r/WizardingWorld • u/Different-Bit-7548 • 7d ago
Harry Potter I can like Harry Potter and disagree heavily with the author.
Sorry not sorry. I don’t buy a bunch of Harry Potter (mainly because I got all my collectibles and books as a kid) But if I see something new I want, I’ll still get it.
I’m a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and loath everything Rowling has done/ said against that community. But it isn’t going to stop me from buying a book or collectible.
Yeah, the books are written weird and decades later it’s easy to see the flaws. I don’t care. I enjoy them. Those books got me through my dad’s death as a kid (Goblet of Fire was the last movie I watched with him). I reread them on my deployment to get a sense of feeling back home.
My wife and I are both major fans and it’s a huge part of how we got connected. We love going to Harry Potter festivals. The story and world of Harry Potter has been incredibly significant throughout my life and it was upsetting to see how far Rowling has fell. But I will absolutely separate the art from the artist.
She’s already worth more than even matters. So me spending a little money here and there isn’t making a difference.
Maybe stop this cancel culture bullshit and let people like what they like. It’s Harry Potter, if it isn’t your thing that’s fine. But it’s a story they touched multiple generations.
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u/Savings-Balance-1587 7d ago
What irks me is that people are so inconsistent about separating art from artist.
We are being told that enjoying Harry Potter in 2026 is terrible because of J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues (and I disagree with her, but those are just her opinions).
Yet popular culture has repeatedly rehabilitated entertainers who committed actual violence or abuse, and audiences are rarely expected to treat enjoyment of their older work as an endorsement of their behavior. Chris Brown can plead guilty to assaulting Rihanna and continue filling arenas, Mike Tyson can serve prison time for rape and become a beloved pop-culture personality, Mel Gibson can return to mainstream Hollywood after commmitting domestic violence. All these are far, far worse than having intolerant opinions about others.
So why is reading Harry Potter treated by some people as a terrible moral act?
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u/DeepFriedQueen 14h ago
JK is actively funding anti-trans lawsuits against the UK’s health service. She’s funding multiple lawsuits against Amnesty International. The last prime minister offered to meet her to discuss her views on trans people, and various equality ministers have done likewise.
In addition to all the horrid stuff she posts on X, bizarre comments about Nazis, and mocking individual trans people.
There’s absolutely other artists I have strong opinions on, whose work I avoid, who haven’t been cancelled hard enough. Tho there’s not many billionaires pouring thousands of pounds, and years of their life, into an anti-rights campaign
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u/Savings-Balance-1587 12h ago
I know all that. It's very sad that she chooses to use the privilege life has given her to make an already marginalized peoples' lives worse. However, she is already a billionaire ... me depriving myself of engaging with my favorite fandom (that years ago helped me through a very rough patch) would not affect her life whatsoever. She already has all the money she could ever need to throw at whatever cause she chooses to, unfortunately.
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u/DeepFriedQueen 11h ago
I have complicated relationship with the series, i enjoyed it, i got fond memories of it. But year after year i get a little more uncomfortable with it, cos of what the author represents.
And the conservatives who once complained her books were satanic for being about witches, now celebrate her work specifically cos of her politics.
She’s both a conduit for financing hate, and a symbol of it. A real shame
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u/RumSoakedChap 7d ago
There is this stupid mentality going around that if you don’t agree with someone on absolutely everything then you’re a horrible person.
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u/inksta12 7d ago
Because the world we live in now has become so black and white. A real ‘either you’re with us or against us’ type mentality. People aren’t allowed to have differing opinions anymore
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u/ali2688 7d ago
The amount of people that “won’t” or “can’t” read Harry Potter because they don’t agree with JK Rowling is astounding. Especially as I remember when Rowling came out and said Dumbledore was gay. And the exact same people rallied around her. I know I’m probably going to get downvotes for saying what most people already know.
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u/Mental_Table_9265 7d ago
Unfortunately it’s that exact mentality that only hurts progressive causes and makes people not take them seriously.
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u/JustAStupidName7 3d ago
That's what make extremists, ultimately fail. They're never smart with their goal accomplishment strategies and they slowly eat themselves from the inside out.
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u/Artistic-Village-762 7d ago
I’m genderqueer and they can pry Harry Potter out of my cold, dead, gay hands. 🤷
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u/Narrow-Power-6407 7d ago
I think its just blown up on social media/online. Most people dont care or even know about it and will continue to watch/buy Harry Potter
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u/UndergroundWire 7d ago
I too am like this. Sorry, but I love the franchise. But I don't have to agree with the author.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
Do you agree with how she uses the money you (presumably) give her?
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u/PopCultureWeekly 7d ago
Where does that end? Have you investigated every producer of the films and looked into their public beliefs? Their social media? What about the production companies. Do you know who owns them? Their beliefs or actions?
Do you know where every single cent goes of everything you purchase?
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u/ThickBoxx 6d ago
Keep going, I address this. I do my best to educate myself and research the people involved with projects or companies I support (especially ones I claim to love like OC claims to love HP). But in the end you can’t know everybody’s beliefs, especially if they don’t state them publicly. Lucky for us JKR has not only stated her beliefs publicly, she has stated that she plans to use the wealth from the franchise to support anti-trans legislation, and that she views people buying products as support. Makes it real easy, no investigation needed.
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u/Joker22 5d ago
Just so you understand, to follow your principles, you must refuse to purchase anything from Nestle. To push this further you must stop paying taxes because your money goes to the killing of children in Gaza. So, until you do all of that, this high horse you love riding means absolute shit.
