The JK Rowling black mold meme came from rumors that she has a serious problem with fungus in her home revealed by her Twitter profile photo. In the formerly featured image, there appeared to be black blotchy patches rising upward on her walls in the photo, taken in her home in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Critics of the Harry Potter author were quick to joke that black mold could be an explanation for her turn toward some rather “controversial” (by which we mean terrible) opinions, particularly around trans people. Her fans argued that what was in the photo was not mold at all, but it was too late to stop the memes.
Where did rumors about JK Rowling living with black mold originate?
The Rowling black mold meme started with Twitter user @mushycrouton, who reposted her profile photo on July 30, 2024 with a question.
“Sorry but is that black mold growing up the walls of her house?” Sam asked. “Is that why she’s the way she is?”
A home with black mold wouldn’t be unusual in Scotland, where damp weather is common. At the same time, Rowling’s increasingly extreme views and what some would call erratic behavior, including a laser focus on trans people, had already resulted in some speculation that something could be wrong with the writer’s brain.
Does JK Rowling really have black mold growing in her Edinburgh home?
The blackened pattern on the walls in her former profile photo certainly resembles unchecked black mold growth, but there are other theories about what it could be. Other images from the Edinburgh mansion and a video from a virtual interview with The Telegraph show sharper views of the walls, revealing a possible wallpaper pattern.
The black floral pattern may be taking on the appearance of mold due to blurring effects that Rowling was using to improve her appearance, as many do, in both photos and videos The unfortunate combination of the floral pattern and a blurring filter could result in what looks a lot like a case of black mold.
It seems unlikely that Rowling—who has made over $1 billion on the Harry Potter books, films, merchandise, theme parks, and other uses of her ideas—would allow potentially dangerous mold to grow in her mansion when she could easily hire someone to get rid of it. Of course, this logic is unlikely to stop trans people and allies from joking about it.
JK Rowling responds
While Rowling has not directly addressed the black mold memes, likely knowing that doing so would only fuel the rumors and jokes, she did change her Twitter profile photo soon after they started. Her new avatar shows her in a different area of her home with nothing resembling mold on the walls behind her.
However, there was something strange in the new image that critics quickly picked up on. A long, flesh-colored phallus-shaped item can be seen protruding from behind her head on the right, resembling a penis. If she was trying to stop the mockery, that’s a swing and a miss.
JK Rowling black mold meme examples
Related memes:
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- Meme mocks J.K. Rowling for offering too many ‘Harry Potter’ details
- J.K. Rowling just posted a Harambe Patronus—and the end is near
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