#JK: *says transphobic stuff that hurts people*

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

hate how problematic is used as a blanket term for everything that’s not perfectly up to date with modern social mores like it removes so much nuance because there’s degrees to everything that it erased.

like. i love rocky horror so fucking much but it has not aged the best in some aspects and i can totally understand why people might not like it because of that. but it was also a very deliberately queer movie made by queer people very obviously making fun of the way society saw queer people at the time (and still do now unfortunately) that had a message of acceptance that was utterly radical at the time, with gender nonconformity and open queer sexuality very explicit. the community around it was a safe haven for queer people at the time and it's influence on the queer scene is massive because it was a massively popular avenue for expression, and not only that but it was an open space for sexuality and expressiveness in general which was still awful even for cishet men and women in the seventies let’s be honest. it’s impact on media and on society has been, for the most part, very positive and well intentioned. I’m not saying it doesn’t have issues, and it doesn’t have negative impacts, but it’s been beloved so long because it was a well intentioned and incredibly progressive film for it’s time that still honestly hits home a lot in some ways even today.

and like, that’s obviously not the same thing as work that has had no positive impact on the world, works whos bigotry is virulent and poisonous, and works created by hatemongers spending active money on hurting people (yes, i know richard o brian has regressive views on trans people, but as far as i know money isn’t literally being donated to fund hate groups from that which is the issue with people like jk rowling.)! it’s absolutely not the same as works that, for instance, deliberately and unironically demonise the queer community. it’s honestly pretty problematic in itself to say a work by queer people very much making fun of their own oppression is the exact same as their oppressors making work about how they deserve to be oppressed. these are clearly very different! a film half a century old having views that were very progressive back then but just aren’t now is something that you should think critically about, but it’s an important part of history and it’s something that can absolutely be still worthwhile to many queer people because it was genuinely made with the intention of lifting up the community! stuff like troubled blood was made solely to oppress us, to keep us down and marginalised, and has no literary and positive impact. while, superficially, you could say these are problematic- and for the same reasons, even!- actually doing basic analysis makes it obvious that one is a result of changing social mores mixed with what was obvious fucking parody of how stupid the stereotype is, and one was written because jk rowling wants trans people dead and unironically thinks we're murderous loonies- the very thing rocky horror was making fun of.

idk man i just guess it fucking sucks to see a lack of critical thinking and i think it does a lot of harm. throwing out things that have genuinely really helped the queer community in the past entirely without critical thought is bad, and treating actual hate speech the same as stuff that’s aged poorly and has some outdated ideas only helps normalise calls for active oppression as merely a mistake, a bad idea, something that’s a problem on the same level as outdated but well meaning portrayals. i honestly think it’s playing into the hands of people who want us gone to do that, as they can paint hate speech as something the general public can tolerate, like they can media with outdated opinions and poor but genuine messaging. and these are just examples, this happens all the time. sometimes to shit that genuinely didn’t do anything wrong- I will never not be mad at the obviously homophobic and transphobic backlash against steven universe getting mimicked by people who are well meaning because it was wrapped up in the words of it being problematic. and that’s why critical thinking on this subject matter is important- else people will try and use it to manipulate you.

[crazycatsiren]

Okay I have a question about JK R*wling and oppressed voices and it makes me uncomfy and… I’m just gonna go on anon. Hope that’s okay.

So, I worked in a bookstore. So of course we sold HP stuff, it was B&N. Can’t get around that, I just never advertised it unless asked specifically about it because it was my job.

But then a new coworker was hired. I’ll call them V. V was non-binary and very, VERY active in the LGBT community and friendly. I really liked them and we seemed to have great convos. I considered them a friend.

But then the topic of HP came up and I mentioned how I don’t advertise HP any more than I absolutely have to for my job because of all the problematic elements within in and because of R*wling herself being very transphobic and just a terrible person. And V… went OFF.

V said I was white knighting for the trans and Jewish community (that I am not a part of) and that I should let them speak for themselves. And let people make their own choices, good or bad. They said that they still loved HP, even though they were non-binary, and that was their choice and that didn’t make them transphobic because they were under the gender queer umbrella.

V said that, when it comes to sensitive topics like these, I should keep my mouth shut. Because, since I am not a part of the oppressed communities, I am taking away their voice, in this case theirs. They said it was fine if I didn’t want to advertise HP, but I shouldn’t “trash it” to them (I don’t feel like I was) when they should be able to speak first.

