Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling
says she's in “awe” of a popular vote legalizing same-sex
marriage in Ireland.
Voters headed to the polls on Friday.
The following day, thousands gathered at Dublin Castle's central
square, where returns were being announced live on big-screen
televisions. The referendum passed with more than 62% of the vote.
(Related: Irish
voters resoundingly approve gay marriage.)
“Sitting here watching the Irish make
history. Extraordinary and wonderful,” Rowling messaged her more
than 4.6 million followers.
When a follower asked, “Are you proud
of us, Jo?” Rowling responded: “I don't have the right to be
proud, as I'm not Irish. I'm in awe, that's what I am – Ireland
has set an example to the world!”
“I've been bullied for being gay,”
another fan wrote. “I hope those bullies change their minds as
they realise the world is changing.”
Rowling responded with a quote from
Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The arc of the moral universe is long,
but it bends toward justice.”
“Personally, I think @Mattdavelewis's
@AttitudeMag shoot might have swung a few undecideds,” Rowling
added, a reference to Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in
the Harry Potter films, and his recent racy cover for gay
glossy Attitude.