Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
9
J.K. Rowling Team Breaks Silence On Viral Cancer Rumor That Sparked Extremely Violent Reactions
The age-old debate over civility in online discourse has taken a disturbing turn following a viral claim that JK Rowling was battling cancer.
The rumor began with a tweet on September 9 from a user going by Anna, who identifies as a trans lesbian. The post read:
“JK Rowling was found to have cancer. Doctors believe that with a successful surgery, the malignant tumor can be removed, and the cancer will be saved.”
Highlights
- False JK Rowling cancer tweet goes viral, causing detractors to celebrate her supposed demise.
- Sociologist Monica Casper linked online outrage to economic pressure, polarization, and scapegoating.
- Experts warn social media amplifies prejudice, fueling dehumanization and facilitating digital cruelty.
The phrasing of the tweet made its intent clear: A sarcastic wish for the author’s demise. Within hours, it had amassed more than 3.5 million views, with countless users reacting with glee at the possibility of Rowling’s passing.
But it turned out to be nothing more than false information.
RELATED:
JK Rowling’s detractors celebrated as news of her battling cancer spread online. The claim was swiftly debunked
Image credits: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images
Image credits: jk_rowling/X
Rowling’s representatives wasted no time in shutting the rumor down.
Speaking exclusively withBored Panda, the Harry Potter author’s team explained that the tweet was a fabrication.
“This report is not true or accurate. JK Rowling has not been diagnosed with cancer. We won’t be commenting further,” a spokesperson said.
But it was too late. Online, social media threads erupted with commentary celebrating the supposed diagnosis.
Image credits: meowkoteeq
The author’s views as a Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism (TERF), has caused her to butt heads with that particular community and its adherents, becoming one of their most vocal critics.
“If gender isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased,” the author wrote in 2020.
Image credits: HenryHarper523
Image credits: johtonianjaime
The intensity of the backlash coincided with a particularly sobering week, characterized by a wave of stunning political violence.
The assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk during a university event has something in common with Rowling’s false news: certain segments of the internet have justified, and even endorsed the outcome.
To better understand this phenomenon, Bored Panda spoke with Monica Casper, Professor of Sociology at Seattle University.
Experts warn of multiple factors that have pushed the political climate in the US to its absolute limit
Image credits: richardferaro
Image credits: EtrosChosen
For Casper, the diagnosis is clear: “Extremism is well out of the shadows, and on full display.”
“The United States is currently deeply divided. Hatred of others is the daily currency of social media,” she said.
Casper argued that economic inequality, social fragmentation, and repeated exposure to violence have created fertile ground for such behavior.
“When people have less, it is easy to hate more,” she added.
Image credits: jk_rowling/X
Image credits: SkippityDooooo
Image credits: PedroL1705
For the professor, the outrage over Rowling’s supposed cancer represents a broader pattern of “social scapegoating.”
In moments of economic, cultural, or political stress, public figures become lightning rods for collective frustration. They are visible, vocal, and often polarizing, making them convenient targets for a society seeking to assign blame for their own shortcomings in life.
According to Casper, the internet has played a key role in facilitating the dehumanization of others
Image credits: jk_rowling/X
Image credits: 8jui09
Image credits: nakedym
The mechanics of the internet only amplify this phenomenon. As Casper explained, social media platforms allow users to vent grievances instantly and anonymously, creating an ecosystem where outrage isn’t just expressed, but rewarded.
Online, people are pushed by algorithms into echo chambers, where their opinions, no matter how extreme, are reaffirmed and rarely challenged. This contributes to polarization as it pushes people into an us versus them mentality.
Image credits: notinastronaut
Image credits: Alvah_or_Aalok
Image credits: Kateryna Hliznitsova/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
“The internet is an amplifier,” Casper explained. “It takes our existing prejudices and blows them up. Mere sexism becomes full-blown misogyny. It’s all too easy to sit behind a screen and scream at others with no repercussions.”
The professor revealed that even she herself was a victim of the online mob at one point, being targeted by those who disagreed with her opinions. She received hundreds of threatening emails as a result.
