The wizarding world of Harry Potter has been an escape for many people. Whether it was getting lost in the books or movies, it cultivated a massive fan base. Lately, that fan base has had to reckon with the transphobic comments made by the series’ author J.K Rowling. On multiple occasions, she spewed nasty anti-trans rhetoric on Twitter, and instead of apologizing and understanding how this hurts transgender people, she doubled down and continued.
With the release of Hogwarts Legacy, the discussion of the series creator mustn’t fall by the wayside. Video games do not exist in a vacuum, and judging this game objectively is impossible, especially when the creator of a piece of art is deeply rooted in transphobia.
J.K. Rowling’s Transphobic Comments Proves She Always Sucked
In a tweet from June 2020, Rowling posted a Devex article with the headline “Creating a more equal-post COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.” She felt the need to add,”‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
It’s not difficult to use inclusive language, and Rowling’s need to insist that only women menstruate shows a sheer lack of empathy and understanding.
Here’s a word of advice. If you have to go on a Twitter tirade after posting something to argue your point, it’s very likely the initial point you made was inherently flawed. Rowling did not take this advice because she continued to tweet through it.
“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives,” she tweeted. “It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”
Later that day, J.K. Rowling returned with another Tweet, this time an article from The Velvet Chronicle titled “anonymous letter from a terrified lesbian.”
This letter talks about the dangers of the LGBTQ+ community, and Rowling used this piece as a shield from the backlash and a weapon against the people she supposedly loves. A letter that says the “problem” comes from inside the house, while bullshit, is the perfect way for J.K Rowling to try and wrongfully absolve herself of any wrongdoing.
After a few days off, Rowling posted yet again. This time a Q&A with herself with nothing of actual substance on the matter. However, Rowling felt the need to tweet this article with the accompanying text “TERF Wars.”
For those who might not know, TERF is an acronym for Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists. TERF refers to women who believe trans women are not women. So at this point, we don’t know how you view J.K Rowling as anything but transphobic. Treating queer people like they are her props to use when she feels the desire.
Rowling continually dog whistles anti-trans propaganda and has more than supported being the face of the movement. Here are a bunch of tweets Rowling has made over the last few months:
J.K. Rowling continues to double down on transphobia and other harmful rhetoric. Below are some insightful pieces on the matter and charities you can donate to instead of playing the wizard game.
Must-Reads
- JK Rowling’s Anti-Transgender Stance And Hogwarts Legacy – Gamespot
- Why I’m not buying the Harry Potter game – Polygon
- JK Rowling Backs Transphobic Movement And Solidifies TERF Status – Fanbyte
