In June 2025 two well-known bookstores in San Francisco—The Booksmith and Fabulosa Books made a big decision. They announced they would stop selling books written by J.K. Rowling, the famous author of the Harry Potter series. Their choice came after Rowling launched a new fund in May 2025, which they believe goes against transgender rights. The move has gained attention nationwide and adds to an ongoing debate around freedom, inclusivity and the role of businesses in social issues.
A Difficult Decision in the Haight-Ashbury
The Booksmith located in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, was the first to share its decision with the public. On June 26, 2025, the bookstore posted a statement explaining why they would no longer carry Rowling’s books. They said the move wasn’t just about disagreement—it was about action.
“We’re one private business making a decision to align our business practice with our own values and our customers’ values,” said Camden Avery, the store’s co-owner. “The freedom to do which, if I’m honest, is the one of the most rewarding parts of operating as a truly independent bookstore.”
The store, which describes its team as “queer booklovers,” explained that they usually stock books even by authors they may not fully agree with. But Rowling’s new fund changed that. The statement added that if “the author of a book states that all sales of those books will contribute to an anti-trans fund, the only way we can choose not to participate is by not selling the books any longer.”
They encouraged customers who still wanted to read Rowling’s work to buy secondhand copies instead so that the money wouldn’t go to the author.
The Fund at the Center of the Controversy
In May 2025, Rowling created what she called the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund. According to the official website, the fund’s mission is to “offer legal funding support to individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces.”
It’s fully funded by Rowling herself and does not accept outside donations. The site explains that the fund is meant to help women “who have lost their livelihoods or are facing tribunals because of their expressed beliefs” or “are being forced to comply with unreasonable inclusion policies regarding single-sex spaces and services, or female-only clubs and events.”
Rowling also posted on social media, writing, “I looked into all options and a private fund is the most efficient, streamlined way for me to do this.”
A Follow-Up From the Castro
Just one day before The Booksmith’s announcement, another store joined the stand. On June 25, Fabulosa Books, located in the Castro District—a neighborhood known for its LGBTQ+ history—posted its own message.
On Instagram, the store shared a photo of a whiteboard sign that read, “We are no longer buying + selling books by J.K. Rowling as she is devoting her life to nastiness.” They added a note thanking The Booksmith “for setting a good example.”
Marcus Ewert, speaking for Fabulosa Books said, “Just setting an example of there are things to resist. Choices to make and actions to take. We all need more courage right now.”
Rowling’s Past Statements on Gender
J.K. Rowling has been in the spotlight for her views on gender identity since 2019. In June 2020, she wrote an essay on her personal website where she shared her concerns about what she called “the new trans activism.” She said it could have negative effects on women’s rights and spaces. In that same piece, she wrote that using “inclusive” words like “menstruators” instead of “women” was “dehumanising and demeaning.”
Her comments sparked a huge reaction online and in the media. While some supported her views, many LGBTQ+ groups and allies said her words were harmful to transgender people. Over the years, the topic has continued to come up especially when Rowling shares new thoughts or launches efforts like her women’s fund.
For The Booksmith and Fabulosa Books this wasn’t just about a famous author. It was about the message their business sends to their community. Both stores serve neighborhoods known for their queer history and inclusive values. In that context, selling books by someone seen as opposing trans rights didn’t feel right to them.
Independent bookstores often reflect the voices of their customers. As Camden Avery said, this is one of the freedoms that comes with being an independent business. “We’re not a public institution,” Avery said. “We’re a small store trying to represent the people who walk through our door.”
A Larger Conversation
The decisions by these San Francisco bookstores are part of a bigger discussion. What happens when a writer’s beliefs cause harm—or are seen that way—by the public? Can someone separate the art from the artist? Should businesses make political choices?
While there may not be simple answers, actions like these show that some are ready to choose sides. As Marcus Ewert from Fabulosa Books put it, “We all need more courage right now.”
These decisions are not about banning books. Instead, they’re about who gets supported when money is spent. And in today’s world that question matters more than ever.
