‘I’m more of a woman than JK Rowling’: India Willoughby goes viral amid dispute with Harry Potter author

India Willoughby has been trending on social media after responding to J.K Rowling’s tweet mocking the “temporary blindness” of the politicians who posed near a ‘decapitate TERFs’ sign at a rally in Glasgow.

The broadcaster, 57, from Cumbria, who has over 50,000 followers, quit her job presenting the news for ITV in 2010 and announced that she had transitioned to female when she returned to screens five years later.

She has been trending on Twitter today after responding to a tweet debating if she or J.K Rowling is best suited to represent women, following the author’s post blasting the SNP politicians who failed to notice a banner “calling for violence against women”.

The heated debate has racked up thousands of comments, while sparking a discussion about the need for women’s and trans rights.

MP Kirsten Oswald and MSP Kaukab Stewart were photographed standing near to a sign saying ‘decapitate TERFs’ at a demonstration, which took place in Glasgow on Saturday.

According to the Oxford Languages dictionary, a TERF is “a person whose views on gender identity are considered hostile to transgender people, or who opposes social and political policies designed to be inclusive of transgender people.”

The SNP politicians have claimed that they were unaware of the words displayed behind them in the snap.

“A strange new form of temporary blindness has broken out among Scottish politicians. None of them could read placards calling for violence against women while standing inches away from them, yet they were instantly cured when photos of them posing with the signs hit the press,” J.K Rowling tweeted to her almost 14 million followers.

This sparked a response from India, who argued against J.K Rowling’s claim that the sign was directed at women.

India wrote: “Can someone zoom in on this mythical sign mentioning Women? Only I can’t see it. Probably because it doesn’t exist. You don’t represent women JKR - in fact, most oppose your views. You appeal to mostly right wing blokes with zero interest in ‘women’s rights’.”

One commenter penned a transphobic response as they attempted to defend J.K Rowling.

“I’m more of a woman than J.K Rowling will ever be,” India replied.

Almost 5,000 people liked India’s tweet as commenters began to debate among themselves about her response.

J.K Rowling shared India’s tweet, writing: “Citation needed.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that the divisive sign inciting violence against TERFs is being investigated, while other MPs have labelled it a “hate crime and a public order offence.”

The spokesperson said: “We have received a report regarding a sign which was displayed during a rally on Buchanan Street, Glasgow on Saturday, January 21, 2023. Enquiries are ongoing.”