My friends used to have this tag on Tumblr posts — #sorrynatalie — that they’d use any time there was any critique of Harry Potter. It’s a reputation I built with intention as I grew up and throughout college. It was the one thing I didn’t mess with. I didn’t even read fanfiction of it because the books were perfect and everyone should just shut the fuck up if they thought otherwise.
You know me well enough to understand that was pretty much my exact tone.
But I’m surfacing this now because in the past years thinking back on that tag has made me feel ashamed, especially as many critiques were calling out the sidesteps to the queer community or lack of diversity. You know, valid things that fandom corrects on its own until there’s almost this collect reimagination of the books. For example, it’s been years since I didn’t picture Harry as Indian and Hermione as Black. Fandom collectively decided that’s how it was and it made so much beautiful sense. Seriously, if you search for the golden trio the majority of art will now depict them that way:
So here’s where this post is obviously going: J.K. Rowling’s attack on trans people is some bullshit, not exactly new, and ten years ago I would’ve defended her to my grave for being the creator of books I love but that is not the person I am or want to be anymore.
If you don’t know what’s going on, here’s a quick Time article that gives context along with Daniel Radcliffe’s response (opposing JKR — bless him).
Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Trans lives matter. And saying otherwise when you’re in such a position of power and influence — especially when so many trans people have loved your work — is flat out dangerous. According to the Trevor Project, 78% of transgender and nonbinary youth report having been discriminated against because of their gender identity. A report from last year showed that one in three transgender youth reported attempting suicide, almost one-third reported being a victim of sexual violence, and more than half reported a two-week period of depression.
I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like to be a Harry Potter and JKR fan and then have her completely invalidate your identity. But just because I can’t imagine it doesn’t mean I’m not going to stand by the trans community.
Look I love Harry Potter, that’s part of my identity. And I am not going to stop reading the books or start snapping wands. But I am not going to look to JKR or hold her up as some kind of hero of my childhood anymore. The irony, as many are pointing out, is that she’s the one who taught us through the Harry Potter books how to stand up for what’s right and, in this case, how to stand against her.
I’m writing all this because I hope it shows that if even I can change my mind on something Harry Potter related of all things, that we all have the capacity to listen and learn and let down our defenses enough so we can start defending the people who need it.
I still love Harry — but I love the books and fandom and the kind of person it continues to shape me into (and turning away from JKR). I trust that Hermione would do her own unlearning and learning to not become a trans-exclusionary radical feminist. And that Harry would shut up and listen. And that Ron would probably fuck it up for a while but he’d get there dammit. So I’m following my Golden Trio and Trans Lives Matter.
With Love,
Natalie