And I guess I’m just asking for advice for situations like this? I don’t talk to V anymore, I’ve since quit that job, but it really stuck out to me. Because I felt really wrong-footed. And I get that I don’t want to speak over the people that are oppressed, but I didn’t feel like that’s what I was doing in that situation?

I guess… how do I stand up for people that are being hurt by others without taking their voice? How do I use my voice to uplift others and not speak over them? And how do I recognize when I’m talking over someone myself? Because I while I didn’t feel like I was doing that to V, V obviously felt like I was. And I’m just… I’m really confused tbh.

Any help would be appreciated…

You did nothing wrong.

Your former coworker, on the other hand, sounds like a boot licker grasping for excuses to justify not giving up their support for a shitty person, and weaponizing their queerness to evade accountability for shitty behaviors.

In my opinion, anybody who says anybody should keep their mouth shut when it comes to issues related to white supremacy, racism, bigotry, etc., is potentially dangerous. If they will try to silence you, then for damn sure they won't think twice about trying to silence us. Because silence is complicity. Silence is what makes the white supremacists' work all the more easy. Silence is the first tool that oppressors use to maintain power and continue oppression. Silence takes away our allies, because a silent ally is no ally.

[dm-clockwork-dragon]

All due respect, but you’re pretty wrong about a few things.

1. That’s not what death of the author means. It’s a common misconception, but death of the author is a literary analysis technique in opposition to “word of god”. An example of death of the author would be “word of god from JRR Tolkien says lord of the rings wasn’t inspired by his time at war, but analysis of events and his life shows a lot of similarities and influences on it, and interpreting the series as about his time in the war is a valid approach despite what he says”. It’s not ignoring things about the author or deciding the author has no involvement or influence.

2. JK Rowling does actually continue to make royalties off of Harry Potter stuff.

3. Buying the game is funding her, and she uses the money to fund transphobic politics that has done real harm to transgender people in at least the UK, and funding efforts to keep Scotland and Ireland colonized.

4. Reclaiming queer and fag and dyke isn’t the same as continuing to fund JK Rowling. You can’t “reclaim” a franchise. Queer, fag, dyke, etc don’t make anyone money. They’re words being weaponized emotionally, and their impact is as strong as we let it be. Harry Potter is a brand and a franchise with PR and accountants and corporations at the helm. It’s not something that can be “reclaimed” and to say so indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of what reclaiming is at all. Harry Potter itself has some cruel caricatures in it, yes, but the real problem is the actual funding of JK Rowling and those she works with that agree with her, or just care about money more than the people she’s hurting.

I understand your intentions here, and why people get defensive about enjoying HP. But I hope you’ll genuinely listen to me and think about what I’ve said, because you really have said a lot of incorrect things here. JK Rowling has and will continue to do genuine, tangible harm to our community.

And this isn’t in the body of your post, but it’s something I’d like to add. This game isn’t the Harry Potter you grew up with. While Harry Potter itself had aspects of antisemitic caricatures, it wasn’t the main focus. This game is made of and about blood libel. I adored the books when I was a kid. This game is nothing like them. If you remove it from the discourse about JKR, you can still recognize that it’s a game using the setting and name of Harry Potter to sell a story about oppressing Jewish-coded slaves, but it’s okay, because they’re EVIL slaves. It has the superficial trappings of Harry Potter, but it will not have what you loved about the books.

Have a good day.

So I do very much appreciate you trying to be civil about this, and I will certainly give some consideration to your points, But could you provide me with some sources for the information here? I don't mean this to come off as dismissive, but I'm not keen to take the word of an anonymous person on the internet over my own education in literature, finance and economics. Or to reverse my views on cancel culture and the spread of undeserved hate towards people who are just trying to enjoy a nostalgic part of their childhood, just because a very opinionated person online has ignored my examples of how other creators have had their IP’s reclaimed by fans. Especially when your argument to the contrary would suggest that the queen community has not battled lawmakers, lawyers, PR and accountants for years in reclaiming much of the language we use today, let alone all of the other times we have fought against systematic abuse and won. I don’t feel like “its hard” makes for a very valid argument for why we should not only avoid trying, but demonize any of our own who do. And again... I actually have no love for the books? I grew out of them, and looking back, very much recognize that they are hot trash, and not something I care about. I'm also not defending this game, and have no intention of buying or supporting it. I just... really don't like seeing communities start wars within themselves when there are real, actively malicious enemies waiting at the doorstep. Witchhunts and the persecution of heretics are something the 15th century catholic church was known for. I’d rather not see the trend continue

[mylittlesecrethaven]

Not Politics, Just A Person Being An Asshole

Ok.