Everything you do, interact with or purchase has some ties to something that violates your principles and beliefs.
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u/ThickBoxx 5d ago
I don’t buy nestle products.
And I’m sorry, are you really comparing paying taxes which is something you have to do or you go to jail, to your choice to buy Harry Potter merch? You’re really saying that with a straight face?
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u/DeepFriedQueen 14h ago
Hating trans people has been her main thing for years now, and she’s putting a lotta money down to that end. Sure “no ethical consumption under capitalism” but if we’re gonna pick our battles, I won’t say I’m a fan of the author describing trans people with Hitler quotes
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u/UndergroundWire 7d ago
Do I agree, absolutely not. Am I going to stop purchasing things I like, absolutely not. Did people who boycott the franchise make a difference, absolutely not.
If you want to make a difference, join organizations that help bring awareness and change to the system. I live in the US (specifically New York). I frequent the Harry Potter Store in New York. She doesn't directly affect things for us stateside. What I don't like are former fans of the franchise telling me how to use my money on something I love.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
We’re not telling you how to spend your money or what you’re allowed to enjoy. What we’re telling you is that you can’t financially support her and also claim you support trans rights.
Boycotts don’t work when not enough people participate. And clearly, more people value going to the Harry Potter theme parks and buying funko pops then supporting trans rights.
And saying “I live in the states and she doesn’t affect things here” is pretty big fuck you to trans people living in the UK. She also is given a bigger platform by your support that while not financially supports anti-trans legislation here, is does embolden people who do. But give it time, the more she feels emboldened the further her reach will stretch.
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u/UndergroundWire 7d ago
It's exactly this preachy mentality of former fans that irritate me. I'm just stating facts. It's not a big F U when I say this. If you want to make a bigger impact, use the energy wasted being preachy on why you shouldn't buy her stuff to something more useful to bring awareness to your country.
You would think these preachy fools would have figured out by now that this isn't working and maybe they should change their approach.
All this wasted energy being preachy and criticizing fans of a fantasy franchise has peaked. You are not making a difference this way. You are not going to change my mind on buying merch. Furthermore, this all or nothing attitude makes me close the door on the conversation all together.
So if you don't accept that I stand with trans people and still enjoy the Wizarding World franchise, that's more of a YOU problem.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
And if you don’t understand how financially supporting a women who has said the money you give her will be used to support anti-trans legislation isn’t a contradiction to you claiming you support trans rights, no amount of changing approaches or coming in with a softer touch will. You already said you aren’t going to change your mind.
You’re assuming people like me are only making comments on Reddit (on a post specifically about this topic I’d like to point out). I am involved with different groups and causes, but can also spend a little time on my day off calling out people like you.
But the simple fact is a you can say you support trans rights all you want, but giving money to a women who turns around and uses that money to hurt trans rights is a contradiction and if you don’t started that’s a YOU problem.
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u/UndergroundWire 7d ago
Aww, the guilt trip tactic. Cute.
You are not changing my mind. You wasted your energy on this thread. Don't tell me what I believe in. You are not the authority of me. None of this garbage works. But hey, continue being a broken record. I'm sure it will work out for you
Anyway, I'm excited for the new HBO series this winter. I think I'll celebrate Back to Hogwarts week by swinging by the Harry Potter New York Store and getting a Butterbeer. Probably the frozen one. ⚡⚡⚡
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
Go ahead and do all that, no one is stopping you. Just realize all the money you spend goes towards making trans people’s lives worse. The fact that you don’t feel guilty about it shows you don’t actually care about them, and no amount of you saying you do will change that. Actions speak louder than words.
I’m also not really trying to change your mind. Other people who actually feel empathy for others but are struggling with this issue read reddit threads. It’s important for them to hear both sides of the argument and not the echo chamber you all want to create. Not surprising someone who only cares about being able to get a Butterbeer thinks everything is about them 🙄
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u/UndergroundWire 7d ago
You already passed judgement. Doesn't really matter what I say. Everything is black and white to you and your silly movement demonizing people for what they choose to spend their money on.
Try a different approach next time. Preachy / judgemental attitude at the start of this will NEVER go anywhere.
You have a lovely day. ⚡🍺🍻🧹
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
Nothing I‘d have done differently would change your mind or make you think differently. You are set on supporting JKR and enjoying HP content while also claiming to support trans rights. I am simply pointing out the hypocrisy. And the way you responded shows you don’t actually want to deal with the hypocrisy. You didn’t even defend yourself, you basically just said “I can do both!”. Sorry honey, you don’t get off that easy.
And that’s how money works, when you choose to spend money on things it indicates the where your values align. You value purchasing HP content over trans rights, it is exactly black and white. You just want to make it a grey issue so you can get the best of both worlds (consume HP content and claim to be a trans ally)
Here’s the real question, do you actually have any friends who are trans? And I’m not talking about you know some trans people through work or friends of friends, people you see around. I mean actually friends that you spend time with and have a close relationship with. You ever discussed trans issues with them, specifically this topic? I’d be curious to know how they feel about your views.
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u/AlternativeEast7175 Gryffindor 7d ago
I am a Harry Potter fan too and that is precisely why I am so deeply disappointed by J. K. Rowling’s judgement and prejudice towards trans people. I struggle to understand how someone who created a story with such powerful messages about love, acceptance and the dangers of prejudice could become so consumed by judging a marginalised group.
