Harry Potter fans imagine a world without JK Rowling after transphobia row
Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy When JK Rowling was accused of transphobia about two years ago for “liking” a tweet that referred to transgender women as “men in dresses”, much of the Harry Potter fandom tried to give their beloved author the benefit of the doubt. “JK Rowling gave us Harry Potter; she gave us this world,” said Renae McBrian, a young adult author who volunteers for the fan site MuggleNet. That is ours to keep.” Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial Sign up The essay was particularly gutting for transgender and nonbinary fans, many of whom found solace in the world of Harry Potter and used to see the series as a way to escape anxiety. “When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman,” she wrote, “then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside.” The idea that allowing trans people to use bathrooms that align with their identities endangers other people — subjecting them to a greater risk of assault and privacy violations — has been voiced most prominently by conservative lawmakers to stop gender-inclusive legislation from passing.
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