn’t really intended for the WBC themselves, but rather for her own followers. As an LGBT ally, she wanted to strike back against homophobic behavior, and the WBC’s vitriol offered a good outlet.

Screengrab via Rowling Archives/YouTube

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*First Published: May 27, 2015, 11:10 am CDT
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