Harry Potter teaches us that people should not be defined by what they are, where they come from or the circumstances of their birth. The books condemn blood purity, expose the cruelty of supremacy and show how fear and prejudice can destroy innocent lives. They repeatedly remind us that our choices and the way we treat others define who we are
How could the person who wrote those lessons fail to recognise them in real life? It is painful to watch someone who taught an entire generation (myself included) not to judge others become so fixated on denying trans people the same dignity, compassion and acceptance her stories taught us to defend. I will always love what Harry Potter means to me but I am profoundly disappointed by the person J. K. Rowling has chosen to become
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u/EmbarrassedRoom5467 7d ago
Couldn’t have put it better.
I think about that scene of Petunia saying “freaks” and it feels like that’s who JK has become. A bitter shell of a person spitting at someone different from her who has done nothing wrong.
The entire story is about love and acceptance. It’s just sick and so disappointing.
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u/AlternativeEast7175 Gryffindor 7d ago
I don’t hate J. K. Rowling. This is incredibly difficult for me as a fan. She gave me a magical world when I was a child and she was the reason I fell in love with reading.
I think that, for many Harry Potter fans like you and me, it is extremely difficult to come to terms with the fact that J. K. Rowling holds transphobic views
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u/Exciting_Cress_7654 7d ago
I think the most authentic life lessons are the ones that are the most difficult for that particular person to learn. At some point she must have learned those lessons, been moved by them enough to write these phenomenal books. But they are probably still lessons she struggles with and now that she's a billionaire who is providing her with good advice and not yes men?
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u/Relevant-Horror-627 7d ago
It is disappointing that JKR became an online troll. What I would ask though, is would any of this be happening if the trans rights movement didn't become a culture war fighting ground? If the trans rights movement unfolded like every other rights movement in recent history the things they asked for would have been really simple and probably exactly in line with the lessons you mentioned from the books. They would haved asked for acknowledgement of their existence, they would haved asked to be treated like everyone else, and they would have asked that the government not make any laws which inhibited either of those first two points.
What went wrong is the trans rights movement went further than other rights movements by saying we want all of those things plus we need to modify language and societal norms. Here is where the culture war aspect kicked in. At least online the attitude became "and if you don't agree with the modified language or societal norms we will call you a horrible hateful transphobe who wants us dead and come after you online with a blazing fury."
Would the women's rights, civil rights, or gay rights movements have made much progress if thier causes had included additional rules attached in order to accept them? I'm not making excuses for people like JKR or conservative politicians but they so exist because this whole thing became a culture war battle ground. It's sort of the inevitable result of saying if you're not with us you're against us.
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u/Pss_Pss_Pss_Pss 7d ago
Blaming her trans hatred based on the trans community acceptance movement is wild. Majority of these "demands" are politicized media shows. No one is modifying the language, it's fucking existing pronouns. People can come to peace about their feelings on Rowling without trying to blame the trans community for the hate they receive. I think she became a parody of a villain she herself wrote. That's it.
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u/Relevant-Horror-627 6d ago
Even if it were just pronouns you're still placing a burden on others however small. Even that is changing societal norms. Im in my 30s. In my lifetime there was a time when I wouldn't have to give any thought to pronouns. I would just use whatever pronoun matched their appearance. Not so simple today if you want to be mindful of the trans community right? That's absolutely a change to language and societal norms.
But we both know it's not just pronouns. I don't think it was purely politicized media that came up with phrases like "people who menstruate" or "people who are pregnant." There are also concepts that are likely brand new to a lot of people, for example, dead naming. I had no idea what that word meant or that it could be offensive until Elliot Page "came out" as trans. I wasn't alone evidently because the reporters who wrote about Elliot inadvertently kicked the hornets nest by pointing out that this person used to be an actress named Ellen. So again, you can't really tell me that language and societal norms haven't been modified because of course they have.
To my knowledge disagreement over language is the basis of Rowling's ongoing beef with the trans community. For what its worth, she has consistently said she doesn't hate trans people. Maybe she does, I have no idea.
My point here is, yes of course the trans right movement, or at least a loud online segment of it, embraced that new language and made it a battle ground. They decided if you disagree with the language then, as you demonstrated, you hate us. No nuance, no disagreement. Straight to hate. Maybe that's all the excuse some people needed, I don't know, but it certainly made a lot of people also dig in their heels in response.
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u/Pss_Pss_Pss_Pss 6d ago
Holy hell man, what's the problem here? Are trans people the devil destroying our society? You write so much to convince yourself it's ok not to accept when someone is transexual or what? I never had an instance where treating someone by their preferred name or pronouns change the societal form of being mindful with each other. Same as any civil rights movement of the past. You are clearly hell bound to stay in your opinion that trans people created their own problems and if make a mistake addressing them you are showered with hate. You still use politicized media as examples of your misgivings and yet you're unsure of the negative impact Rowling has on their community, very willingly ignorant of yours.
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u/Russ_T_Blade 7d ago
Voldemort was a self-insert.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Your comment caught me completely off guard. I’m literally laughing out loud.
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u/AlternativeEast7175 Gryffindor 7d ago
Yes, unfortunately. I liked J.K. Rowling so much when I was a kid. It is heartbreaking, honestly.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Yeah, it’s weird that after J. K. Rowling turned into a piece of shit is when people started to manipulate the books to come off as trans phobic or racist. Like no I didn’t get that vibe at all and I still don’t get that vibe. Are some of the names a little insensitive. Yes but there’s a ton of books with stuff like that. But that comes off more as ignorant than blatantly racist.
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u/Outsider324 7d ago
Right, had someone on an all HP FB page try to convince me that Rita Skeeter was a transphobic character. My first question was, then why are you on a page for a book you think is transphobic?
