Thanks for your offering, Charlotte! My son grew up reading Harry Potter (his mom and I read along with him). We loved it because he didn’t enjoy reading but he certainly enjoyed the books. We all enjoyed the films as well. I am deeply disappointed in JKR’s rabid hatred of my trans siblings and just don’t get it. My wife and I are allies and are heartbroken. It’s especially disturbing since we defended her books in the face of fundamentalist christian attacks on the Wizarding world. I am also deeply grateful for the responses from Daniel, Emma, Rupert, and Tom in support of the trans community.
Just wanted to thank you! Keep up your excellent work!
I read these books to my kids as they were published, way before we knew how loathsome J K. would reveal herself to be. That she is unable to see the sheer irony of the different characters & happenings in the books is so sad. (Transfiguration anyone?) Millions of kids who didn't quite fit in found solace in the books. Her hateful take on trans folk doesn't change that & it dies with her. Kids are smart - they'll figure it out.
Thank you for a deeply felt and well-written essay. My daughter began reading the Harry Potter books later than most of her friends, but we each read them, discussed them, and thoroughly enjoyed them. We saw every Harry Potter movie more than once. When we learned that JK Rawlings was so full of hatred towards trans women we talked about it, and we were both sad that someone with such a vivid imagination, and a talented writer, could be so wrong and so filled with hatred. I've been a voracious reader since I first began to read (I'm 72 years old), and I've learned that there are many talented writers who are horrible human beings. Unfortunately, there are too many horrible human beings. I agree with your comments; let's teach our children how to be respectful of each other. Every single human is different in so many ways from each other human. There is nothing about the human body that's identical, or even binary - skin color, hair (texture, color), eyes (color and shape), lips, ears, fingerprints, height, weight, length of limbs, fingers and toes, brain functioning (I'm on the autism spectrum), athletic ability, intellectual ability, artistic ability, etc., etc. Even the size and exact location of internal organs are not identical (my brother had his appendix removed and the ER doctor said he had to "hunt" for it because it wasn't where it usually is). I've never understood why sexual identity and gender differences cause such anger, but they do.
I read every single one of the books as an adult, and found them to be a good read. What I didn’t know at the time was JKR’s transphobia. The books, without considering her stance on trans people, are fine. I’m just disgusted to learn that she hates my trans granddaughter (not personally, but as a trans person).
I read the books as a teen/twentysomething (as they came out), and was captivated by the rich world that JKR built — the history and mythology she incorporated, the racial and social diversity she included, the strong female characters that stood on their own.
I loathe the hateful person she revealed herself to be; but I don’t believe the books and their story — acceptance, history, courage, hope — should be blamed for their creator’s failings.
ETA (because I can’t figure out how to edit my original comment):
The HP series had not just one, but MULTIPLE strong, independent female characters in an era when that was the exception, not the rule. I am a child of the ’80s/‘90s, and finding stories that were both engrossing AND had female characters that passed the Bechdel test was a feat.
Again: JKR is vile. Don’t punish HP (and all the goodness within) because the creator later revealed herself to be a Slytherin. 🤷♀️
I very much appreciate this column and had come to the same conclusion--separate the works from the person. I would add that this philosophy can apply to so many other areas of life. I am continually amazed at how creative truly vile people can be--whether in the arts, the sciences, politics/government, or other.
So thanks for showing how it's possible to both appreciate the work and step away from the author.
Let me cut to the quick, J R Rowling is a trans exclusionist radical feminists (TERF), only it isn't transmen that she hates and targets but transwomen, transmen she considers to be female, and she doesn't know or respect the difference between a Transvestite (cross dresser) DRAG (Dressed As Girl),or pre op and post op transsexual. Just anything with a penis. I suspect that she was sexually molested , and that accounts for her penis phobia.
Thank you, Charlotte. Very measured and thoughtful. Always appreciate your clarity and heart-centered wisdom. I would add that in addition to parents teaching their kids to be kind and aware that trans children/folks are deserving of all rights, dignity and respect, that parents can expose their children to trans athletes, artists, leaders, politicians, activists, children their age, etc. Make the normalization real and concrete. Not just an abstract concept.
Thank you for your comments. I used to enjoy reading the Harry Potter series every few years, but have read none of them since she's expressed her hate. I'll try to reconsider reading them again.
I’d vote for getting the books from the library or buying used rather than putting money in her pocket (no matter how little.)
Excellent point!