So....

I don't like JK Rowling.

I like Harry Potter.

I hate her.

But not in a personal sense, in the sense of "She's said some stupid transphobic shit that really crossed a fucking line that was 3 feet deep and she kept crossing it even after she tripped" kinda way, y'know?

Anyway-

I was talking with my mom about.... something? (I honestly don't remember what it was)

And something about JR Rowling came on the news. (I think it was about something she posted again. Idk.)

And my mom started going off on a tangent.

"Just because she hurt a bunch of stupid people's feelings doesn't mean people should get to hate on her."

And I was basically like, "Mom, first off, anything you say or do has a consequence, and two, how would you feel is someone refused to acknowledge you as a woman?" (I tend to bring up that second line a lot to transphobes and homophobes, and they pretty much respond the same, and my mom follows that pattern)

And she looked at me like I was stupid and said "I don't have sperm!"

And then I had to explain to her that gender and sex are different-

To which she refused to say that was true until I found studies proving it-

And even when I showed her them-

She said they were biased and done by stupid people.

So....

yeah....

I kinda just wanted to vent that little argument I had with my mom.

(I have got to stop talking to my parents about this shit.)

But yeah.

If y'all have any stories like this, tell me. I like learning stuff about people. (and I like stories.... so.... yeah....)

[pademelonluck]

Not a fan of JK R but, I think is hypocrite to hate her soooo much when the same people stan Cher or other artists like her. She says trans rights, but is a raging homophobe, would't support her for that.

okay, i completely understand your point of view.

I have respect for Joanne for her inquisitive mind, however i do not whatsoever like her, because of her insane transphobia. She created an amazing world(the wizarding world), but i do not support her at all.

Cher, on the other hand, i do not know much about. if she supports trans rights that's great, if she's homophobic, not so great. I know that she has gone through crazy stuff and dealt with it, which i respect her for, but i do not tolerate transphobia or homophobia in anyone.

I do believe people should have their own opinions about LGBT+, but their actions have consequences. JKR is allowed to hate transexuality, as much as i dislike that, but to display an opinion that hurts a LOT of people, is what i cannot stand.

What i mind most of all in transphobic/homophobic+ celebrities, is when they display their opinions in extreme cases, trying to convince others to be haters of the LGBT+ community.

Although i don't agree with some opinions, as long as they are not made public, i don't see a problem there.

[hamiltonforpowerpoint]

Thoughts as a black person seeing the Hogwarts Legacy stuff

I’ve re wrote this so many times so I’m gonna stop fluffing it and build on point lates.

A main draw in for a lot of black people was the diversity. From the looks of it Hogwarts Legacy was able to capture a lot of black features and hairstyles accurately. A thing you still don’t see a lot in “popular” games less it’s the same 10 hairstyles.

I’ve seen loads of talks of transphobia but little to no talks of antisemitism and racism. While the transphobia gets the deep talks antisemitism and racism are usually added as tag on. And I know her transphobia is more prevalent especially on Twitter but I don’t think that means the other two should be talked about less

Brings me into my next point(WHICH IN GENERAL; NOT SPECIFIC) I think it’s an interesting to see how discrimination between (yt) lgbtq+ is handled compared to discrimination between poc/racism. This isn’t just a Hogwarts Legacy thing or a Harry Potter thing this is more widespread. You can say you don’t support Jk and majority of ppl will agree with you but you say the same things for idk Jefree Star(I have a better example but it’s for my next bulletin) and it’s the opposite

This one’s more for POC/black people who are watching this go down. A before I say what I’m about to say just know I don’t support JK nor will I be buying the game.

Does anyone feel sort of idk how to say it disconnect or non vigorous about the whole conversation. For me personally it’s seeing people go so hard on people buying the game, go hard on JK for transphobia, and then they will turn around and support a racist. MSI, Jefree Stars, literally one of the many yt ppl who have actively been shown to be racist on multiple accounts but are still shown to be in high regard of a mainly lgbtq+ group. And when black people say “hey don’t support xyz bc their racist” many times you’ll see people go “idc I’m still going to listen/watch them” and then you expect me to support you when dealing with a homophobe/transphobe? Not saying I wouldn’t but it feels…harder/frustrating.