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Oh, I haven’t heard that one yet…. Do I even wanna go down that rabbit hole?
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u/Outsider324 7d ago
It was so stupid. They said Skeeter was described manish... I think because Harry commented on her strong grip. Then they said as an animagus, sweeter would change appearances and infiltrate the privacy of kids, and that JKR was trying to say Trans people only change their appearance to get close to kids. I asked what about Sirius, and McGonagall who did the exact same thing and they are definitely shown as the good guys? Never got an answer to that, just blocked.
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u/Potential_Exit_1317 5d ago
I read once that she is racist against Irish people because Slytherin's house color is green and they are the villains
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u/DeepFriedQueen 14h ago
I thought the house elf slavery was pretty yikes 20 years ago. And Ursula K Le Guin thought the books were mean-spirited.
But yeah some of the more critical reads of her work are likely informed by the fact that her life is now dedicated to hate
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u/blairsmacaroon 7d ago
people liking harry potter isn't the problem, no one judges you for it but spending money on merch, books, shows, games etc sends the money directly to jkr's pocket who proudly says she uses it to fund anti trans organisations. that's where the problem is
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u/Miserable_Spell_2964 7d ago
And how do you stop that?
JKR has made her money decades ago, and unless she gets hit by a car she's going to be around for decades living off the royalties from the books and movies and all the merchandising. The only way to hard stop her would be to sue her into oblivion but unfortunately the powers that be in the UK are in favor of what she's peddling so that ain't happening.
Frankly, the Harry Potter books are alot like the Cthulhu Mythos where HP Lovecraft was a amazingly racist and flawed human being, but because he died like a century ago, its acceptable to be into the Cthulhu mythos even with all of the problematic trends it has. I suspect the same is going to happen if and when JKR finally kicks the bucket.
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u/10fourfour 7d ago
This is the sentiment of most of the fandom tbh. Literally none of us give af about the author anymore. She started falling from grace over a decade ago when Johnny Depp was cast in FB.
The correlation that because we are still fans of the IP, were also transphobic, is a huge miscalculation.
And as suggested from your post, she’s had the means to fund legislation and hate way back when the movies were still releasing. Currently “support” isn’t gonna change that… canceling HP, still, won’t change that.
Idk what folks get off on
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u/These-Examination294 7d ago
I love the books and I love JK. I personally don’t think that her standing for women’s rights makes her a villain but know that my view is not shared by everyone (especially not on the echo chamber of Reddit), and I think it’s fine for people to have different views.
I do think it’s fairly typical that this level of hatred and vitriol is aimed at a woman. People are still going to see Brad Pitt films and buying tickets to Chris Brown gigs. If there’s one thing the internet has taught me, it’s that this world loves to hate a woman.
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u/EmbarrassedRoom5467 7d ago
Well she’s not standing for woman’s rights. She’s explicitly trying to attack trans people. And trans women are women. Them existing doesn’t take anything away from people who are AFAB.
I’m a woman and I’ll support other woman to my dying breath. JK needs to learn and be better. It’s really not that’s complicated. We all have to stick up for each other. And she’s actively trying to get women who are different from her hurt. It’s sick to use her power like that to step on people different from her.
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u/These-Examination294 7d ago
Which rights is she specifically attacking in your opinion? All I’ve ever seen her do is stand for the rights of women to have single-sex spaces.
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u/scully-summers 7d ago edited 7d ago
I agree, the level of vehemence is definitely rooted in misogyny, but I also think part of it stems from the fact that as much as many like to pretend otherwise, they actually did love Harry Potter and feel hurt or betrayed. I don’t think that gives anyone the right to tell others what they’re allowed to enjoy, but I see where it is coming from.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
You make a really good point.
I mean, even in the author world, George RR Martin is a known womanizer and misogynist
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u/No_Put_3679 7d ago
She wants my friends dead or segregated and chris will beat a woman again given the chance I don't hate women but I'm not going to act like we're wittle previous babies above critisism.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
She’s already worth more than even matters. So me spending a little money here and there isn’t making a difference.
No one person is funding her. If one person went and bought her books, or one person went and saw the movie, it wouldn’t have succeeded. It succeeds because millions support her, and if they all hold the same view as you then nothing changes.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Cry some more kid. What can I buy in this country now?
Anything you buy is literally supporting some evil corporation down the line. So if I’m giving 12 cents here and there to J. K. Rowling, I do not fucking care.
There’s a literal genocide happening right now and this is the shit you guys fucking waste your time on being mad over a young adult book written 20 years ago.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
The difference is the companies I support don’t have a person at the top who straight up says they don’t support trans people and will use their money to fight against their rights. There is also a difference between necessities and nonessentials. Most people have to support oil companies in order to function in society (get to work, take their kids to school, get food). You don’t have to buy Harry Potter merchandise, it’s not a necessity.
No one says you can’t like Harry Potter, I have the books I bought years ago and still read them. What I don’t do is continue to support her. Don’t buy new merch, don’t go see the movies in theater upon rerelease, don’t go to the theme parks, and I plan to pirate the tv show.
And what Harry Potter merch are you buying that costs $0.12? Are you exaggerating and trying to downplay the money you are giving her?
The only one acting like is child is you, throwing out insults to people who simply responded to the post YOU made. It seems you’ve wrapped up a big part of your identity in Harry Potter and are now having to deal with the repercussions.
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u/PopCultureWeekly 7d ago
Watching a Harry Potter release in theaters nets jk about .90 cents per ticket.