Thanks for your offering, Charlotte! My son grew up reading Harry Potter (his mom and I read along with him). We loved it because he didn’t enjoy reading but he certainly enjoyed the books. We all enjoyed the films as well. I am deeply disappointed in JKR’s rabid hatred of my trans siblings and just don’t get it. My wife and I are allies and are heartbroken. It’s especially disturbing since we defended her books in the face of fundamentalist christian attacks on the Wizarding world. I am also deeply grateful for the responses from Daniel, Emma, Rupert, and Tom in support of the trans community.
Just wanted to thank you! Keep up your excellent work!
I read these books to my kids as they were published, way before we knew how loathsome J K. would reveal herself to be. That she is unable to see the sheer irony of the different characters & happenings in the books is so sad. (Transfiguration anyone?) Millions of kids who didn't quite fit in found solace in the books. Her hateful take on trans folk doesn't change that & it dies with her. Kids are smart - they'll figure it out.
Thank you for a deeply felt and well-written essay. My daughter began reading the Harry Potter books later than most of her friends, but we each read them, discussed them, and thoroughly enjoyed them. We saw every Harry Potter movie more than once. When we learned that JK Rawlings was so full of hatred towards trans women we talked about it, and we were both sad that someone with such a vivid imagination, and a talented writer, could be so wrong and so filled with hatred. I've been a voracious reader since I first began to read (I'm 72 years old), and I've learned that there are many talented writers who are horrible human beings. Unfortunately, there are too many horrible human beings. I agree with your comments; let's teach our children how to be respectful of each other. Every single human is different in so many ways from each other human. There is nothing about the human body that's identical, or even binary - skin color, hair (texture, color), eyes (color and shape), lips, ears, fingerprints, height, weight, length of limbs, fingers and toes, brain functioning (I'm on the autism spectrum), athletic ability, intellectual ability, artistic ability, etc., etc. Even the size and exact location of internal organs are not identical (my brother had his appendix removed and the ER doctor said he had to "hunt" for it because it wasn't where it usually is). I've never understood why sexual identity and gender differences cause such anger, but they do.
I read every single one of the books as an adult, and found them to be a good read. What I didn’t know at the time was JKR’s transphobia. The books, without considering her stance on trans people, are fine. I’m just disgusted to learn that she hates my trans granddaughter (not personally, but as a trans person).
I read the books as a teen/twentysomething (as they came out), and was captivated by the rich world that JKR built — the history and mythology she incorporated, the racial and social diversity she included, the strong female characters that stood on their own.
I loathe the hateful person she revealed herself to be; but I don’t believe the books and their story — acceptance, history, courage, hope — should be blamed for their creator’s failings.
ETA (because I can’t figure out how to edit my original comment):
The HP series had not just one, but MULTIPLE strong, independent female characters in an era when that was the exception, not the rule. I am a child of the ’80s/‘90s, and finding stories that were both engrossing AND had female characters that passed the Bechdel test was a feat.
Again: JKR is vile. Don’t punish HP (and all the goodness within) because the creator later revealed herself to be a Slytherin. 🤷♀️
I agree 100%. The books are excellent.
I very much appreciate this column and had come to the same conclusion--separate the works from the person. I would add that this philosophy can apply to so many other areas of life. I am continually amazed at how creative truly vile people can be--whether in the arts, the sciences, politics/government, or other.
So thanks for showing how it's possible to both appreciate the work and step away from the author.
Let me cut to the quick, J R Rowling is a trans exclusionist radical feminists (TERF), only it isn't transmen that she hates and targets but transwomen, transmen she considers to be female, and she doesn't know or respect the difference between a Transvestite (cross dresser) DRAG (Dressed As Girl),or pre op and post op transsexual. Just anything with a penis. I suspect that she was sexually molested , and that accounts for her penis phobia.
Thank you, Charlotte. Very measured and thoughtful. Always appreciate your clarity and heart-centered wisdom. I would add that in addition to parents teaching their kids to be kind and aware that trans children/folks are deserving of all rights, dignity and respect, that parents can expose their children to trans athletes, artists, leaders, politicians, activists, children their age, etc. Make the normalization real and concrete. Not just an abstract concept.
Beautiful.
And maybe encourage concerned parents to get the books from the library or used book store. She really doesn’t need any more money.
Wow thank you for this! Very well reasoned as always
Thank you for your comments. I used to enjoy reading the Harry Potter series every few years, but have read none of them since she's expressed her hate. I'll try to reconsider reading them again.
I love your very insightful opinion on this!
And my kid didn’t like the books or movies. So ha.
Beautifully said.