Screw J.K. Rowling, We Are Harry Potter
When I was younger, one of the greatest thrills of my life was going to Barnes & Noble for the midnight releases of Harry Potter books. I still remember going to the release party for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Of course, I wasn’t one of the lucky kids whose parents could afford the book on its day of release, but I still remember the electricity in the air.
The store would be packed with kids of all ages and races who were in love with the series. There were themed treats and games, and people dressed up just like the characters in the novels. While I knew that my church compared reading Harry Potter books to devil worship, I had the time of my life at those release parties. When I was finally able to get my hands on a copy, I stayed up all night devouring the antics of the Golden Trio. Harry Potter was a such a huge part of my childhood that I cannot bear to part with it.
However, I can part with Joanne K. Rowling and she can get the fuck out of here on the first train smoking.
J.K. Rowling is a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) who actively promotes a view of gender and human rights that causes harm to and challenges the existence of trans people. Shortly put, she’s a horrible person. She recently compared hormone treatment to “conversion therapy for young gay people.” It’s not like this is the first time that she’s ever made harmful comments such as these. A simple search of her social media will reveal that she’s deeply transphobic, and she doesn’t care that she’s offending anyone or causing harm. She’s even doubled down on her statements in a lengthy blog post, in which she stated that her viewpoint came from “being a survivor of abuse and having concerns about single-sex spaces.”
It’s become so bad that Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter him-fucking-self, has come out and stated that he doesn’t agree with her. Two of the biggest Harry Potter fan sites, The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet, have distanced themselves from her. No one wants to be affiliated with her, and it’s not hard to see why.
“I think we have to realize that although Rowling created and legally owns the Harry Potter franchise, it does not belong to her. It belongs to the fans. ”
So, how should the legacy of Harry Potter be treated in the face of her behavior? I think we have to realize that although Rowling created and legally owns the Harry Potter franchise, it does not belong to her. It belongs to the fans.
It belongs to the people who run the fan sites, write the fanfiction, and pledge allegiance to their favorite houses. It belongs to the people who plan and execute Harry Potter fan conventions and the people who play their version of Quidditch at the local park with their friends. To those who read the books to their children so that they can enjoy them as much as they did as a kid or those who re-read the books with friends who are reading for the first time. That’s who the Wizarding World of Harry Potter belongs to, not J.K. Rowling.
It stopped belonging to her after she released the books. Everything that happened after that is because of the fans.
Every Millennial has their own memories of Harry Potter, and it can be challenging to throw away something that played such a major part of your development as an individual. We can shame J.K. Rowling, call her on her bullshit, and stop supporting her current and future endeavors without destroying the parts of ourselves who found comfort and joy at Hogwarts.
It is possible to distance ourselves from Rowling while still holding Harry Potter and his magical world close to our heart. She is not entitled to any more of our money and time. The Harry Potter series is old enough that it’s available at most public libraries both in hard copies and e-copies. There are always copies available at local secondhand bookstores. You can also share copies among friends.
Don't worry about watching the movies, the books are better anyway. Trust me. Sorry to Newt Scamander, but we won’t be seeing the rest of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movies. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? Sorry to Black Hermione, but we won’t be seeing it. (Nobody liked it anyway). Yes, Rowling will still be rich, but we won’t be amplifying her individual platform or lining her pockets any damn longer.
Fantastic Beasts & Where We Won’t Be Finding Them because J.K. Rowling is an asshole. Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
I cannot imagine how the transgender Harry Potter fans are feeling right now, especially if they have found some sort of home or escape in the books. I hope they know that the fandom stands with them and will continue to defend their right to live in this world free from violence, discrimination and harrassment. The Leaky Cauldron stated it best, “...we find the use of [Rowling’s] influence and privilege to target marginalized people to be out of step with the message of acceptance and empowerment we find in her books and celebrated by the Harry Potter community.”
Transgender people deserve the right to step onto Platform 9¾, get sorted into a house, and play Quidditch just like everybody else. This should never be in question. They have a place in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and if Rowling refuses to acknowledge that, screw her. She’s persona non grata in our community, and she will continue to be so for the unforeseeable future.
To our transgender family, please know that the fandom sees you, stands with you, and will continue to fight to make this world safer for you to live in.