I’m losing my train of though so before I totally forget I’m gonna jump the gun a bit. This is gonna be crazy and not favored by many. This is stupid but I have to say it. When it comes to something like Chik-fil-a that is a known costly restaurant that has donated to conversion camps(Ik this need to be fact checked but to my common knowledge it was true). And when lgbtq ppl were made aware of this many ppl responded “idc” “I still want to eat their” “joke” “joke” The jokes have continued even when ppl of conversion camp theory have come out and spoken how not funny the situation is. My point is I think that and Hogwarts Legacy shows a very similar pattern of lgbtq supporting something and giving them money even though they know the money is going somewhere that will harm ppl like them. But bc it’s not actively hurting them they support bc it gives them the entertainment/satisfaction or nostalgia they so desperately want. When it’s something racist, like Dollskill, you usually don’t see the same(I can only speak for the younger generation)

That was all but I’m really trying to open the discussion. This was written at 12:30am so it’s probably full of errors and nonsense. Also pls don’t be racist or rude. This just me brain blobing. It’s not a true reflection of me just some of my thoughts.

[mommy-mortis]

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I believe that you could truly cut off JK's money source but first you have to cut off her contacts even though she has said some really fucked up shit there are stores that still support her.

You can't just not buy her stuff you have to stop buying everything from these stores you have to let them know that they will not be getting our business until she is out of their stores.

These stores have to lose enough money across the board to care, even if they're only getting $5 from this bitch they are going to put her merch in their stores and she's going to get full royalties you have to stop buying from these stores all together

And as soon as she loses her money Source she will lose her support just like Anita Bryant (who has most recently adopted the saying Live and Let Live when discussing the lgbtq community)

I don't care if JK ever renounces her words what I want to happpen is for her to not be able to fund her new transphobic garbage I want her words to mean so little that they won't be used in new laws to hurt trans people this is the goal.

[ramyaknox]

I've just started Tom Felton's autobiography beyond the wand. I'd been putting it off because thinking about Harry Potter tends to upset me nowadays because of the stuff with JK Rowling. But I really ran out of stuff to read and I thought I'd start it and it got me thinking a lot again.

I am no longer supporting JK Rowling monetarily but for me the lines are blurred on what is seen as support for her and what is engagement with a fandom that I love. Emma Watson writes in the introduction of the book that the core message of the potter books is friendship and I belive by extension acceptance. I have read so many analyses of everything wrong with the books, but despite that, the core message of friendship and kindness and acceptance and a need for systemic change is one I still value and there are characters I related to that I still love.

And I feel guilty about this, I know that the best thing to do in many peoples eyes is to let harry potter fade away and I do not want to be perceived as transphobic or a threat to others. But despite all this, I still care about harry potter and what happens to it in the future. It breaks my heart to see the fandom filled with people spouting transphobia and people who once felt safe now afraid. But I don't want the fandom to be left to these people because honestly at the end of the day I feel hurt that my special interest, something that has allowed me to make friends and to learn about myself and has offered me comfort throughout every significant moment of my life has been tainted by the person who created it and that this is hurting innocent people.

But then I listen to a very potter sequal and I hear Darren criss say hogwarts is bigger than us, it's bigger than any of its founders. And I wonder if there's people out there who are unsure like me what to do and who are trying their best to let go of something that means so much, who question why this is so difficult and whether it's even the right thing to do or whether there's a way forward that can support trans people and make the hp fandom a safe place again.

I want to support trans people, if you are following me and trans I hope you have read this far and that you understand how overwhelmed this all makes me feel and that this situation is something I take very seriously. I had to post about it because I want to be honest and because I think about it often.

I'm not tagging anything because I don't want this to get to people who don't want to hear about this, I just want to put it out somewhere.

[hellodeartumbler-blog]

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I believe that you could truly cut off JK's money source but first you have to cut off her contacts even though she has said some really f’ed up stuff there are stores that still support her.

You can't just not buy her stuff you have to stop buying everything from these stores you have to let them know that they will not be getting our business until she is out of their stores.

These stores have to lose enough money across the board to care, even if they're only getting $5 from this b**ch they are going to put her merch in their stores and she's going to get full royalties you have to stop buying from these stores all together

And as soon as she loses her money Source she will lose her support just like Anita Bryant (who has most recently adopted the saying Live and Let Live when discussing the lgbtq community)

I don't care if JK ever renounces her words what I want to happpen is for her to not be able to fund her new transphobic garbage I want her words to mean so little that they won't be used in new laws to hurt trans people this is the goal.

