JK Rowling just posted about a woman reading The Philosopher’s Stone to their child - and I have some thoughts
I grew up in the Harry Potter generation. My best friend and I used to queue outside Waterstones to buy the latest Harry Potter book and devour them within a couple of days. I got engaged to my ex-partner in front of Tim Riddle’s parent’s grave at Harry Potter World in London. I always thought that Harry Potter would be something that I could read to my daughter, connect with her over, talk to her about. I read her the first two books when she was a newborn - before I was aware of JK’s views.
Harry Potter played a huge part in my life as someone who grew up in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. I devoured it all. The films, the books, the fanfiction, the beautiful art people made. I owned multiple pieces of merch, and wore them often.
The new series would’ve made teenage me scream in excitement. Like Hogwarts Legacy, it was everything I’ve ever wanted as a child. I wanted more of this world that I had placed on a pedestal and let define a chunk of my life.
As I got older, Harry Potter became something I wanted wasn’t hugely into but could still look back on fondly. “Remember when we went to the cinema to see Half Blood Prince?” “Remember when we dressed as dementors for Halloween?”
But then JK Rowling began to make her heinous opinions known.
I have friends who are trans. I have friends who are non-binary. I have friends who are gender fluid. I value them more than words can express, and certainly more than Harry Potter.
JK Rowling uses her wealth to directly harm trans people in the UK on a political level. She uses people consuming her work as an endorsement of her views.
I can’t stand by while she actively stands against the mere existence of people I love dearly.
As someone who grew up on Harry Potter, as someone who was so ingrained in the fandom and wanted this series so badly at one point - it is in no way worth it.
People who starred in the film series have publicly disavowed her for her views - this new series is merely an attempt by her to stay relevant and keep making money so she can funnel it into cruel anti-trans legislation and vile hatred.
Trans lives matter more than anything JK Rowling has ever written, and trans people will continue to exist long after she is gone.
Transgender people have a right to exist, and they have a right to feel safe in public spaces. This is not debatable, this is a fact.
Support your transgender community. Don’t watch the new Harry Potter series. Trans lives are more important than a tv show about wizards. And they always will be.
If you’re in the UK and want to make a difference, here are some charities you can donate to that actively help transgender people:
Helping gender-diverse kids, young people and their families since 1995
At a time when anti-trans discrimination is rife and hate crime has reached record levels, it’s important to know what support is out there
https://transactual.org.uk
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