JK Rowling has criticised Glamour magazine for featuring nine transgender women on its 2025 Women of the Year Awards cover, prompting a defiant response from honouree Munroe Bergdorf. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, posted on X that the decision 'sends the wrong message to girls', claiming that 'mainstream women’s magazines tell girls that men are better women than they are'.
Glamour UK defended the move, stating that 'trans rights face increasing threat in the UK' and that it wanted to honour 'nine of the community’s most ground-breaking voices'. The cover includes models Munroe Bergdorf, Ceval Omar, Taira and Munya, actor Bel Priestley, activists Maxine Heron and Dani St James, DJ Mya Mehmi and writer Shon Faye.
At the awards ceremony in London, Bergdorf delivered a speech warning that 'fascism is here' and that 'demonisation of transgender people' threatens all human rights. She said the UK government is 'failing the trans community' and urged society to resist complacency, stating that 'discrimination and exclusion can never be acceptable for anyone'.
Fellow honouree Dani St James praised Glamour for moving 'beyond symbolic gestures' and called for action: 'Pay the Dolls, employ the Dolls... Love the Dolls out loud and speak up for the Dolls in the face of adversity.' The event also honoured Rachel Zegler, England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, the Sugababes, Tyla and model Adwoa Aboah.