[donttouchtheneednoggle]

I'm literally going insane the viewpoint i keep seeing is 'i know she's bad but hp is still important to so many people including trans people' and yes! It is! No one is or should be trying to police what is meaningful to you! If you are reading books or watching dvds you've already bought or from a library or pirating you are not giving her any more power, that's entirely your business and you can make your own decision whether that terf has ruined hp for you. No one has or should have the ability to force you to think or feel a certain way.

The problems come when you start promoting her stuff online or spending any money on hp stuff, because it's always going to benefit her and fund her vile ideology that is having actual real world consequences thanks to her enormous power and influence. Please don't do that.

[godofdystopia]

I once read a Tumblr post on here years ago that, the longer time goes on, the more it stays in my mind.

it’s not a deep philosophical post, a quote from a famous historical figure, a drawing of majestic beauty, or a transformative masterpiece. Its a simple fandom write up, written by a fan of the series.

it’s a short harry potter story written by a trans woman.

She got sorted into... Gryffindor I believe? She had finally come out, and the rest of the house were mocking her. Telling her she wouldn't be able to go up to the women's dorms ‘cause she was a man.’ They made transphobic comments and hurtful jeers as she made her way up the stairs.

and the stairs let her, because she was a woman. She went into her dorm smiling, because she was a woman and the castle accepted her.

It was a simple piece told well, of a woman wanting to write about her being validated. She wrote it to comfort herself, most likely, and what's wrong with that? Nothing at all. I liked it, but since I was still lurking and doing nothing on this site I neither heart’d it or reblogged.

I think about that post a lot, at random times. It will just pop into my head and i think. Harry Potter isn't a good work: It’s anti-Semitic, it’s racist, it’s anti-femine, it’s transphobic. The author is all these things and more. Trans people are under attack across the globe, and JK is fueling the fire.

Hogwarts legacy is about to release, and the game is so openly anti-Semitic that nobody can deny it anymore. JK is a transphobe, nobody can deny that anymore.

Trans women, Jewish people, POC, and so many others have been telling us for years that HP is not a good series. Nowadays we’re listening, but it wasn't always like that.

and yet back then, years ago, a trans woman wrote a very nice story about harry potter that validates her identity. It was nice, far nicer than many things Harry Potter fans have had to say about trans women. I wonder what she’s doing right now, what she’s a fan of now. 

That piece has been lost to the sands of time, as many things on the internet are and will be. As my own stuff will one day be most likely. And yet i still think about that small story she wrote. Perhaps I'll be thinking about it decades from now as the world burns around me.

I think about it a lot.

[pineapple-lover-boy]

Please tell me I can agree with this because I’ve been feeling terrible lately and I legitimately need some comfort from something I’ve known all my life.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/arts/television/article-can-you-still-enjoy-harry-potter-if-you-dont-want-to-support-jk/

People say if I like it I’m anti lgbtq and it’s especially prevalent on this site and I hate it so much because I am trans and her words did and still do hurt me but the ones she wrote on paper heal me.

Why did we let her weaponize liking Harry Potter? When has the internet ever given up like this to when someone says “if you like this then you’re this!” and given up and let the other person win?

I’m not planning on buying anything from her. I have Harry Potter stuff from before all this happens and I’m fine with just that. I don’t need to see her movies that are written in a way that it won’t work. I don’t need to play her antisemitic game.

I want to read the books and go online to people still debating on how to make them better. How to make sense of the clear problems that surround the books. That’s the type of Harry Potter discourse that I like.

I try hard to help lgbtq matters and people. I try my best to donate when I can. I am not a transphobe or anything because JK’s flawed mind said so. Can we stop being scared of those words and actually do something about it?

If you like any works from old white men from the 1800s it doesn’t mean you’re a racist, a homophobe, etc.

Have we only understood that because the authors and creators are already dead and therefore can’t gain anything from our love? Do we have to wait decades until we can live HP again?

“Oh look at that the bitch is dead. Now I’ll be able to take everything out of its boxes and catch up on 30 years of missed discussions, reading, joy, and love for HP because I let some transphobe win.”

Yes, I do think she did win in a twisted way. We let her control our love for HP and so when she said no more love we listened. She’s smart enough to know that when she says that only transphobes will love her work everyone will run and hide.

