Harry Potter fan sites are cutting ties to J.K. Rowling as author continues anti-trans tirades
The sites join a litany of actors from the movies based
on the books who have condemned
Rowling's anti-trans statements.
The two largest websites for Harry Potter fans are cutting ties to the books’ creator, J.K. Rowling, after the author has continued her attacks on transgender people. The sites join a litany of actors from the movies based on the books who have condemned Rowling’s anti-trans statements.
Combined, The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet serve millions of Harry Potter devotees and the fan sites say that “distaste” for the author’s blatant transphobia has led them to decide that they won’t even link to her website or use her photo any longer.
Related: J.K. Rowling deletes tweet praising author Stephen King after he says “trans women are women”
“J.K. Rowling has chosen this time to loudly pronounce harmful and disproven beliefs about what it means to be a transgender person,” the sites said in a joint statement. “In addition to the distaste we feel for her choice to publish these statements during Pride Month—as well as during a global reckoning on racial injustice—we find the use of her 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.”
“Although it is difficult to speak out against someone whose work we have so long admired, it would be wrong not to use our platforms to counteract the harm she has caused,” they continued. “Our stance is firm: Transgender women are women. Transgender men are men. Non-binary people are non-binary. Intersex people exist and should not be forced to live in the binary.”
“We stand with Harry Potter fans in these communities, and while we don’t condone the mistreatment JKR has received for airing her opinions about transgender people, we must reject her beliefs.”
The sites say they will continue to cover books published by Rowling and her charitable foundation, but will no longer cover news about her personal life or anything that isn’t related to her personal life, listing “awards won, life achievements, tweets that are unrelated to the Wizarding World, charitable donations, legal issues, political commentary or opinions” as examples.
They say they will avoid using her name in headlines and article excerpts and will bury previous content about the author so it isn’t featured on the site. Similar policies, like avoiding photos or fan art of the author, will be implemented on their social media accounts.
“This marks the beginning of a renewed commitment to serving the Harry Potter community from a more conscious standpoint than we have done in the past,” they said in the statement, adding that their “one and only concern is to create a safe community where all feel welcome. "
This means continuing to be comprehensive in our coverage while making changes to ensure that this content is accessible to those who want to interact with it and not forced upon those who do not.”
Over the weekend, Rowling reacted by sending an string of 11 tweets comparing healthcare for transgender youth to anti-LGBTQ conversion therapy.
Days earlier, the author had liked a tweet that said banning the dangerous technique hurt children. The practice has been linked to suicide.
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John Bellamy Comments:
When someone uses their wealth and power to promote something, it is hoped it is a good thing they promote.
Jane Fonda
Barbra Streisand Michael Jackson
and hundreds of others have shown their support for various political idelogies and raised funds for what they believed in - so it is not new.
When it is a bigotry, a hate - a pushing away of what is different - and a denying of someones right to life, love and liberty in whatever form that may take ( no letters please - I am not talking about abuse of pedophilia ) and however it may differ to your personal background and way of life, then it is unworthy if t spells danger to another.
Your views are always welcome but have to come from an educated position and not one of ignorance - which sadly too many follow the doctrin of hearing something ' down the pub' and then damning others through pure ignorance.
In J.K.Rolins case, she is not a dummy, she is an educated women, she was someone I admired and thought so well of until her rants against the transexual community and her limiting beliefs which do nothing but cause trouble.
She is not helping to educate. To share knowledge. To open discussion. To enlighten or even to show interest and to be educated herself further - she just has her opinion and that is that. Period. And it is a homophobic bigoted view at best. One from ignorance.
Shameful as she really could have been a fantastic example to all those generations growing up reading and following her work and loving her as much as Harry Potter - and now she has ruined that for millions who will grow up LGBTQ and who will see exactly what the real women beneath the mask is actually all about, and it will ruin all her good work - all her worthy attributes as THIS is what people will remember about her:-
1) She wrote Harry Potter
2) She was abusive about / to the Trans community.
Oh and for some :- That she gave a million £ to the Labour Party in 2008 under Gordon Brown, one of the worst Prime Ministers we have had.
She seems not to do herself any favours.
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John: My daughter is trans. She was born male and named Steven and when she was 18 told us- her parents - and we found it hard to accept. We always supported her - regardless - and we talked as we were ignorant. We knew nothing. So we both knew, her Mother and I, that we had to find out more, and we spent a lot of time and effort learning, meeting others and joining support groups etc. and we even helped pay for her operation back in 2007. We can now admit to being neutral on the subject as we had absolutely no frame of reference. We are a happily married couple with 3 other children ( 2 boys and another daughter ) and we all accept her as she is and she is just our daughter now... absolutely no different to our other daughter. Love - is what it is all about - and who cares what male or female skin someone wears - or the colour of that skin, and who cares who they have ( consensual ) sex with. It's none of my damned business but so many seem to want to make it their business.
They should just leave us all alone and stay out of my underwear drawer and my bedroom.
Jeremy H.
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