Driving through Bridgewater has been uncomfortable, and not just because I’m worried my brakes will fail and I’ll careen into the LaHave. It’s because of the enormous “HP” on the mall, hanging next to the Sport Chek, written in a once-loved lightning font.
The Magic of Harry Potter was a pop-up operated by Bayview Community School and several local businesses. It was designed with obvious care for family entertainment, but when it comes to this franchise, trans-inclusive “rainbow families” like mine can sometimes feel like we’re not invited to the party.
Author J.K. Rowling became a mega-millionaire with stories championing outcast children, but ironically uses her clout crusading against transgender folks of all ages. I lack the word count to regurgitate her fictions – check out Aja Romano at Vox.com for that – but suffice it to say she’s a prominent, slanderous voice. Her rhetoric echoes in new American and British legislation criminalizing gender expression and gender affirmation, and corresponds to rising violence against trans populations worldwide.
I try not to take it personally when others embrace her work. I mean, she’s hardly the first of her kind: Roald Dahl was outspokenly anti-semitic (to the chagrin of his estate), and that has scarcely dimmed the public celebration of his books. Maybe it’s normal to ignore the author and embrace the work. Maybe stories can nourish and inspire us regardless of the well from which they’re drawn.
But Rowling and her poison pen are still scratching away, and each iteration of her work puts licensing dollars in her pocket and notoriety on her name. There may be some public objections, but I find it hard to imagine her as a victim of “cancel culture” while she keeps raking in both cash and cache with movies, stage productions and theme parks. Kanye only wishes he was “canceled” like Rowling.
I think that’s why I’m saddened when my neighbours choose to keep her company. They don’t seem to understand that for families like mine, the magic is long gone.
Thank you! It is exactly the same for our family. The magic started for our family with a 7 yr old who started reading HP in 2001 and became obsessed, as did the whole family. Every electronic machine got an HP related name, custom plates on 2 vehicles. Fast forward to 2017, the 7 yr old is now 23 and comes out to us as transgender. We love her just as much now as we ever did. Step in Ms Rowling who takes a stab at all trans people, but specifically trans females. With each opening of her vile mouth she causes irreparable damage and makes us bury her HP franchise deeper in our memories. The last vestiges of that era are the custom plates. When there is extra $$$ they too will be gone. In the meantime we need to push down and bury her vitriol, and raise up and celebrate our trans communities and ensure their safety.
Thank you for sharing this story. ❤️