Where do we stand on Harry Potter?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm guessing that is true of where women suffered the most violence back when the laws about bathrooms were put in place a century and a half ago (or whatnot) too.

Yeah, it's always been a way of changing the subject.

"Think of the women and children! Er, not like that. Over here, in this place we can do some security theater."

 

[billd91]

We shouldn't be deforming our society to prevent harms by largely non-existent boogeymen and we certainly shouldn't be tormenting scapegoats because of our unwillingness to acknowledge this truth.

But... but... if I have to rely on data and a realistic view of society rather than stoking fears, how will I ever get elected?

 

[Gradine]

But not JKRs. She has called for no one's "elimination" though evils one have called for hers.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

But not JKRs. She has called for no one's "elimination" though evils one have called for hers.
I know nothing of how bad things beyond the UK (but I can imagine, well maybe I can't, how bad things are elsewhere).
The true enemy of "Trans people" is clearly religion, which is my last word on this complex matter

To give you the benefit of the doubt, I will quote the following:

I think many people still haven’t confronted the depth and the vitriol of Rowling’s transphobia. If they had, we wouldn’t be having a conversation about whether a Harry Potter TV show or Hogwarts Legacy should exist. I believe that most people — even if they don’t understand the ins and outs of trans identity and gender identity — instinctively know that mocking trans people for their anatomy and disregarding people’s pronouns is cruel. But it’s been difficult for many people who are aware of Rowling’s statements to grasp that this (former) hero to generations of hopeful children is now openly prejudiced toward trans and nonbinary people.

....

It’s possible that Rowling has been so confident about her transphobic opinions, despite all the pushback she’s received, because she is the author of Harry Potter. That is, it’s possible she feels like her voice as the author of Harry Potter simply outweighs everything else — even objective science, even trans people saying, “You’re hurting us, please stop.” And while the initial wave of backlash against Rowling was significant — most of the media coverage and popular debate around Rowling framed her views as abhorrent — the tide has continually turned in her favor, as most of the British media and increasingly mainstream US outlets like the New York Times publish intensely gaslighting treatises which insist that Rowling’s transphobia isn’t transphobic at all. Such pieces frame her as the misunderstood, abused victim of a virulent smear campaign — as though she were the one who suffers meaningful real-world consequences, rather than the millions of trans people whose lives are actively endangered by the kind of transphobic scaremongering she practices.

This is the full article-

Can more Harry Potter ever be okay?

Is the magic of Hogwarts Legacy — or any new Harry Potter storyline — ever worth enabling JKR’s transphobia?

www.vox.com

Yeah. A lot of this sucks. It really sucks. For me, this "heel" turn by JK Rowling is similar to learning that M.A.R. Barker was a neo-Nazi. It makes me ill because I can't possibly wrap my head around the fact that a work that I admire could be produced by someone with such abhorrent views.

The difference, though, is that JK Rowling is not just some random, barely-known author. She is probably the most well-known advocate against the rights of people* in the UK currently, and one of the most well-known in the world. The money that goes to her hurts people I know. When someone purchases Hogwarts Legacy, they are saying that they care more about Quidditch and sorting hats than they do about some of our most marginalized communities. It's hard enough to be trans in this world without having some billionaire fund more hate and spew more vitriol against you.

If people want to discuss Harry Potter, more power to them. But giving JK Rowling, Inc. (aka, any products that give her money) additional money? Nope.

*Anyone who advocates against trans people is advocating against people, period.

 

[Jahydin]

@Gradine
Do you have an example? All I've seen is Rowling not agreeing that trans women are woman. Which is kind of the popular opinion in the US, so not sure why that would be controversial?

When it comes to violence, I've only seen statements like these:
"I believe the majority of trans-identified people not only pose zero threat to others, but are vulnerable for all the reasons I’ve outlined. Trans people need and deserve protection. Like women, they’re most likely to be killed by sexual partners. Trans women who work in the sex industry, particularly trans women of colour, are at particular risk. Like every other domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor I know, I feel nothing but empathy and solidarity with trans women who’ve been abused by men."

Ooh, just saw @Snarf Zagyg 's post. Reading it now...
Still not seeing anything remotely violent...

 

[CleverNickName]

And the last sentence of Snarf's post also bears repeating:
*Anyone who advocates against trans people is advocating against people, period.

 

[Gradine]

@Gradine
Do you have an example? All I've seen is Rowling not agreeing that trans women are woman. Which is kind of the popular opinion in the US, so not sure why that would be controversial?

At a minimum, it is declaring that I am not a woman, which goes against my own dignity, science, and the inclusivity rules of this forum. It is not an acceptable opinion to share here, by the forum's terms of service, or frankly anywhere, in terms of treating people with respect.

What she has done, however, is celebrate and highlight and promote and validate people who have called for the eradication of trans people. She may not have said it herself, but she donates to and hangs out with lots of people who have.

Which, I have already said in this thread, is a distinction without a difference.

 

[Jahydin]

What she has done, however, is celebrate and highlight and promote and validate people who have called for the eradication of trans people. She may not have said it herself, but she donates to and hangs out with lots of people who have.

Like who?

Not trying to bother, but I've really tried looking it up and still finding nothing.

 

[Umbran]

Mod Note:
Folks,

This thread was about "how do we deal with Harry Potter." The shift to discussing weirdos in bathrooms and having to justify Rowling's issues to individuals is not really going to be constructive, and isn't going to answer the original question.

So, with that, I'm going to shutter this. Thank you all for your input and thoughts on the matter.