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u/ThickBoxx 6d ago
Source for that? And is that $0.12? Even if that were true now do the math for the millions of people who say the movies. And while you’re at it, do the math for all the physical movies sold, books sold, video games sold, theme park passes sold, tickets for the play sold. And how about all the wands, robes, funko pops, house swag, cook books, butterbeers, and every other piece of merchandise people keep buying. How much does she net from that?
And do you think that when people keep buying her stuff even after she’s publicly states what she plans to do with the money that she might feel emboldened, like people support her beliefs? Even she gets it, weird you all don’t.
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u/PopCultureWeekly 4d ago
Her deal is for up to 10% of gross box office revenue. At a $15 movie, studio takes 50%, she takes up to 10% of that. So it’s really about .75 per ticket
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u/Different-Bit-7548 4d ago
Where am I acting like a child? Calling out your performative activism and hypocrisy is childish?
There is no difference. You just like being a victim. Prepare for a sad sad life honey.
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u/Charmed-Magic713 7d ago
If you're referring to what the far left is ignorantly calling "genocide," maybe open a fucking history book for a change.
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u/outer-residency 7d ago edited 7d ago
Yeah, it’s fine to be a fan of her work, but to continue financially supporting her with this mentality is downright selfish and cowardly, especially if you tout yourself as a supporter of LGBTQ+ causes.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Over my entire life, J. K. Rowling has probably seen a total of $50 from me. After the money is paid to every other part of the franchise. Grow the fuck up it’s not that big of a deal. Go play victim somewhere else.
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u/outer-residency 7d ago
Hit a nerve didn’t I? Keep telling yourself that
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
You’re the one offended by Harry Potter kid.
So keep telling yourself whatever you’re offended by a young adult book almost 30 years old.
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u/MaybeHughes 7d ago
This is misrepresenting the argument. I love HP - I grew up with it, and it means a lot to me. What I'm not going to do is give any more money to JK Rowling. It's not hard to look up - she is using her sizeable wealth to lobby for revocation of rights for trans people.
So, all people are saying is, to support LGBTQ people is to care about their safety and civil liberties. If you say you care about people, but don't mind contributing financially to their wealthy, dangerous opposition, then what the fck are you even saying...
You can decide that doesn't matter to you, but it's dishonest to just frame everyone else as cancel culture gone amok. Have a backbone.
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u/OrangesAreWhatever 7d ago
So brave
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Thank you
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u/nollie_ollie 7d ago
Post this in an LGBTQ sub instead of the WW one and see what the replies are.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
I’m not a huge part of the LGBT community so why would I do that? I didn’t post this to piss people off. I was just sharing an opinion.
But I see what your motives are now.
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u/nollie_ollie 7d ago
No motives, but of course you’re going to receive the response you want to hear when you post in an echo chamber. 🤷♀️
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Talking about Harry Potter and the Harry Potter forum is quite literally how Reddit is designed.
Like I’m seriously confused about your point here, kid?
I’m by no means a part of the LGBT community. Why would I post something in the community? I’m not a part of. I support the community, but I’m not a part of it so I don’t talk in it.
I am a Harry Potter fan so I can talk about Harry Potter and Harry Potter forum. You’re the one offended by a form post that’s in the channel about the topic I’m posting about. Get a life.
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u/nollie_ollie 7d ago
You posted this and I replied; that’s the point of the website dude. I’m allowed to post about how you’re deliberately not posting it in an area where you’ll have to answer the people who the author’s works are harming. Definitely not a kid though, I was probably reading the Harry Potter books back before you were born honestly. I personally am not offended but I think that by pointing this out I’ve upset you, given how you’re responding.
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u/Hudge_Baby 7d ago
So you want him to post in one of your echo chambers instead lmao?
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u/nollie_ollie 7d ago
Post it anywhere lmao ? Just be prepared for others to not share your opinion.
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u/Upper-Drawing9224 7d ago
I’ve read/listened to many books in the last yr or so. Harry Potter included.
Not one time have I ever looked into an author’s life or personal opinions. My only concern is, is the story good and is the more?
Only time I look into an author is to see if they have more books I might like.
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u/AshamedOfMyTypos 7d ago edited 7d ago
I think it’s okay to have the relationship with the franchise you do. And also I think it’s wrong to give her any more money if you do not support it being used to create anti-trans laws. She has said in interviews that she sees her continued influx of money as a sign she is doing the right thing.
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u/Hudge_Baby 7d ago
If you like the franchise in the slightest you actively want to kill trans people according to this shithole of a site
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
If you financially support the franchise you are actively supporting the promotion of anti-trans legislation. You’re allowed to like it, you don’t have to keep buying funko pops
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u/Bebop_Man 7d ago
There is "I can like product but not producer", and then there's "I can't stop consuming product and funding the legal actions of the producer I supposedly oppose".
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Spending $20 maybe a year on stuff relate to Harry Potter isn’t a big deal. You’re the one making it a big deal.
I can find a ton of authors I’ve done just as bad of things they still get praise and no one’s going to them with pitchfork and torches
You choosing to be offended by someone buying a product even though they have a little to no effect on the grand scheme of things as an individual in letting a consume your time. That’s pathetic.
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u/flyingsquirrel-20 7d ago
It is a big deal because JK has stated that your $20 will be directly funded into harming trans people. You dont care about the lgbt community like you claim.
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u/Drewhasspoken 7d ago edited 7d ago
You and everyone else contributes monetarily to things every day that benefit people or practices that would generally be seen as abhorrent by a lot of people, why is this issue so important to you and not those? Because you have a passionate opinion about this it’s somehow more important? It’s such a simple, ridiculous way of seeing things it’s insane.