I’ve looked in a lot of places and I feel like this is the biggest site where you show one ounce of interest for Harry Potter and people kill every ounce of happiness you have by sending death threats, insulting you, and in acting the ever so “smart” cancel culture which is a way to weed out everyone person with a slightly differing opinion when it comes to canceling regular old people (obviously it’s a bit different when it comes to celebrities).

Please. I am so close. I need to know if I can love something without being virtually killed on the internet for it. I already feel like I’m dying.

[spiritcole7890]

Why I'm Still a Fan of Harry Potter

A lot of controversial topics come up when talking about J.K. Rowling the maker of the infamous Harry Potter. But the world got shocked when J.K. Rowling placed out a transphobic tweet towards trans woman in the world and let me just tell you it hurts. But I will still be a Harry Potter fan because it was home, and my comfort show.

Harry Potter has always been a comfort show for me growing up, I was a heavy ex-Baptist, and was off the list of something I could watch because of the interpretation of Witchcraft. And as someone who had to watch it secretly, and private it has a special place in my heart. It was my comfort show, my world, and my place that I felt like I truly belonged.

I did the quiz got placed into Hufflepuff, and forever made it my home. I started reading the books and getting myself more into the lore. I could still see myself; a little kid pretending to be in Hogwarts. Naïve to the world and playing with my little wand. Begging my Grandma to let me play on the broom and pretend to fly. And me getting excited about wands, and books when I went to Barns and Nobles. And, me, daydreaming about what it would be like in the world of Harry Potter.

But that all came to a screeching halt when J.K. Rowling gave out this tweet that read; "People who 'menstruate'; I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben, Wimpound, Woomud?" So, your telling me J.K. Rowling that your not a woman unless you menstruate? This was a slap in the face for me, and everyone in the trans community. While I am a trans male this didn't stop me from being so hurt from this comment.

I am a Trans male so I bet she would do the same thing with us and say that were not a man unless we got the parts. But I do have someone who is a trans woman a good friend of mine, and trans woman has always been subjected to be a "threat" towards people. This isn't true, and it's far from it. Doesn't help that she doesn't apologize after making the comment, but actually digs herself deeper and arguing with people. The worst part is that she says that she is for the woman, by the woman, and wants their rights but then turns around and says that.

When it comes to J.K. Rowling some people dig into the story some more and found some very interesting factors. Including the racism that was inside her books, and movies. For example, Kathleen Walsh (2020) says that the 'Paukwudgie' is supposed to be a clumsy looking creature but is actually a racist stereotype for Native Americans. (P. 5) I found out that also the Grengots Goblins is supposed to be a racist way of showing off Jews, and those in the Jewish community. Their selfish, cunning, and very money hungry. And now that everything is turning into light, and all the stuff that is coming up I'm still going to be a Harry Potter fan to this day.

And to be honest I didn't go to the theater to see: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and I can honestly say that I pirated the movie just because I didn't want to give my money to her.

What has transpired from everything that came out a lot of people have retired their wands, their cloaks, and their life in Hogwarts. But for me this isn't the case. I will still love the fandom and even now Harry Potter has a very huge fandom that will still cosplay, make art, and love it. All at the same time just telling us that there is a bunch of people who made Harry Potter, and J.K. Rowling was just in the background.

References:

Maines, N., & Maines, N. (2020, June 12). Nicole Maines: Why I’m Still a “Harry Potter” Fan Despite J.K. Rowling’s Anti-Trans Views. Variety. https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/jk-rowling-trans-tweets-nicole-maines-supergirl-harry-potter-1234632167/

Walsh, K. (2020, June 16). The Time Has Come to Let Go of “Harry Potter.” Marie Claire. https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a32871234/harry-potter-jk-rowling-anti-trans-comments/

Rowling, J.K. (2020, June 6). https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269382518362509313?s=20&t=uSAZwFl55IOeSlWXbV56tw

[official-michael-afton]

Wait what's the recent event and news things?

Let me not only explain but also give an initial reaction to things!

Tw: US Politics, mentions of transphobia, homophobia, and racism

WHAT WE KNOW: A few hours ago, today (June 10, 2021), a tweet was released explaining that Scott Cawthon had donated thousands of dollars to various Republican parties including Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell prior to the 2020 US Presidential Election. You can find the tweet here.

