#trans people and jewish people. that DO want to financially support jkr. that want to hurt these people in any way they can

[agenderakali]

I think was really, really upsets me about this wizard game bullshit is that we were all pretty much in agreement that supporting JKR financially was a bad idea. There were some hp-obsessed millennials that objected to it but for the most part, everyone agreed that putting money towards the Harry Potter franchise wasn’t a great thing to do. And folks were fine with that because they could live without reprints of a book they already read years ago and ugly looking merchandise they'd never wear in public.  But now that the thing to avoid buying is a shiny new fun-looking triple A video game the consensus has completely shifted. Suddenly all those people who were performatively shitting on JKR are saying “oh, well it’s not like its gonna hurt her bottom line! What’s another 5 million dollars in her pocket anyways?” and “oh well, I just care about the developers!” and “well all companies are corrupt I guess I have to boycott everything!” and “boycotts dont work anyways!” Just be honest. You were happy to “give up” things you already didn't care about and weren’t planning to buy anyways. But now its an object people actually want it’s become a massive debate full of plenty of justifications to just do what you want and make yourself happy, regardless of where the money goes. To Jewish and trans people, it’s just made transparently clear how little the public cared about showing support to us. 

[apocalypse-gang]

to be honest I don't understand why everyone feels so entitled or even assumes everyone needs to have the same sentiments. You have to deal with the fact not everyone wants to fights others' battles. There are people with their own problems and bigotry they're dealing with to care about a wizard's game.

It's not entitlement, it's an ask. It's begging. It's an ask to not financially support a multi-millionaire who uses her royalties to give money to organizations that are successfully trying to dehumanize and strip the rights of trans people. It is an ask not to support a game that entire premise depends dangerous and dehumanizing Jewish stereotyping, that was put into this fictional world by JKR herself.

My frustration is that people are actively claiming to be allies and even acting morally superior, for buying a game that trans and jewish communities have been begging people not to buy. You are not an ally if you buy this game. If you know what Joanne is doing is wrong, and you know how she uses her money, yet they are ignoring it for their own interests and nostalgia. You are not an ally. Allyship doesn't fluctuate when it's convenient for you, and you can't buy back your allyship or forgiveness if you donate to charities. It's selfish.

I constantly live with the fact that no one fights others' battles, and I'm still frustrated by it. We were put on this earth to protect our fellow man, and people just won't. I know we can't all constantly fight for ourselves and others' 24/7 while also living ori day to day life. Our world is too big for that. But this is not people choosing not the fight. It's people consciously choosing to give money to the ones harming people. I constantly live with the fact that people aren't fighting our battle for and with us because no one actually cares about trans people. Most of the world doesn't care about us, and people are trying to destroy us. And here we have "allies" who throw get frustrated they feel guilty and people dont like that they are knowingly put their money into a influential, multi-millionaire bigot's pockets. Those that are mad that people don't want them to play the Blood Libel slavery simulator game.

It's literally asking people to not buy a video game. That's all people are asking. It's an inaction. No one's asking people to vote, no one's asking people to wave flags or sign petition, people literally asking you not to spend money on a game. Its a gesture. The bare minimum. It was doing nothing and people couldn't do that. That was it. People couldn't do even do nothing for the Jewish and trans communities.

For the people with their own problems and bigotry they're dealing with, a video game isn't going to fix it. A video game isn't going to save them. And if they are someone who is maganalized, it is very, very likely JKR doesn't care about them either. Her work and her views are extremely racist, xenophobic, fatphobic, even things having misogyny and homophobia, and things she claims to dislike. Her and her posse are willing to align with whit supremacists in order to continue their cause. Her bigotry will only get worse with time. So why financially support someone who is only going to harm marganalized groups. You are knowingly putting your wants above real people who will be harmed. If you buy the game, you have to accept that fact. You can't work your away around it, or try to donate away your guilt.

No one needs a Harry Potter game. No one will die without getting the game. The game won't fix any of your problems.the game won't stop the bigotry you deal with personally.

All people asked for was literally nothing. Do nothing. It's not spending $70 dollar on a video game and not playing it. It's a symbol of support, showing you won't support someone so cruel. All people asked if people would do nothing when a game came out. Why is it so controversial to ask that of people? Why is it so controversial to be upset about when people don't do it?

Why should i not be frustrated with the injustices of the world? Why should I settle for apathy?

[wonderlandmoonrose7]

Hogwarts Legacy

Let me preface this by saying that if you are a TERF, antisemite, or any other form of bigot, my blog is not safe for you. You will be blocked and reported. Now.

Discussion of the new Hogwarts Legacy game has really heated up over the past couple of weeks, and I want to make it crystal clear where I stand. If you buy this game, if you play it at all, you have no right to call yourself an ally. If you were really an ally, you would listen to the voices of all the marginalized people targeted by this game and franchise and NOT BUY IT. I don't care if Harry Potter was your childhood—it was mine too! But I can realize that whatever Harry Potter does for me does in no way outweigh the harm that it does to marginalized communities.

(More under the cut)

Rowling has outright said that she views any support of her work as support of her views. Any Harry Potter product you buy, including the game, is going to go directly into her pockets so she can continue to fund anti-trans legislation. Even if she isn't directly profiting from sales, she was definitely paid in order to use Harry Potter, and making this game profitable just signals that corporations can continue to support her and face no backlash. You cannot separate the art from the artist when they are still actively profiting from their art and using it to make people's lives miserable. Reading Shakespeare and recognizing the problematic elements is nowhere near the same level as funding one of the world's most famous TERFs.

Even beyond that, the content of Hogwarts Legacy is so blatantly antisemitic that I truly cannot fathom why anyone would want to play it in the first place. Putting down a rebellion of Jewish-coded characters who are sick of being treated like slaves???? Are you insane?? I see people claiming that they're trans or their friend is trans and they said it was okay as if there are not multiple other marginalized groups being affected by this! Learn some intersectionality!

The other thing I keep seeing is the phrase "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" and it just does not fucking apply. That phrase applies to when people must buy necessities like food or toiletries or bottled water and can't avoid buying from unethical businesses because five corporations have mini monopolies over the market. It does not apply to a single video game full of antisemitic rhetoric that goes into the pockets of a TERF. You will not die if you don't buy this stupid game.

If you want to engage with Harry Potter content, support fan creators; read fanfiction and headcanons, look at fanart, and maybe even make some yourself. But do not promote or financially support the official content, especially when trans people, Jewish people, and POC are literally begging you to listen to them and show some degree of respect for their issues. I'll say this right now; if I see anyone interacting with or promoting this game, it's an immediate block. Do better.

(Note: I am not a member of any of the communities affected by JKR and this game's blatant bigotry. I would recommend seeking out trans, Jewish, and POC users and supporting them during this mess.)