The Death Eaters were fascists
Please read the whole thing through.
I am saying this specifically for audiences that forget what Death Eaters stood for.
Their ideology was centred on:
⁃ Genocide of non-wizards
⁃ Genocide of muggleborns
⁃ Torture and murder of “blood-traitors”
⁃ Government infiltration and dictatorship
I really don’t understand how fans (so many of whom hate JKR, are Palestine activists and are watching the USA fall under a fascist regime) aren’t connecting the dots.
People seem keen to forget that the Death Eaters and their supporters were canonically privileged aristocrats (the Malfoys, Regulus Black and his parents, Barty Crouch Jr, the Lestranges and likely many more but these are the only ones I could find EXPLICIT mentions of being from privileged backgrounds) who thought of themselves as superior for unproven reasons that were canonically false.
This is why so much of the fandom hates it when people create tragic backstories for blood supremacists, think up inclusive headcannons for them or ship them with resistance fighters.
People may as well be making headcannons about Hitler, Donald Trump or Elon Musk.
There are exactly two dark characters that we know the backstories of pre-dark alignment: Severus Snape and Tom Riddle.
(Not mentioning Regulus and Peter because there’s no in-depth information on them in cannon. Draco was aligned towards the dark since the beginning so I’m not mentioning him either.)
These two ACTUALLY have troubled pasts! Severus Snape comes from abject poverty and Tom Riddle was orphaned and grew up in an place where he was disliked as a young child.
This doesn’t excuse the stuff they did, but it seems strange the fandom (Marauders Era fandom especially) creates fannon backstories for fascists they like while ignoring the cannon ones for fascists they dislike.
It is a fact of history that any up-and-coming fascist movement starts from the top down. Only the elite can pass oppressive laws and hide their misdeeds behind money. Then they employ the people below them.
(To anyone about to argue that this contradicts what I said about Tom Riddle not being privileged; we have canon information that tells us that muggleborns and muggles were already viewed as “lesser” far before his time. Tom just used his charm and intelligence to organise the fascists into a group which made it easier to commit genocide.)
The fandom want to headcannon every character as lgbtqia+, autistic, poc, disabled and whatever else.
I really need you guys to have a reality check: there is no racist organisation that draws the line at racism. None. They will always find another target.
Now, does this mean your interpretation of the characters shouldn’t be diverse? FUCK NO!!! I am literally begging you all to continue making the characters POC and queer and whatever else you want!
HOWEVER, Please think of what it means to be a Death Eater and consider what it may say about you to be fixated on a fascist’s race, romance and friendships when there are SO MANY other non-Death Eater characters who would be better suited for your headcannons.
Hermione Granger (muggleborn who fought for house-elf rights and in the war against the people trying to kill her kind) would absolutely have a dictionary on pronouns memorised, start eight different heritage clubs and hex any racist she came across.
Remus Lupin (werewolf who has lived a life of discrimination due to his condition) 100% could be a disability ally! He knows firsthand how unseen mental and physical disabilities weigh you down and impact how people view you.
Luna Lovegood (bullied for being strange) take one look at her character and you will understand that this girl would be using (and probably creating) neopronouns and being the one all of the bullied people flock to for comfort.
You could take anyone who fought in the rebellion or their allys (just skim the wiki, there are lots of interesting characters) or even create an original character if none of them suit your fancy.
I personally feel quite offended by the way much of the fandom treats Death Eaters.
I remember kids drawing swastikas on the school windowsill while having pride pins on their bags.
They thought it was funny.
I remember learning about the pink triangles. I remember being called a gypsy for having old ill-fitting clothes and tan skin. I remember reading Anne Frank. I remember not being able to dance with a girl at prom.
I remember reading Harry Potter: a story about how kids stood up against a fascist takeover.
Now more than ever we need to be remembering these things.
(EDIT: absolutely none of this means that you shouldn’t write about Death Eaters or that you are a fascist for enjoying Death Eater content.
I do not at all believe that writing about something means that you endorse it. Even if you’re writing about someone else endorsing it.
My gripe is how much of the fandom has seemingly forgotten that they are allegories for fascism and how they nearly collectively rewrite the history of the Death Eaters. (imo) They are subconsciously aware that liking fascists’ personalities is an uncomfortable feeling to deal with and are trying to “justify” an “acceptable” way why they like the character. Usually this manifests in the Death Eaters becoming tragic villains who were forced into their roles and perhaps even secretly never agreed with the ideology, which contradicts cannon but is never presented as an AU.
You are allowed to think fascist characters are charming and engaging people.
Many of them are, you need to be pretty charming to be able to convince people that innocents are enemies. Just look at Tom Riddle.
You are not a fascist for having a fascist as your favourite character, but trying to justify a fascist’s behaviour is questionable.
There is a massive difference between enjoying a character (a product of writing) and thinking that they are a good person (a product of your morals). Disney villains have fan bases for this reason.
I would not care if only a handful of people were doing this or even if it was all tagged as AU. The problem for me is that this is becoming such a prevailing narrative in the fandom that fannon is replacing cannon in peoples minds which is leading to drama and problematic posts.)
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