this post was submitted on 10 Apr 2026
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[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago

The really weird thing is how many LGBTQ folks latched onto HP in its early releases as what was recognized to be a kind-of pro-queer YA novel.

You had a young boy who was literally in the closet, disowned and disrespected by family, who is spirited away to a magical school where his differences are valued and cultivated. He's got a bunch of friends who could easily sub in for queer icons. There are gender-bending magical spells, the bad guys are explicitly fascist, most books end with some kind of "The power of friendship and love will triumph!" rejoinder. FFS, Dumbledore is canonically gay.

It is far more a testament to the psychologically corrosive power of plutocracy that JK Rowling went off the rails. I don't think it's unfair for people to like the books and hate the author. Just remember not to pay for anything and you're fine.

[–] RoddyStiggs@lemmy.blahaj.zone 49 points 2 days ago (10 children)

I'm over 40.

I gave up Bill Cosby. I gave up Kevin Spacey. I gave up all of the 80s and 90s movies about toxic masculinity and misogyny. I gave up Aerosmith (maybe Steven Tyler hasn't been canceled yet but COME ON have you heard the lyrics to any single one of his songs). I gave up Michael Richards (and Seinfeld too). I gave up Michael Jackson.

You can give up Harry Potter. It's the right thing to do, it's worth it, and it's the adult decision. Grow up and check your allegiances. They'll define you.

[–] Floodedwomb@lemmy.world 28 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I'm not giving up the books I bought decades ago and before she outed herself as an idiot.

I'm not stopping enjoying the stories that helped me to grow into the person I am today.

I'm not pretending that as a gay kid having a positive gay role model in Dumbledore wasn't a wonderful thing.

I am not giving her anymore money.

I am not supporting her an anyway.

You can hate a person's opinions and still love their art.

Its almost like everyone is human and capable of holding contradictory ideas.

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

While you’re keeping an open mind then You can also expand your options to include artists who don’t have to be an asshole.

Separate the artist from the art doesnt just have to happen if they are an asshole.

There’s like a plethora of magic school books and films and tv series especially circa 2012 onward to dig into by other artists trying to compete. Sounds like a perfect opportunity to give them a chance.

[–] FrostyTheDoo@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (10 children)

You gonna watch the new show?

[–] Floodedwomb@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago

No, obviously.

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[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 days ago (5 children)

Might want to rethink Michael Jackson. A lot of what he’s been accused of turned out to be an Epstein smear campaign when he interfered with their ops. McCauley Caulkin spoke out about this recently.

[–] white_nrdy@programming.dev 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Dearth@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Mac culkin and Corey Feldman have both talked about MJ positively many times in the past few years.

[–] TheFogan@programming.dev 13 points 2 days ago

I mean that's great and all but a real source would be nice. Someone who was a kid speaking nicely about someone accused of harming kids, isn't an exoneration. That's like Kanye saying Nick Fuentes isn't racist.

Note not taking either side on the topic. I don't know or really care that much on MJ, an actual useful source would be say an epstein letter where epsteins announcing they want to make MJ look guilty. Fully plausible that MJ's scandal was a combination of people saying he's weird, with a few chasing a paycheck. But someone who fits the demographic saying "I was around him for years and I was never abused", is IMO not evidence.

[–] roscoe@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 day ago

Corey Feldman is the reason I don't believe the accusations against MJ. What that kid went through is horrific and predators can smell prey a mile away. If Michael was abusing kids there is no way he would have missed that one, Corey would have been an easy target after what they did to him. But Corey comes out and tries to shine a light on the things that are happening and specifically says that Michael never did anything inappropriate.

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[–] osanna@lemmy.vg 10 points 2 days ago

Unfortunately, Rowling probably won't lose her millions (billions?) if we stop reading/watching her slop. But we CAN prevent her getting even more millions.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (2 children)

You can give up Harry Potter. It’s the right thing to do, it’s worth it, and it’s the adult decision.

It's a children's story. I don't think you're asking for people to leap over mountains by giving up childhood things as an adult.

At the same time, people seem to fixate on the consumerist aesthetics and ignore the material realities. If you've got transgender friends and family that you support with your time and care and money, and you want to flip through an old dog-eared copy of Philosopher's Stone (or rewatch The Usual Suspects or throw on an episode of Fat Albert) because of nostalgia, I don't think you're committing any kind of grievous sin.

