Billboard company to take down tribute to JK Rowling after one complaint of transphobia

A billboard raised in Vancouver in support of JK Rowling and her views on the reality of biological sex is slated to be taken down after Pattison, the billboard company, caved to pressure after just one complaint from a trans rights activist. Prior to its removal, it was vandalized by paintballs.

The billboard was put up by a group of gender critical feminists who wanted to show their love and admiration for the famed, Harry Potter author, JK Rowling. Rowling is a prominent feminist and progressive but has held the belief that "sex is real," which has made her deeply hated among trans rights activists.

It wasn't long after the billboard appeared that trans rights activists publicly threatened to vandalize the Pattison billboard and then did so.

Following a number of threats to vandalize the Vancouver billboard, it now has been covered partially in what seems to be paintballs.

Since JK Rowling revealed her gender critical views, it has become largely controversial to sing her praises.

This is not the first time a complimentary advert of Rowling has been targeted. In Edinburgh, gender critical activist Kellie-Jay Keen paid £1,200 to put up the poster to state her agreement with JK Rowling's assertion that biological sex is real.

That poster was then taken down by the Waverly Station, despite the fact that a freedom of information request found that there were no complaints made against it. In fact, there were 158 complaints made after its removal.

Amy Eileen Hamm is a Vancouver based Feminist and one of the organizers who put this billboard up. Upon doing so, she was attacked on social media by activists. Some comments praise the billboard while a few respectfully disagree.

Most of those who reached out to her about the billboard, however, threatened to ruin Amy's life, vandalize the billboard, and in one case, an individual insinuates that they will stalk Amy based on her photo. The post is public and can be seen here.

Threats have also been made against another organizer.

Hamm is part of GIDYVR, a feminist group in Vancouver. She hosts feminists like Meghan Murphy, and says that she is not surprised by the threats made.

"I am not surprised at this point because of other things I've been involved in, like hosting GIDYVR events," Hamm told The Post Millennial. There is a community of activists in Vancouver who make threats of violence, [and] rape against women or anyone who challenges their ideology."

One of the complainants is Nicola Spurling, a trans rights activist and spokesperson for the BC Green Party, who has come under fire by JK Rowling. Spurling said of Rowling's comments on biological sex that Rowling "can no longer be trusted around children." Rowling has threatened suit against Spurling.

Rowling threatened suit against Spurling, and Spurling took the tweet down.

Hamm and her group wrote a letter to Pattison, the billboard company, asking that they not take it down.

"We ask that you stand with us, stand with women and stand up free expression," the letter reads.

On Saturday afternoon, Pattison informed the group that they will be taking down the billboard after receiving only one formal complaint.