Experts suggest that the issue is deeply rooted in the US political system, which promotes an “us versus them” mentality
Image credits: meowkoteeq
Image credits: Coss4V
For the professor, it’s all about who is perceived as “the enemy,” and by whom. This is especially true for those in the public eye, such as influencers or celebrities.
From a sociopolitical perspective, Casper suggested that the underlying issue lies in the structure of US politics itself.
Image credits: BThevampy89175
The country operates under a winner-take-all electoral system. This means that large groups of voters can feel entirely shut out of the democratic process.
Research shared with us by Casper shows that these dynamics exacerbate a phenomenon called “affective polarization.”
What this means is that citizens are more likely to mistrust and, more importantly, dehumanize their political opponents.
The rumor came just as Rowling was paying tribute to a veteran Harry Potter designer
Image credits: jk_rowling/X
“Working with Stuart Craig was one of the privileges of my life,” the author wrote. “He was a true visionary and conjured the wizarding world for the screen as nobody else could have done.”
Craig passed away at 83, and was responsible for designing the film sets for several productions, including The Elephant Man, Dangerous Liaisons, and The English Patient, among others.
He was instrumental in designing the look of the Harry Potter movies, including the iconic outfits the characters wore.
But the Rowling rumor overshadowed her condolences. The subsequent reaction by a segment of the internet was seen as a clear example of “affective polarization.”
Image credits: L. Cohen/WireImage
Image credits: jk_rowling
Wishing for someone’s end may seem extreme, but for sociologists such as Monica Casper, it’s a symptom of a deeper societal issue.
According to Casper, social media, algorithms, economic pressures, and the political environment together create the conditions where online cruelty, desensitization, and tribal mentality thrive.
“Political discourse has always been moral warfare,” she said, warning that the issue requires cultural, and structural solutions.
“Digital cruelty is harmful. Full stop. Children and adults have taken their own lives because of cyberbullying. Democracy requires civility and difference, not civility despite our differences,” she said.
“Weird.” Comments celebrating the supposed diagnosis dominated the thread
Image credits: Kafka_Garezerra
Image credits: Samandriade
Image credits: psychwerd_
Image credits: Dafisha25
Image credits: MR_BONERGARAGE
Image credits: Bootleg1337
Image credits: MMA_ttg
Image credits: oh_my_nat
Image credits: yo_mom1999
Poll Question
Total votes ·
Thanks! Check out the results:
Total votes ·
Newsletter
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
What do you think ?
Space Invader 2 months ago
"being hateful really rots you from inside out" Really? And what does that say about people who wish others to die of cancer?
River Bed 2 months ago
I'm trans (the people who she wants to not exist) and due to her hatred she has induced suffering and even death to people like me. So yes I'm hateful. I hate that she's making me and people like me suffer more. Already 30% of trangender men attempted, and 90% of trans men self harmed, in the uk. She wants to make those numbers worse. She's a billionaire funding anti-trans laws that keep me alive. Do you know how dangerous that is? I never claimed to be a good person but ,man, I want to be seen as a person.
Load More Replies...
Francine Oglethorpe 2 months ago
omg this...listen I may not agree with what she says and that's the beauty of freedom of speech....that's the awful thing people aren't allowed to have different opinions...wishing death on someone is what is truly hateful
River Bed 2 months ago
I disagree, freedom of speech but not freedom of consequence. She wants trans people to not exist and listen i couldn't care less about that but she's funding anti-trans laws to get passed. She's a billionaire so she's putting my life in danger (I'm trans btw).
Load More Replies...
Bret Sander 2 months ago
I think that anyone that cheers on the death of another is a despicable POS.
Gozer LeGozerian 2 months ago
I'm still waiting for the statistics that tells us that trans women r**e females in bathrooms on a level far greater than men.
Yuddhisthira 2 months ago
It was never just about bathrooms. The UK law was about all spaces - womens prisons, womens psychiatric wards, shelters for a****d women. All women, cis and trans, should be concerned when anyone can simply declare to identify as female and have full access to these spaces.
Load More Replies...
KatSaidWhat 2 months ago
Look, she's a gobshite who needs to grow up but I would never wish cancer on anyone - not even Trump.
