Ok but harry potter “defenders” and jk Rowling defenders are not the same. You can appreciate the world of HP while not agreeing or supporting their shit creator.
Anecdote: As a member of the generation that grew up with HP, no one I know is supporting the IP financially. We grew up with the books and movies and that’s it. This is just one of many cultural issues that’s dividing the left. Cool I guess?
There hasn’t been a new Harry Potter book in decades, and Fantastic Beasts basically took cyanide when Crimes of Grindelwald came out, only thing keeping this franchise alive is fanfics
The game was pretty successful financially, although it luckily wasn’t at all able to stay culturally relevant and there is a new hbo show coming out soon that was even promoted by german state media.
Lots of people still watch the movies on streaming. As little as a few weeks ago, my wife suggested we should watch one of the movies. She has no particular contact with the LGBTQ+ society, and didn’t know anything about JK Rowlings behaviour. I’ve had a few colleagues that are gay, but I never had meaningful exposure to the queer community either, until I stumbled into roller derby a decade ago.
So I assume a lot of people watch HP, not of malice, but unknowingly or with indifference to who JK Rowling is as a person
I still have people swearing to me that she “Supports the trans community” and “Donates money to pro-trans causes” and that people are “targetting her unfairly”
Sad thing is, they’re being serious and arguing in what they believe is good faith. They legitimately don’t realize who she is, they’re too smitten by the debunked story of a homeless woman who wrote Harry Potter on old napkins.
Honestly, having to listen to people babble about Harry Potter just feels like a slap in the face. Like, I know people who have the best intentions in regard to supporting trans people, but they’ll still happily make endless references to this garbage in front of me as though it wouldn’t immediately bring to mind someone who is actively engaged in trying to get others to agree that I shouldn’t exist. Some of them also buy merch that I guarantee puts money directly in her pocket.
I understand why this is so painful, and I really appreciate you sharing how you feel. I grew up with HP, and while it was part of my childhood, I don’t support the author’s views at all. I get why seeing people casually reference the series or buy merchandise can be upsetting when it feels like it’s indirectly supporting someone who actively harms the trans community. That said, I think it’s important for people to be able to talk about the series and its impact on them without automatically being labeled a bigot. Acknowledging the harm the author has caused doesn’t mean we can’t still discuss the cultural impact of the books. People should be more mindful, but I don’t think we should shut down conversations about it entirely. Thanks for sharing your perspective—I’ll keep this in mind moving forward.
The very first comment is all about actively supporting J K Rowling with money, so this is not just about people talking about HP, but funding someone who is actively using their money and influence to harm us.
As others have mentioned publicity and support in general for HP is also bad, as it makes people more likely to buy HP merchandise. New shows, merch, and games are still being produced and sold. We aren’t shitting on HP for fun. We are telling people that this actually really and truly hurts us.
No one is. This is an article about how she uses profits from the HP franchise to fund transphobia with people running in to the defend liking the franchise while completely ignoring the context of the post.
Edit: For reference, liking or not liking the franchise isn’t what the post is about, so running in to defend it is gonna be read as supporting funding the franchise.
I would never call someone a bigot for talking about Harry Potter. It does absolutely reduce my opinion of them, though. I keep it to myself, but I see it as pretty thoughtless.
I disagree. Sometimes you can’t separate the art from the artist when they are actively using their wealth and influence to oppress an already marginalized group. Just take a look at what recently happened and is happening to Tesla.
Someone dear to me is heartbroken and perennially conflicted because she absolutely loved Harry Potter growing up, and is also keenly aware of how shitty JK Rowling is. Now as an adult the Harry Potter franchise is one of the things that gives her joy in an otherwise very hard life she has had.
I’m not giving any more details about her. All I’m asking is, give these people a break, please. Not everyone is in a position in life to be an activist on everything, and while it might sound silly, things like HP are a big part of some people’s childhoods and taking those away from them can be devastating.
Harry Potter defenders: “JK Rowling just said mean words online she hasn’t actually harmed trans people!”
What JK Rowling is doing with the money:
Ok but harry potter “defenders” and jk Rowling defenders are not the same. You can appreciate the world of HP while not agreeing or supporting their shit creator.
