J.K. Rowling has sparked controversy after saying that her assets make the pain of losing fans go away "pretty quickly".
The 57-year-old Harry Potter author - who has denied she is transphobic - has been widely condemned over the years for her remarks on gender identity, with many fans questioning her views on the transgender community.
Last night (October 13), the author was asked "how she sleeps at night knowing you’ve lost a whole audience from buying your books?" after being accused of making anti-trans comments on social media.
She quickly shot back at the user on Twitter, writing: "I read my most recent royalty cheques and find the pain goes away pretty quickly."
Check out J.K Rowling's tweet below:Many users on the social media platform were quick to support the author's clap back, with some reflecting on the impact the Harry Potter series had on them as young readers.
One user said: "Best smackdown ever lol," while author Matthew Loop commented under Rowling's tweet, writing: "JK Savage".
A third user shared the effect the Harry Potter series had on them: "I was a school governor in the mid-2000’s getting boys to read was a MASSIVE pedagogical issue to which there was no solution, and then along came the wonderful @jk_rowling."
Meanwhile, other users took to Rowling's comment section to write that they are unable to support her or look past her alleged transphobia.
One user said: "And this is why my teens decided to divorce themselves from HP entirely. They don't want you getting their money."
Another commented: "Truly sucks seeing someone create a world you adored while growing up turn into such a mean, sh***y weirdo.
A third user shared: "Yes, we know you sell bigotry to stay relevant. Thanks for admitting it for the receipts."
Rowling's comments come after Harry Potter actor Tom Felton - who played Draco Malfoy - swerved a question about her opinions on the trans community and instead spoke about the impact of her novels.
"To be honest with you, I’m a little bit out of the loop with the specifics but I’m constantly reminded and so lucky that Potter has brought together so many walks of life," he said on BBC Breakfast on October 12.
"Every country I’ve been to, everyone knows Potter so I’m quick to remind myself, and others, that she was the reason that continues to bring so many people together which is a wonderful thing," he added.
Other Harry Potter stars - including leading trio Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint - spoke out in support of the trans community after Rowling's comments two years ago.
In 2020, Rowling took issue with a headline on an online article discussing "people who menstruate" and wrote in a tweet: "I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?"
In a statement through the LGBT suicide prevention charity, the Trevor Project, the 33-year-old actor who played the beloved young wizard said he feels "compelled to say something" regarding the author's comments.
"Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I," Radcliffe added.