Jeolas1 2 months ago
I actually DO wish cancer on Trump - for the good of the world. If he died soon this MIGHT still save one of the most powerful nations of the world to decline into a full dictatorship. He can't die soon enough.
Load More Replies...
Dusty's mom 2 months ago (edited)
She lost all credibility to me when she came down so hard on trans people, especially kids. A *itch is a *itch. Not a modicum of empathy. Shame on her! And I have cancer too!
Squirrel Chaser 2 months ago
She never "came down hard" on anybody. And if you believe that kids are capable of making informed decisions about gender identity, you should seriously consider counseling.
Load More Replies... 
Sydney Llewellyn 2 months ago
Your report comes across as very biased, in favor of JK Rowling, Charlie Kirk, and Conservatism as a general ideology. It's fine if you're a Conservative outlet, so I'm going to say what you aren't saying. Yes, it is political violence when Charlie Kirk gets shot. Would you like to know what else is political violence? Attempting to legislate an entire demographic of the population out of the public sector. Advocating for policies that k**l minorities is political violence. Donating to hate campaigns is political violence. Being an Evangelical Fascistic White Supremacist Misogynist Eugenicist IS politically violent and N**i-esque, and THAT is who Charlie Kirk was. JK Rowling does a lot of these same things, aimed and targeted at transgender people. You do NOT get to tell oppressed people that we are not allowed to feel relief when someone who does things like this, is not able to hurt us anymore; that is highly indicative of privilege and, quite frankly, deeply insulting. OwO
UKGrandad 2 months ago
Knowing that men cannot be women and vice versa is not hate, it's just a fact of life.
Load More Replies...
thing hecc 2 months ago
Trans people existing isn't hurting you. This article is biased and stinks of AI. JK deserves all the hate she gets and genuinely thinking she's a warrior is hilarious. I hope this author has the day they deserve. :)
thing hecc 2 months ago
This entire article is biased and smells of ai. Trans people aren't hurting you. Have the day y'all deserve.
Winged Dreamer 2 months ago
I'd say to the TERF and her cronies, fix your hearts or die, but then they'd clutch their pearls and gasp and file it away as just another example of "trans violence". When you kick a dog for long enough the dog is going to bite back. If Joanne thinks trans lives should be eradicated, all of them, why should any trans person give a single sh/tting f/ck about hers.
Squirrel Chaser 2 months ago
Good grief. She never said anyone should be eradicated. Where are you getting this drivel from?
Load More Replies...
UKGrandad 2 months ago
Talk about pig-ignorant people believing what they want to believe despite the evidence to the contrary being right in front of their eyes! Rowling had nothing to do with the cancer story. It's right there in the second sentence of this very article. Quote: "The rumor began with a tweet on September 9 from a user going by Anna, who identifies as a trans lesbian." But, no, you skip that and decide that Rowling started the rumour because...? This type of thing is the entire reason that Rowling is vilified: people like you either twist what she says out of all recognition, or simply invent things, then you post them knowing full well that like-minded idiots will believe it and in turn pass it on.
Load More Replies... Space Invader 2 months ago
"being hateful really rots you from inside out" Really? And what does that say about people who wish others to die of cancer?
River Bed 2 months ago
I'm trans (the people who she wants to not exist) and due to her hatred she has induced suffering and even death to people like me. So yes I'm hateful. I hate that she's making me and people like me suffer more. Already 30% of trangender men attempted, and 90% of trans men self harmed, in the uk. She wants to make those numbers worse. She's a billionaire funding anti-trans laws that keep me alive. Do you know how dangerous that is? I never claimed to be a good person but ,man, I want to be seen as a person.
Load More Replies... Francine Oglethorpe 2 months ago
omg this...listen I may not agree with what she says and that's the beauty of freedom of speech....that's the awful thing people aren't allowed to have different opinions...wishing death on someone is what is truly hateful
River Bed 2 months ago
I disagree, freedom of speech but not freedom of consequence. She wants trans people to not exist and listen i couldn't care less about that but she's funding anti-trans laws to get passed. She's a billionaire so she's putting my life in danger (I'm trans btw).