But by consuming Harry Potter IP, you’re actively putting money in her pocket, which she uses for her anti trans cause. Unless you pirate the content
Anecdote: As a member of the generation that grew up with HP, no one I know is supporting the IP financially. We grew up with the books and movies and that’s it. This is just one of many cultural issues that’s dividing the left. Cool I guess?
Edit: typos
We’re pretty united against bigotry. Get with the program or stop dividing the left.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
There hasn’t been a new Harry Potter book in decades, and Fantastic Beasts basically took cyanide when Crimes of Grindelwald came out, only thing keeping this franchise alive is fanfics
The game was pretty successful financially, although it luckily wasn’t at all able to stay culturally relevant and there is a new hbo show coming out soon that was even promoted by german state media.
Lots of people still watch the movies on streaming. As little as a few weeks ago, my wife suggested we should watch one of the movies. She has no particular contact with the LGBTQ+ society, and didn’t know anything about JK Rowlings behaviour. I’ve had a few colleagues that are gay, but I never had meaningful exposure to the queer community either, until I stumbled into roller derby a decade ago.
So I assume a lot of people watch HP, not of malice, but unknowingly or with indifference to who JK Rowling is as a person
I still have people swearing to me that she “Supports the trans community” and “Donates money to pro-trans causes” and that people are “targetting her unfairly”
Sad thing is, they’re being serious and arguing in what they believe is good faith. They legitimately don’t realize who she is, they’re too smitten by the debunked story of a homeless woman who wrote Harry Potter on old napkins.
Even the original cast don’t support hp anymore because they aren’t a bunch of assholes and don’t have rocks for brains.
Honestly, having to listen to people babble about Harry Potter just feels like a slap in the face. Like, I know people who have the best intentions in regard to supporting trans people, but they’ll still happily make endless references to this garbage in front of me as though it wouldn’t immediately bring to mind someone who is actively engaged in trying to get others to agree that I shouldn’t exist. Some of them also buy merch that I guarantee puts money directly in her pocket.
It bothers the shit out of me.
I understand why this is so painful, and I really appreciate you sharing how you feel. I grew up with HP, and while it was part of my childhood, I don’t support the author’s views at all. I get why seeing people casually reference the series or buy merchandise can be upsetting when it feels like it’s indirectly supporting someone who actively harms the trans community. That said, I think it’s important for people to be able to talk about the series and its impact on them without automatically being labeled a bigot. Acknowledging the harm the author has caused doesn’t mean we can’t still discuss the cultural impact of the books. People should be more mindful, but I don’t think we should shut down conversations about it entirely. Thanks for sharing your perspective—I’ll keep this in mind moving forward.
The very first comment is all about actively supporting J K Rowling with money, so this is not just about people talking about HP, but funding someone who is actively using their money and influence to harm us.
As others have mentioned publicity and support in general for HP is also bad, as it makes people more likely to buy HP merchandise. New shows, merch, and games are still being produced and sold. We aren’t shitting on HP for fun. We are telling people that this actually really and truly hurts us.
No one is. This is an article about how she uses profits from the HP franchise to fund transphobia with people running in to the defend liking the franchise while completely ignoring the context of the post.
Edit: For reference, liking or not liking the franchise isn’t what the post is about, so running in to defend it is gonna be read as supporting funding the franchise.
I would never call someone a bigot for talking about Harry Potter. It does absolutely reduce my opinion of them, though. I keep it to myself, but I see it as pretty thoughtless.
I grew up watching The Cosby Show. Big part of my childhood etc. I’ll leave you to join the dots.
I disagree. Sometimes you can’t separate the art from the artist when they are actively using their wealth and influence to oppress an already marginalized group. Just take a look at what recently happened and is happening to Tesla.
Someone dear to me is heartbroken and perennially conflicted because she absolutely loved Harry Potter growing up, and is also keenly aware of how shitty JK Rowling is. Now as an adult the Harry Potter franchise is one of the things that gives her joy in an otherwise very hard life she has had.
I’m not giving any more details about her. All I’m asking is, give these people a break, please. Not everyone is in a position in life to be an activist on everything, and while it might sound silly, things like HP are a big part of some people’s childhoods and taking those away from them can be devastating.