HBO Backs JK Rowling and Her Right To Spout Transphobic Drivel

HBO has decided to back JK Rowling in all her glory as they develop their television revival of the once beloved children’s books, Harry Potter.

As the author of the books, Rowling was named as an executive producer, though many people, still clinging onto the tattered remnants of childhood, no doubt, hoped her involvement was minimal. On November 12, showrunner Francesca Gardiner told reporters that Rowling was “very, very involved in the process selecting the writer and the director”, much to fans’ disappointment.

Unfortunately HBO has come out overnight and laid all rumours to rest with a statement about Rowling, standing with her, transphobia and all.

“We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books that speak to power of friendship, resolve and acceptance,” a spokesperson for HBO’s parent company, Warner Bros. told Variety. “JK Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”

I certainly think it’s a bit of a… choice, let’s say, to emphasise the powers of friendship and acceptance in Harry Potter, only to turn around and praise the woman who’s donated tens of thousands of dollars to explicitly anti-trans organisations.

In early September, Rowling posted the UK open casting call for the three central characters, Harry, Ron and Hermione on X. They’ll be difficult roles to take on, not just because they’re some of the most iconic and beloved fictional characters ever, but in accepting the roles, the young actors will be standing with Rowling and her transphobic beliefs, something that will certainly loom over them for the rest of their careers.

We’ve already seen a version of this play out when Heartstopper actor Sebastian Croft was cast as the voice of the playable character in the 2023 Harry Potter video game, Hogwarts Legacy. Fans were upset by Croft’s decision to join the Harry Potter IP, given his role in the very wholesome, queer Netflix show. Croft issued an apology very quickly after the announcement, tweeting “I was cast in this project over 3 years ago… This was long before I was aware of JK Rowling’s views. I believe wholeheartedly that trans women are women and trans men are men.”

I was cast in this project over 3 years ago, back when all Harry Potter was to me, was the magical world I grew up with. This was long before I was aware of JK Rowling’s views.
I believe whole heartedly that trans women are women and trans men are men. https://t.co/QTAMClZDda

— Sebastian Croft (@SebastianCroft) January 14, 2023

Rowling’s Slow Descent Into The TERF Cesspit

JK Rowling has become a central figurehead of the “gender critical” movement, a group of people who disguise their transphobic beliefs as feminism, yet don’t want to admit to being transphobic. In 2020 she posted an almost 4000 word essay about her stance on trans people, saying that she refused to “bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode ‘woman’ as a political and biological class and offering cover to predators like few before it.”

In the four years that have followed, Rowling has only fallen deeper into the TERF rabbit hole. Between September to November of this year, she’s written or reposted more than 200 posts about trans people. During this time, she made a grand total of nine Harry Potter posts.

But don’t worry! She’s got some wonderful supporters! Like Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshall, aka Posie Parker, whose transphobic views were so extreme that even the Australian government refused to give her a visa. Or Caitlyn Jenner, who literally voted for Trump. Or… Russian president Vladamir Putin?!

Ex-fans have called for boycotts of everything that’s a part of the Potter universe, lest Rowling gets even more money she can waste on TERF causes. However, some Harry Potter diehards have let their nostalgia overwhelm their sense of common decency, because the woman is still managing to maintain an audience. Personally, I think we should all listen to Miriam Margoyles, who played Professor Sprout in the Potter movies, and move the fuck on. After all, old, sensible lesbians are very rarely wrong.