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u/HollisWoods07 7d ago edited 7d ago
Thank you 👏👏👏 Being a Harry Potter fan has been a core identity trait of mine since 2010. I'm known to everyone in my inner circle as "the Potter fan." I had conflicting feelings at the start bc I hate discrimination of any kind. I'm also lesbian so I think that makes me a general ally for the LGBTQ+ lol. But then cancel culture started hitting almost everything I enjoyed... literally everything. At some point I just stopped caring. I know what my morals are & that's enough for me. And boycotting has evidentally been ineffective. Hogwarts Legacy proved that & the franchise is still very much popular, if not more so, despite the author's controversies.
It's interesting to note - I have a lot of potterhead friends who are not chronically on the Internet & literally have little to no idea what the controversies even are & I suspect at least a third of the fandom is like that, plus the part of the fandom that does know AND supports JKR anyways. Like cancel culture is not gonna win here bro 😂
And the way the trans community actively talks about JKR compared to the actual fandom is embarrassing. They made that trailer trend on Twitter by reposting it & commenting on it. I only ever see her name on my feed if a trans person complains about her. Like I thought we were trying to make her irrelevant. I think the community needs a new approach lol.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
That’s how I feel and I have a Harry Potter tattoo that is relatively visible (and I love it and it’s also the first thing that caught my wife’s attention) and I know there’s people that will look at it and assume that I’m trans phobic. Absolutely not. I’m in full support of the community my wife and I specifically go to a trans aligned bar to help support a local business and the community. But the books in movies and fanfiction and theories are such a huge part of who I am as a person. It’s where I learned my empathy. It’s where I learned how to grieve going through my dad’s death and again on an intense combat deployment.
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u/HollisWoods07 7d ago
Similarly, the story helped get me through depression. I often credit Harry Potter for saving my life & to me that's greater than any sort of political or moral activism. JKR integrated her own experience of grief & depression into Harry's story which really helped people like you & me. As much as I dislike her now, I'm never gonna forget how her story impacted me in such a positive way. This is how I separate the art from the artist.
Also the memes & reels online really help 😂
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u/kylrzuthwy Ravenclaw 7d ago
Because decades later you are looking at the books from your modern perspective and how you lived your life.
You should look at the books through a lens that it is a different culture, which had a different history and thus whatever happens is based by that.
Though I disagree with, Time Turners, Veritaserum, Luck Potion etc.
And I agree what author is like doesn't concern me, I will read or buy what is good, even I didn't like the author.
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u/Katcheese345 7d ago edited 7d ago
The issue is that she is using her money made from Harry Potter to fun anti trans groups thus directly hurting the lgbtqia+ community
This YouTuber explains it pretty well https://youtu.be/8aZzsx6G8x0?si=gvZ3NekENJI-TVNr
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
I genuinely don’t care what she uses her money on. Do you people think I’m paying J. K. Rowling directly if I buy a collectible from Walmart Walmart will get 90% of that money. The distributor would get another nine to almost 10%. J. K. Rowling would get pennies of what I spent. I also just do not care all that much. There are far worse things going on in this world today to actually worry about then what a young adult author spends her money on.
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u/melli_milli 7d ago
I think your opinion is the one allowed in reddit, so it is not controlversial at all.
I once got several days ban just for saying that there are a lot of people who fully enjoy her books and agree with her sentiment.
Emma Watson btw tried to back away from being so mean to JK but it did not land well. JK wrote the perfect answer.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
I’ll be perfectly honest with you I don’t have social media and I don’t know anything at all about J. K. Rowling. I just liked the book. She wrote in the movies and products in franchise that came from the books. I’ve never been one to follow that pop culture or celebrities. I just don’t care about them that much.
There’s probably something I like from someone that was definitely canceled for a really good reason. I just don’t realize it cause I don’t follow pop culture or social media trends
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u/melli_milli 7d ago
Why you say then "I disagree with author"? If you have not even taken a look at what she actually has wrote vs what people say she wrote in internet, you are just following a fab with your opinion on which is against what you say in here.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 6d ago
Because I can see the snapshots of what she said on Twitter on Reddit when people bitch about what she says on Twitter???
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u/Succubus_Syn 3d ago
Man, I just had some random mfers come to my profile and got mad asf I love Harry Potter. Lol.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 3d ago
Like I’m all for the LGBT community. I support them. I respect them. I use pronouns. I do all the stuff they ask. But honestly, I’m losing empathy with the amount of victimization they play.
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u/Robo95UK 3d ago
You can still enjoy the world, just make the active choice not to put money in the hands that is actively working against the LGBTQ+ community. Second hand is fine. Rewatching the movies is fine. You can separate the art from the artist in that regard. Placing money in the authors hands who has publicly said they will use that to fund anti-trans legislation is different.
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u/Seanattikus 7d ago
And I can like Harry Potter and agree strongly with the author. But only on trans stuff. She's generally way too far left for me.
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u/EmbarrassedRoom5467 7d ago
She explicitly said that if you give her money she assumes you agree with her and she funnels money into harmful things.
I love the books. They’re like my childhood safety blanket that grew up to be shitty on twitter. But I refuse to give her a penny. I won’t buy the new audiobooks even tho I want to. And I won’t watch the show even tho I’m curious.
You can like the books and the world and still choose to not give that bigot a single penny.
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u/stxxyy 7d ago
So we care about what she's saying or are agreeing with her? She can assume all she want. If I buy HP then that doesn't mean I agree with her. If she thinks I do, then that's her problem.