JK Rowling isn't going to stop being a billionaire because you played a HP themed video game or watched an episode of her rebooted book show on HBO.

Meanwhile, abstaining from all things problematic, without doing anything materially positive for any of the LGBTQ folks in your life isn't doing anyone any favors. Being a Consumerist Harpy who only knows how to scream at people for their mass media of choice, in the name of LGBTQ, is turning civil advocacy into some kind of branding exercise.

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[–] binarytobis@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

While I agree it’s logical to boycott her, portraying HP fans as trans abusers is a bit much. If buying the HP books is equivalent to punching a chained down trans person in the face then absolutely none of us, including the artist here, haven’t done worse.

I’d bet anything they have bought products on Amazon, which makes them responsible for Bezos. Does that artist have an X account for advertisement? That gas they buy makes them responsible for violence the middle east. Are they one of the remarkable few who ethically source clothes without child labor? Bet not.

I boycott all kinds of stuff, but demonizing people for not joining you is nonsensical in this consumerist hellscape where complete harm avoidance isn’t possible.

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[–] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 39 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I WAS that Harry Potter fan. The overly obsessed nerd who was waaaaaay to into it. But now I'm over it because fuck Rowling.

[–] osanna@lemmy.vg 13 points 2 days ago (5 children)

I don’t even plan to pirate the hp tv show. Fuck Jk Rowling so fucking hard. Fuck the piece of shit. Ugh

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[–] jagermo@feddit.org 44 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I have the same one talk over and over with my wife. No other author gets that much slack from their fanbase.

"But its such great storytelling"

its not. Its mediocre and needs time travel to work.

[–] rudyharrelson@lemmy.radio 31 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

its not. Its mediocre and needs time travel to work.

This mentality misses the point, IMO. Even if the Harry Potter books were written in such a way that made even the staunchest critic go, "Wow, these books rival the works of of J.R.R. Tolkien and Shakespeare," that should have zero bearing on whether or not any given individual makes the decision to boycott an author's work on idealistic grounds.

I like plenty of art that could be classified as schlock; not everything we enjoy has to be masterpiece theatre. I've boycotted all HP content ever since Rowling became a professional asshole, but I won't pretend I didn't enjoy the books or the films as a teenager.

Here's a hard pill to swallow: shitty people can make good art. We can condemn bad people unequivocally without simultaneously needing their art to be bad. Michael Jackson was my favorite musician for many years, but hearing his music in 2026 always leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But I won't pretend that it wasn't my jam and I certainly won't suggest that the music was mediocre.

Edit: And although it goes without saying: this decision is always up to the individual. I have trans friends who don't concern themselves with Rowlings' sociopolitical views and continue to enjoy HP content. I don't begrudge them for that; we all have different, if arbitrary, boundaries.

[–] SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 day ago

She's a bad writer AND a bad person AND a billionaire AND a political figure AND is successful AND is getting richer

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[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago (6 children)

Its mediocre and needs time travel to work.

My Immortal, a masterpiece in coherent plot, needs time travel to work too. I fail to see the alleged problem here.

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[–] HazardousBanjo@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago (8 children)

O don't mind anyone enjoying media from problematic figures if they enjoy it. I just don't want those fans to monetarily support those figures.

Sail the high seas if you wanna partake in such content.

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[–] obinice@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I mean yeah, so long as you're not actually giving money to the evil woman that wrote those books in any way, nobody's stopping you from enjoying your old Harry Potter books and DVDs.

Heck, if you're missing one you can buy it on eBay second hand, just so long as you're not supporting the evil woman with a shiny new purchase, ya know? That woman doesn't deserve a penny.

There's a separate conversation you might want to have with yourself on whether your can separate the author from the work while you're reading it, of course, and whether you're comfortable doing so or not is a personal decision you'll have to make for yourself.

[–] crunchy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Even better, pirate it and instead donate the money to trans rights groups.

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[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There’s a plethora of artists to choose from that aren’t assholes. These folks keep talking about opening mind to other points of view. If that’s their stance then they can open mind to new options.

