- Lucy Clark, 51, is the first trans coach of English women’s football
Author JK Rowling has been accused of cruelty for mocking the world’s first openly transgender football manager, comparing her to a “straight, white, middle-aged guy”.
The Harry Potter novelist responded to a post on X, formerly Twitter, from the LGBTQ+ Pride charity, defending Lucy Clark.
The transgender referee is the first trans coach in the top five divisions of English women’s football.
In the post, JK Rowling said: When I was young, all the football managers were straight, white, middle-aged guys, so it’s fantastic to see how much things have changed.
Social media users were quick to criticize the author, calling his post “cruel.”
LGBTQ+ Pride charity posted on social media congratulating transgender referee Lucy Clark
JK Rowling took to X to criticize the football manager, comparing her to a “white, straight, middle-aged bloke”.
Lucy Clark, 51, became the first trans coach in the top five divisions of English women’s football when she took over at Sutton United in January 2024.
Pride posted a photo of the referee with her famous pink whistle and a red card with her dark brown hair falling in waves over her shoulders.
Along with the image it said: “Lucy Clark, the world’s first openly transgender referee, has made history by becoming the first trans coach in the top 5 divisions of English women’s football. The former referee has taken charge of Sutton United. FABULOUS!’
But the author was quick to mock the football fan and apparently encouraged social media users to criticize the coach by comparing her to a “dude.”
Despite her “cruel” joke, Clark’s fans were quick to defend her.
Caroline Litman said: I don’t know Lucy, but my husband knows his wife.
‘Lucy is a real person with a family and a life to live. Bills to pay.
‘What harm does her role as a soccer coach cause you?
The author of Harry Potter has openly criticized gender self-identification
The author with the young cast of Harry Potter at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Clark acting as a referee during a match between Chivas Cosmos and Regal Rebels
‘The team loves her. His wife and her son love her.
Your decision to harass her is simply cruel.
Sutton United appointed the former referee as the new coach of their women’s team in January.
Clark, a lifelong fan of Sutton, previously became the first transgender referee in football, having refereed up to the third level of women’s football, but the 51-year-old was keen to embark on a new challenge in the dock.
Clark, who previously coached men’s non-league teams at Essex, is no stranger to management and has been appointed in the hope of preventing Sutton from relegation in the London Women’s Premier Division and Southern Region.
“Proud and honored to have the opportunity to lead such a fantastic club. The hard work starts now,” Clark posted on X after the appointment was confirmed earlier in the year.
Sutton United have struggled this season, having only won two of their last six games and are in the relegation zone along with Forest Green Rovers, sitting 23rd out of 24 in League Two.