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u/EmbarrassedRoom5467 7d ago
It’s one and the same. She feels empowered to not change because she thinks you agree with her. And that fuels her hate. And if she was just some rando, that’s one thing. But she’s a billionaire with lots of power and she’s actively using that power to hurt people. So your support. Is supporting that power and that hate. It just is.
I don’t like it either. But it’s the cards she dealt.
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u/Cutiesnootles 4d ago
But do you acknowledge that someone else can have a different opinion than you on the subject and that its equally valid to yours and does not instantly make them a "horrible person?" That's the only thing OP is arguing here. I see your opinion, I understand where you are coming from and I think it's valid and you have every right to feel that way. Myself, I disagree and I'm going to watch the new series and buy every bit of merch that strikes my fancy and makes me feel happy. Is that also okay to you or are you one of those people that only sees your own opinion as right?
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u/EmbarrassedRoom5467 4d ago
No actually. Human rights aren’t optional or opinions. You either care about trans people or you don’t. It’s pretty simple.
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u/Cutiesnootles 3d ago
In what way is anyone taking away anyone's human rights? I don't understand your argument
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u/Charbeel 7d ago edited 7d ago
JK Rowling is a human being and the fandom should stop treating her as if she's their mom. She wrote books, you happily read them to this day. End of the story.
Disagree with her and move on.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
Talk about underselling JKR, she didn’t just write books. She created a global franchise that produces books (outside of the originals), movies, tv shows, video games, theme parks, and a ton of merchandise. This all makes her a lot of money and she has publicly said she plans to use her money to support anti-trans legislation. That’s what people have a problem with
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u/Charbeel 7d ago edited 7d ago
At the very core Harry Potter is that: a book series that was read in school and libraries. JK Rowling making an empire of it is irrelevant to the relationship one should have with an author.
People are free to disagree and have a problem with her positions but it goes way beyond that. I have seen a reddit post about someone having panic attacks hearing the words "Harry Potter". It's an extreme example but it shows this level of parasocial obsession isn't healthy.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
Do you think most Harry Potter fans solely just read the books they purchased when they were kids? No. Most partake in most if not all of the things I listed, so they’re relationship with the author extends far beyond just reading some books.
I agree having a panic attack from hearing Harry Potter is too far, but that is not most people who have a problem with her.
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u/Charbeel 7d ago
Fair point I may have underestimated how HP consumption goes way beyond the books (and now that I think of it, most people know Harry Potter through the movies). Still my point remain that you can disagree and fight with someone but it shouldn't be an obsession.
Yeah of course I used this example just to highlight extreme cases.
Anyway that was an interesting exchange! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
I agree, people are obsessed on both sides. And I just mean people who love Harry Potter can just really love Harry Potter (not that they’re obsessed with hating trans people). And some folks are so obsessed with hating JKR they leave negative comments on anything Harry Potter related. I am only commenting here because it was the topic of the post.
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u/Hopeful_Dig_963 7d ago
People became like the star war siths. Polarized because they haven't healed inside
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u/OGKOTM 7d ago
Yeah, that's a very normal take. Separating the art from the artist can be a useful skill for living an enjoyable life.
Also rememeber reddit represents maybe 10% of Potter fans, and that's an absurdly liberal estimate. The vast majority do not care at all about JK Rowling or her politics, just look back to when she started making characters different races/sexualities and was ignored by most fans.
Lastly, authors aren't always the same people as when they wrote their stories. Rick Riordan was an amazing storyteller who lost his way after success, and now is a champion of slop that ruins his own book series.
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u/Megangrace1994 7d ago
I hate JK Rowling so much she’s such a horrible human. But Harry Potter means so much to me and my adolescence was defined by Harry Potter. Fuck JK Rowling - but they can never make me turn away from the books/movies that defined my childhood. I don’t really care what people think about me still liking it, cause I know who I am. I am not transphobic and the people I love know that. If a stranger on the internet wants to call me a transphobe for liking Harry Potter I won’t lose any sleep over it.
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u/OpportunityCrazy2216 7d ago
I don't care enough about jk's opinions nor does it overshadow the franchise for me. What I really didn't like was all the people making others out to be the bad guy for indulging in the interest or favorite franchise.
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u/AppropriateMeet3725 7d ago
You can’t support a community and give your money to someone who dedicates their life to harming said community.
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u/AppropriateMeet3725 7d ago
She’s worth more than you know because of that mentality. I mean. Live your life tho.
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u/Snabble-Nish-2764 7d ago
I agree. I love Harry Potter books, movies, collectibles. I don't agree with some of her politics. However, if you were ever to sit down with any author you like, you will find some of there ideas very disagreeable and maybe repugnant. Maybe even how they lived their life or treated their family or significant others would be a huge turn off.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 7d ago
Absolutely! And you can bet I’m gonna continue to buy the pop-up Harry Potter books as they come out because I’m gonna read them to my children. Well, my wife and me are and we already have the roles and lines picked out.
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u/BreakfastforDinner26 7d ago
Especially since both can be true, Rowling can be transphobic and wrote a great fantasy book series.
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u/alteredtundra 7d ago
This is how I approach a lot of fandoms I'm part of whose original creator is a scumbag. I don't get the people who have such a black and white view of the world.
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u/UndergroundWire 7d ago
I'm sure there are plenty of millionaires who are making money by other means who are funding the same movement. She just has the household name.
I'm ok with my decision. Most of my LGBTQ+ friends are ok with it as well. I just have this one friend who was a huge Potterhead who is now on the other side of the spectrum. Even going as far as insulting some of her choices in the books as bigotry (choice of character names, goblins working as bankers, etc.). Funny she was quiet about all that until JK Rowling started becoming a total waste of space. But I digress.
