J.K. Rowling, the author of theHarry Potterbooks, is being criticized for mocking a trans woman advocating againstHogwarts Legacyon Twitter. A conversation surrounding whether supporting the upcoming RPG video gameHogwarts Legacyis tacitly supporting Rowling’s bigotry toward trans people is ongoing on social media. Rowling’s decision to insert herself into the conversation isn’t likely to present herself orHogwarts Legacyin the best light.The issue surroundingHogwarts Legacyis that the game is an officially licensedHarry Potterproject. As such, purchasingHogwarts Legacydirectly financially benefits Rowling. While Rowling is already incredibly wealthy, she’s also known to directly fund organizations that explicitly discriminate against trans people. She’s even funded a sexual violence support charity in Scotland that will refuse service to trans women, despite trans women being significantly more at risk than cisgender women.RELATED:Hogwarts Legacy Designer Controversy Statement Resurfaces Amid Recent CriticismsThe latest controversy surrounding Rowling stems from her response to a post fromYouTuberand gamer Jessie Earl. Earl shared a thought on Twitter stating that current support of theHarry Potterfranchise is “harmful to trans people.” She does clarify that past support ofHarry Potter, including the movies or books, is understandable. However, “support of something likeHogwarts Legacyis harmful.” Earl also admits she owns most of the movies and all the books. She’s even named her cat Newt after the protagonist of theFantastic Beastsfilms.
Rowling responded on Twitter mockingly, equating Earl’s stance to “purethink” and conjuring a hypothetical where “the truly righteous” will not just “burn their books and movies but the local library, anything with an owl on it and their own pet dogs.” Rowling also takes issue with Earl’s suggestion that enjoyingHarry Pottermediais less of an issue than financially supporting Rowling. She mockingly suggests reading her books in private “won’t save you when the police see your Hufflepuff socks.”
Earl is neither the first nor the most prominent person to share their thoughts regarding the ethics of continuing to support Rowling’s work. As such, there are accusations that Rowling targeted Earl because she’s trans and, in doing so, knowingly directed bigoted followers to harass Earl. Earl has said despite the “nasty stuff” being directed her way, she’s doing fine. In a statement issued followingRowling’s Twitter comments, Earl condemns Rowling’s attempt to “divide us” and reiterates that “trans rights and liberation can only exist in a world that is equal for everyone.”
As for the game, developer Avalanche Software has clarified thatJ.K. Rowling is not involved in the creation ofHogwarts Legacyand the story is not from her, either. Specific details regarding how Rowling financially benefits from the game and its success aren’t provided, but it’s generally understood that Rowling will benefit fromHogwarts Legacyand the awareness it spreads ofHarry Potterand related products.
Hogwarts Legacyreleases February 10 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series XS, April 4 on PS4 and Xbox One, and July 25 on Switch.
