When the internet spotted what looked like black mold in JK Rowling’s profile photo on X, everything seemed to fall into place. Maybe a mold infestation, which can lead to cognitive decline, is the reason for the author’s wild spiral into transphobia. Though Rowling later changed her profile picture and — after getting sued by Olympic boxer Imane Khelif — cooled it on her TERF posting, the transformative powers of mold seem to still be in full effect, even outside of Rowling’s walls.

Just take the case of X user Larisa White, who, despite being trans herself, just went viral for a statement telling other trans folks not to transition past the age of 30.

“Transition is only for young people, if you are over 30 years old don’t transition,” White wrote in a post that now has more than a million views.

Why would a trans person years into her own transition encourage others not to follow suit? Another X user, @WiseWujikawa, might have discovered the answer in another of White’s posts: a picture of mold growing on her ceiling with the caption, “[Is] this mold bad for my health?”

@WiseWujikawa immediately connected the dots, writing, “Scientists are calling this the jk rowling effect.”

Other commenters had their own terms for the side effects of transphobic mold, including the “mouldemort phenomenon” and “JK Molding.”

On the flip side, some people saw the mold as a trans ally for reducing the quality of life of TERFs like Rowling. It’s really a matter of which came first: the mold or the transphobia? 

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In all seriousness, White went on to describe in other posts why she regrets beginning her medical transition past the age of 30, as four years into HRT, she doesn’t look the way she wants to. 

White’s feelings toward her own body are entirely valid, but discouraging other trans people from pursuing a medical transition because of their age simply isn’t the move. Besides, plenty of trans folks who transition later in life say it was an excellent decision, including some in the replies to White’s viral post.

One person’s regrets shouldn’t stop other trans people from seeking comfort in their bodies, no matter their age — and to answer White’s initial question, yes, that mold is probably bad for her health.

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