The author and campaigner JK Rowling has said that society’s openness to allowing children to change gender is ‘one of the worst medical scandals in a century’.

She has called on those responsible for helping children to transition to follow the science. Rowling added that most major studies suggest children who experience gender dysmorphia will grow out of it.

“We are watching one of the worst medical scandals in a century. Those that should have known better – the medics and those who have unquestionably cheered this on – are creating a climate in which those trying to raise red flags have been intimidated and silenced.”

Rowling has been a particularly fierce critic of the Scottish Government’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill, under which it will become easier to change gender via a process called ‘self-ID’. It is has been blocked by the UK government over concerns that it adversely impacts UK wide legislation, namely the Equalities Act.

Speaking in the final episode of the podcast ‘The Witch trials of JK Rowling’ she also touched on pronouns and men using women’s lavatories.

Female confidence to challenge a man entering a female lavatory is eroding, she said, citing a Sunday Times poll that suggested 88% of sexual assaults take place in shared spaces.

Rowling also said educational institutions and publishing houses were failing to support a plurality of views in the gender debate.