This source can be accessed here

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THIS INFORMATION: While not 100% certain this is our Scott Cawthon, it's safe to assume so. The location and occupations line up. This site also appears to be legitimate, though I cannot confirm with certainty. But considering it's a whole database and not just a screenshot, I think it's safe to assume it's a legitimate source unless proven otherwise.

This is the facts, from this point on I will give some advice on how to handle this.

WHY THIS IS A BAD THING: To many people, this seems like a non-issue. People have the right to their political beliefs and I will forever argue that cancel culture is absurdly toxic. However, when ones political beliefs actively harm minorities, they're more than just "beliefs".

Many of the people that Scott has financially supported have pushed anti-LGBT bills and have pushed homophobic and transphobic ideologies. Many of these people have also pushed bills for voter suppression(often in largely democratic and/or POC communities) and pushed racist ideologies as well. Unfortunately, by financially supporting these candidates, one is actively causing harm to minority groups.

Scott has the right to use his personal money how he wants, but there's no denying that FNaF is a major source of income for him. And he likely used a lot of his profits to support these parties. It hurts to say it, but it's very likely that by financially supporting fnaf, we gave him the funds to support the very people trying to hurt us. Thats where the problem is.

WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

I encourage people to take some time to deal with this news. Because it's big and it's heavy. We shouldn't form parasocial relationships, absolutely, but it's very reasonable to feel hurt by this. I've supported Scott since I was a teenager, since 2014, and to know that, while this whole time I've realized I was a man and started transitioning and everything... I've been giving my money to someone who likely used that money to support the same people who fight against my right to exist. I'm sure you can understand why that's painful. Many people grew up on this series and many of us are POC, LGBT, and/or other minority groups that have been harmed by far right political parties.

So take some time to comes to terms with this, find out what this means for you, and how you want to move forward, there is no right answer.

That being said, this is very new news. There may be more that gets revealed, so I encourage waiting to hear more. I want to wait until I hear a statement from Scott or enough time passes that- he just won't. The biggest problem with cancel culture is the idea of dropping someone like a hot potato without even knowing why- so take the time to find out more if you can.

DO NOT. UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. HARASS ANYONE IN THE FNAF COMMUNITY FOR STILL LIKING FNAF. It does no good for anyone. People have been in this fandom for literal years, and to expect people to just ditch it is not only unreasonable, it's unproductive. People are still allowed to like this series, own merch, make content, etc. Your mutuals are not the enemy.

SHOULD I STILL LIKE FNAF?

I have 2 points I want to make about this question

I encourage you to stop financially supporting official fnaf stuff. Again, knowing that my money is quite possibly being used to support the people who want to harm people like me and my mutuals, I can't in good conscience continue to give my money to Scott. I won't harass anyone over this, but I encourage you to do the same. I recommend instead, if you have the money, to support fan creators! Commissions, fan merch, etc- that way your money goes to supporting minority creators instead! (If you already own merch, there's no point in throwing it out. I mean you won't get your money back so it doesn't make a difference one way or another)

That being said, I personally believe that you are still allowed to enjoy the fnaf series. The series doesn't push any problematic ideologies(the worst is an insensitive joke here or there, but that's literally every media ever), so I believe you're not doing any harm by liking it still. It's like how people can still like Harry Potter as a series, but refuse to give any support to JK Rowling.

Honestly if you still want to consume new content/games, I recommend watching a let's play or something where you're not spending any money. *Puts on Camp Counselor Voice* And remember kids, don't ever p*rate things, that's bad *wink wink*

Again, this is all very new, so take your time to deal with it, okay?

TL; DR- It's extremely likely that Scott Cawthon has financially supported far-right Republican parties such as Trump, McConnell, etc. Supporting these parties does active harm to minority groups- especially POC and/or LGBT+ communities. This is all very new, so I encourage you to take your time in reacting to this. I encourage you to stop financially supporting Scott, and instead support fan creators instead(if you're able to of course). I believe it's still okay to continue to enjoy FNaF though, and encourage you to support your mutuals instead of dropping the series like a hot potato, if you can.

Remember to practice self care, and please don't discourse on this post. This is just the facts and how I believe we should react to this in the most productive way we can. Love you! 💜

[fanonical]

Not arguing, just a genuine question: How is engaging with Harry Potter fan content while boycotting official things that benefit JKR hurting trans people? For example, isn't reading/writing Harry Potter fanfic/headcanons that are trans inclusive a good thing? JKR might be awful, but can't we still use the Harry Potter world for good?