Load More Replies... Bret Sander 2 months ago
I think that anyone that cheers on the death of another is a despicable POS.
Gozer LeGozerian 2 months ago
I'm still waiting for the statistics that tells us that trans women r**e females in bathrooms on a level far greater than men.
Yuddhisthira 2 months ago
It was never just about bathrooms. The UK law was about all spaces - womens prisons, womens psychiatric wards, shelters for a****d women. All women, cis and trans, should be concerned when anyone can simply declare to identify as female and have full access to these spaces.
Load More Replies... KatSaidWhat 2 months ago
Look, she's a gobshite who needs to grow up but I would never wish cancer on anyone - not even Trump.
Jeolas1 2 months ago
I actually DO wish cancer on Trump - for the good of the world. If he died soon this MIGHT still save one of the most powerful nations of the world to decline into a full dictatorship. He can't die soon enough.
Load More Replies... Dusty's mom 2 months ago (edited)
She lost all credibility to me when she came down so hard on trans people, especially kids. A *itch is a *itch. Not a modicum of empathy. Shame on her! And I have cancer too!
Squirrel Chaser 2 months ago
She never "came down hard" on anybody. And if you believe that kids are capable of making informed decisions about gender identity, you should seriously consider counseling.
Load More Replies... Sydney Llewellyn 2 months ago
Your report comes across as very biased, in favor of JK Rowling, Charlie Kirk, and Conservatism as a general ideology. It's fine if you're a Conservative outlet, so I'm going to say what you aren't saying. Yes, it is political violence when Charlie Kirk gets shot. Would you like to know what else is political violence? Attempting to legislate an entire demographic of the population out of the public sector. Advocating for policies that k**l minorities is political violence. Donating to hate campaigns is political violence. Being an Evangelical Fascistic White Supremacist Misogynist Eugenicist IS politically violent and N**i-esque, and THAT is who Charlie Kirk was. JK Rowling does a lot of these same things, aimed and targeted at transgender people. You do NOT get to tell oppressed people that we are not allowed to feel relief when someone who does things like this, is not able to hurt us anymore; that is highly indicative of privilege and, quite frankly, deeply insulting. OwO
UKGrandad 2 months ago
Knowing that men cannot be women and vice versa is not hate, it's just a fact of life.
Load More Replies... thing hecc 2 months ago
Trans people existing isn't hurting you. This article is biased and stinks of AI. JK deserves all the hate she gets and genuinely thinking she's a warrior is hilarious. I hope this author has the day they deserve. :)
thing hecc 2 months ago
This entire article is biased and smells of ai. Trans people aren't hurting you. Have the day y'all deserve.
Winged Dreamer 2 months ago
I'd say to the TERF and her cronies, fix your hearts or die, but then they'd clutch their pearls and gasp and file it away as just another example of "trans violence". When you kick a dog for long enough the dog is going to bite back. If Joanne thinks trans lives should be eradicated, all of them, why should any trans person give a single sh/tting f/ck about hers.
Squirrel Chaser 2 months ago
Good grief. She never said anyone should be eradicated. Where are you getting this drivel from?
Load More Replies... UKGrandad 2 months ago
Talk about pig-ignorant people believing what they want to believe despite the evidence to the contrary being right in front of their eyes! Rowling had nothing to do with the cancer story. It's right there in the second sentence of this very article. Quote: "The rumor began with a tweet on September 9 from a user going by Anna, who identifies as a trans lesbian." But, no, you skip that and decide that Rowling started the rumour because...? This type of thing is the entire reason that Rowling is vilified: people like you either twist what she says out of all recognition, or simply invent things, then you post them knowing full well that like-minded idiots will believe it and in turn pass it on.
Load More Replies... You May Like “Disgusting”: Fans Brutally Slam Joey Swoll For Controversial Take On Trans Gym Locker Room Fight "I'm Born Female": Bearded Trans Man Forced To Explain Himself After Woman Confronts Him “Enough Is Enough”: People Cancel Gym Memberships Over "Disgusting" Incident Involving Trans Lady
Gabija Saveiskyte
Karina Babenok
Gabija Saveiskyte
Related on Bored Panda
-11
85