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[–] Pman@lemmy.org 22 points 2 days ago

I am going to admit I enjoyed the series a lot 20 years ago, can't say I've read ger stuff since the series ended and haven't done anything to support her since the whole TERF thing came out and she started showing what sort of person she was. I recently picked up my old books to see if they held up and by god is it filled with bigoted stereotypes, Cho Chang (two last names) for the Chinese girl, Goblins being the obvious stereotype/alehory of Jews from a European who was "open minded" about Jews pre ww2 but still wanted to make sure that they deserved some of the bad shit that happened to them because they're vicious even if unfair wizard laws were passed, the black auror being called Shackelbolt, the wezeleys being very much catholics for being poor with too many kids, the french being snobbish bafoons but classy, the Centaurs being either polytheists or gypsies, the list just goes on and Harry being the hero just gets rid of the head Nazi while leaving the institutions and culture in place, doesn't even think about the slavery aspect except for Dobby, and he and Ron make fun of Hermione for her pushing for their freedom. I guess the reason why people enjoy the series is because the world feels somewhat real and magical because she put her imagination and bigotry into the story and never thought of trying to have the protagonists actually solve a major issue and will let it fester.

[–] Ilixtze@lemmy.ml 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I've lost a lot of favorite musicians, that turned out to be either creepy abusers, or rabid zionists; I think HP fans can read another fucking book.

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[–] MousePotatoDoesStuff@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago (9 children)

It might work better if you recommend them an alternative.

I've heard good things about Discworld, for one.

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[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 8 points 1 day ago (5 children)

But HP isn’t even good

The first movie was ok at best

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[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 days ago (5 children)

I read the books, but I was 14 and it was 2000. Haven't consumed any of it since.

[–] WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I was 14 and it was 2000

Quite the age difference there.

[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 days ago

I offer you the dad crown.

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[–] DeckPacker@piefed.social 16 points 2 days ago (8 children)

I would say it's fine to pirate Harry Potter media.

So if you are really that into it, just pirate it.

[–] KaChilde@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 days ago

I disagree.

Interacting with the new show, even through piracy, leads to more voices talking about it and making Rowling’s cash-cow culturally relevant. It also normalises the shit takes she pushes through her stories at children.

I don’t like Ben Shapiro, and wouldn’t pay a dime for his streaming service. But pirating Chip Chilla to show to my kids still gives him a say in how me and my family view the world.

Why does Rowling get a pass? Because I happened to read her racist, classist tripe when I was a kid?

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[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Man, I have literally heard people say you should burn the books and movies you probably already owned long before Rowling was known to be a TERF. The art isn't the problem. As long as you're not continuing to financially support the bitch herself, Harry Potter himself ain't gonna harm trans people.

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[–] Bad_Ideas_In_Bulk@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I personally feel that it's perfectly fine to boycott problematic figures. Speech has real effects and should be treated like it.

But once you accept the equivalence of speech/reading and violence you can start choosing to regulate speech/reading as violence, or free up violence as speech. I don't think either is a great idea. Do you think that any of you have never said something hurtful to others? Should you be jailed for it?

I await all the civil and non-hurtful replies from peaceful and sympathetic people I am likely to garner for this stance.

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[–] hamid@crazypeople.online 4 points 1 day ago

Even if a book I read as a teenager was the best book of all time and the author was the greatest person to ever live who was literally Jesus I would still read other books because being a literate adult requires one to read a wide variety of new material over time lol

[–] ImgurRefugee114@reddthat.com 13 points 2 days ago (5 children)

I'll shit on JK as much as anyone, but I gotta say, I know a lot of trans people who own Hogwarts Legacy on steam...

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[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)
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[–] ThePyroPython@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

You want comfort British wizard comfort characters: read the Rivers of London series.

[–] JustJack23@slrpnk.net 11 points 2 days ago (6 children)

They are not even good, why is everyone crazy about these books?

[–] 123@programming.dev 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

They are easy to read and were some people's introduction to fantasy/fiction (not everything is as dull as school assignments) and a set of shared experiences growing up.

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[–] ClockworkOtter@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

I'll confess to keeping one item of HP merch. It's a cup that we use for scooping car litter.

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