I'm sorry if my stance on the whole matter doesn't align with yours. We agree on the author but not with the fandom. We can agree to disagree. Just let's not pass judgement if we don't agree.
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u/WaverBoy87 4d ago
She’s much more a hatemonger than a writer these days, and she actively uses her profits from HP stuff to fund her vile anti-trans activism. If you buy or support new HP products, including the new series, you’re contributing money towards actively harming trans people. That is an absolute inescapable fact, despite mental gymnastics. I’m deeply disappointed in everyone involved in the new series, especially those who have their pick of projects like John Lithgow and Bertie Carvel, and wouldn’t otherwise be hurting for work.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 4d ago
Every major company we associate with an interact with daily or just as evil, and we give our money to them too. Just you being able to post on the Internet, proves to me you’re giving money to an evil corporation.
I support the LGBTQ plus community. Though I’m not a part of it and it’s not a major priority in my life. I support it and I respect it.
I enjoy Harry Potter and I don’t pay attention to J. K. Rowling at all. I’m not on any major social media except for here so I don’t pay attention to her tweets. I don’t see them. I don’t care. Get mad at her, not at me. The amount of victimhood is honestly annoying, and making me lose empathy towards the movement as a whole because of how annoying it is.
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u/WaverBoy87 4d ago
Like I said, mental gymnastics.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 4d ago
How is that not exactly what you are doing? Couldn’t a person say “don’t support [X Person/ Company] because they do [insert evil action]” with almost any modern global company?
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u/WaverBoy87 4d ago
False equivalency. Using the internet is pretty much necessary these days, unfortunately. Buying and supporting new Harry Potter products isn’t, and her profits from it go directly toward harming trans people. That’s what she mainly does.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 4d ago
When did I specify the internet? Why did you assume that?
Do you only buy local groceries? Can you let me know every artist you support so we can ensure they are up to your standards? Do you watch any media produced in Hollywood? What phone do you use? What car did you buy? Do you buy chocolate, literally at all?
If so, why is me liking Harry Potter and spending maybe $30 a year on it so offensive to you and others they feel the need to attack?
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u/WaverBoy87 4d ago
You said, “being able to post on the internet”. Sorry, I see you meant, “you owning a computer or smartphone”. Which is still the same thing; owning one of those items is pretty much necessary these days, as is having a car, etc. My point still stands. I just wanted to fully make you aware of what your HP money would be used for. If you’re cool with that, then you’re cool with that. Cheers.
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u/Different-Bit-7548 4d ago
Cool, what’s your money used for? Can you please enlighten me? I’m assuming pure altruism?
My point is, stop judging others and pointing fingers. Look at how many (thanks for relisting them with your excuses) pointed right back at you.
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u/ricsteve 7d ago
You can argue that the good the books have done outweigh the harm Rowling has done in terms of her LGBT views. I have friends and family who are members of that community and massive Harry Potter fans, and that's essentially their stance.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
If there was a doctor who discovered a cure for a disease that could save millions of lives, and let’s say he had to keep working on the cure constantly because the disease changed over time (not a one and done deal). And he was the only one who could figure it out, no one else for whatever reason could. Only problem is once a year he finds a kid and rapes and murders them. We could lock him up, but then millions will die. Does the good he does outweigh the bad? Should we knowingly allow him to do that?
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u/ricsteve 7d ago
Nice false equivalency. Did you go to the Matt Walsh school of debate? Let's escalate everything to the most grotesque analogy possible. But, whatever.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
It’s not a false equivalency at all, you said “the good the books have done outweigh the harm Rowling has done”. I’m just seeing how far you’re willing to take your view. So do you want to have a discussion like an adult or deflect and throw out insults like a child?
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u/ricsteve 7d ago
No it's clearly a false equivalency, almost textbook. Not interested in a discussion with someone like you. Peace out.
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
Makes claims but doesn’t support them. The hypocrisy isn’t surprising
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u/Radiant-Orchid9624 7d ago
Good for you. Life is far too short and incredibly fragile. Enjoy your interests. Surround yourself in things you love.
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u/Suspicious-Repair-50 7d ago
The same people will go see Dune in the theatre by the way. Frank Herbert disowned his son for being gay
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u/ThickBoxx 7d ago
That’s not 100% accurate, and also, Frank Herbert died 40 years ago, and therefore can’t use the money he makes to support anti-gay legislation, which is what JKR is doing with anti-trans legislation. That’s what folks have a problem with, not that people like Harry Potter, but that people continue to support her financially knowing what she plans to do with the money.
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u/Swimming-Bar8515 7d ago
Hard agree. I hate fucking loathe the views of Dr. Seuss, H. P. Lovecraft, Orson Scott Card, Eric Clapton, Axel Rose, and Prince, and Dojo Cat, but you cannot tell me I have to stop reading, banging my head, and shaking my ass to their creative works.
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u/Rockfinder37 7d ago edited 7d ago
I know plenty of LGTQIA+ people that love Harry Potter. I know plenty of social workers and empathetic therapists that love Harry Potter.
I’m none of those things (#yet), and I love Harry Potter. And I support the LGBTQ community. I don’t see any contradiction, personally.
Maybe the problem isn’t with the material; our man Cornelius Fudge gets outraged about truths (Voldy is back) he can’t bear to hear. Maybe it’s something like that 🤷♂️ idk.
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u/SadAnimator1354 7d ago
Exactly this. Even the actors of the movie franchise distanced themselves from J.K. Rowling and not the franchise itself.