Every time you buy a Harry Potter book, watch a Harry Potter movie, use a Harry Potter app or buy Harry Potter merchandising, you’re letting every single company who works with JK Rowling know that it is still profitable to be transphobic.

This is not what you asked, to be fair -- you said you’re boycotting official stuff, which is great! but most people aren’t? they’re just buying it and saying “well she’s a billionaire anyways” or not even thinking about where their money is going

whilst you, personally, may be engaging with Harry Potter in a progressive, transformative, fanworks way, you cannot assume that anybody else you are interacting with will do that, unless you make it clear that people who still support JK Rowling will not be tolerated.

finally, and most complexly, the Harry Potter books are full of Rowling’s bigotry, and just trying to separate her from that won’t work how you want it to -- almost all of the lore is supportive of her beliefs about the world, so you’re still engaging with a deeply flawed world, and it will probably be impossible to pick a full story out of these works, even when you remove everything that stinks.

[arialerendeair]

As a trans guy who loved hp (I have a personal investment in this), it’s not that you have to stop loving it.

A large part of the issue is that JK Rowling is personally funding large parts of Terf Island’s Terf policies. Purchasing things that she profits from is essentially a charitable donation to anti-trans policy in the UK, and propaganda elsewhere.

She’s also explicitly mentioned that she sees that people still love her stuff, and still buy things from her, and is under the assumption that it means people agree with her. She’s right, because they’re still funding her.

People, particularly trans people in the UK who see the direct affect she has, are going to be upset when they see someone indirectly agreeing with her, by refusing to care what she does.

There are a few ways to get around this issue, and in my opinion the best options are actively supporting trans people publicly, refusing to purchase licensed products, and generally making an effort to understand why it can hurt people. Not taking hp stuff out of the hp fandom can help a lot too.

I did remove my house from my profile (I’m a slytherin). I did move my hp stuff elsewhere, so I don’t have to look at it every day. It’s a painful reminder that someone I looked up to wants me disappeared.

Sometimes I’m still in the mood for enjoying the fandom, but these days I don’t trust it. I pop in for trans![character] weeks, and a few fics that I still love, but I can’t immerse myself in it without that fear of, oh someone here doesn’t care. Someone actively agrees with her. I’m not wanted in the space any more.

Still loving hp is okay. I do. It’s a large part of what I built myself with as a young teen. It breaks my heart when I think about it, because I love it. Understanding that it does this for a lot of people will probably help. People can and will get upset when you talk about it. People who’ve been here before should also know you do hp a lot, and should already have unfollowed and blocked you, if they know it’s that upsetting to them. It’s on you to stay in your lane, but it’s also on them to not go into your lane.

All that said, bullying, baiting and suicide baiting are all fucking god awful things. The only reason JK Rowling got any further than that is that she has a platform, money and can use pretty words. The internet is a shitty place, and even when people are rightfully upset, you deserve better than to be treated like that.

I debated for quite a while about posting this message, not because I don't love it (I do, and it's one of the most thoughtful responses I've seen on the subject, so thank you for that Nonny, it's very appreciated), but because I'm hesitant to reopen the discussion.

Quick Side Note: For the anon who wanted to know "what JK Rowling has done" this post articulates a small amount (in the vast, irritatingly long list) quite well.

The thing is Nonny - what you suggested? Refusing to buy licensed products, avoiding future releases/new product, calling her out directly, and supporting Trans people in my life and my community? Are all things I believe everyone can, and should do. But I don't think it should be presented in such a way where if you DON'T do those things, suddenly you're a raging Transphobe. It isn't that black or white - and never will be, and that's what my original reply was focused on articulating.

I understand this is a loaded subject for many - and I would certainly never say my opinion is right and everyone else's is wrong. I would say that it's a subject that has a lot more gray areas that are hard to talk about - for everyone involved. As a queer person and someone who admired JK Rowling as an author when I was younger - I can understand that upset and disillusionment with her, and while it most certainly isn't the same - I do understand in a small way.

The main reason I spoke up (and waited for the reaction I knew would come my way as a result), is because I think it's important for all of us to fight against HER and what she represents these days - not amongst each other. And that getting that support to fight against her - should not come in the form of aggressive guilt-tripping, because that won't accomplish the end result. (Punting her back into goddamn obscurity where she belongs.)

Thank you again for a thoughtful, articulated response, it was wonderfully put.