{"id":14735,"date":"2026-09-28T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/28\/youre-joining-the-harry-potter-backlash-already-in-progress\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T10:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T09:00:00","slug":"youre-joining-the-harry-potter-backlash-already-in-progress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/28\/youre-joining-the-harry-potter-backlash-already-in-progress\/","title":{"rendered":"You&#8217;re Joining the Harry Potter Backlash Already in Progress"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<div class=\"bubblewrap bubblewrap--first\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">J. K. Rowling\u2019s name was once synonymous with one of the most beloved franchises in history: Harry Potter. Now, though, she spends most of her time online<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/glaad.org\/gap\/jk-rowling\/\"> attacking trans women<\/a> (or women she <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.out.com\/gay-athletes\/jk-rowling-transphobic-speech-barbra-banda\">suspects are trans<\/a>), and she puts her money where her mouth is. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rowling <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lgbtqnation.com\/2024\/02\/jk-rowling-donates-big-money-to-anti-trans-group\/\">donated \u00a370,000<\/a> (~$89,000) to the anti-trans organization For Women Scotland, which lobbied to have the Scottish government change its definition of \u201cwomen\u201d to exclude trans women. When the ruling passed, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/glaad.org\/gap\/jk-rowling\/\">Rowling tweeted<\/a>, \u201cI love it when a plan comes together,\u201d with a photo of herself smoking a cigar on a yacht, in a move of cartoon villainy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As much as I\u2019d love for Rowling to fade from the cultural conversation, the upcoming HBO TV adaptation of Harry Potter\u2014and all the money it will provide her\u2014makes it necessary to address.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bubblewrap bubblewrap--second\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are some simple ways to prioritize the safety, well-being, and rights of trans people over any lingering Harry Potter nostalgia you might have. <\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The bare minimum is not giving Rowling your money, since she donates it to anti-trans organizations. Don\u2019t buy the books, and don\u2019t buy merch. <\/li>\n<li>Similarly, don\u2019t watch the upcoming adaptation. In fact, cancel your HBO subscription, and let them know why. <\/li>\n<li>I know there are fans who still love the story, but don\u2019t give Rowling their money. If this is you, consider the ways you might be promoting Harry Potter and keeping the IP alive. Those things add value to the brand, too. (Also, it\u2019s far past time to take your Hogwarts house out of your bio.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"nl-signup\" id=\"nl-literary-activism-6abb114f77e6a\" data-newsletter-id=\"499019\">\n<div class=\"nl-wrap\">\n<div class=\"nl-heading\">\n<p>Literary Activism<\/p>\n<p>\nNews you can use plus tips and tools for the fight against censorship and other bookish activism!\n<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"nl-recommendations-container\" style=\"display: none;\" data-recommendations=\"[{\" name=\"\" book=\"\" riot=\"\" newsletter=\"\">Join over 300,000 readers who get the latest book buzz, smart commentary, and must-read picks delivered straight to their inbox.&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnail_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/Book-Riot-Newsletter-mock_1000-150&#215;150.jpg&#8221;,&#8221;category_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/newsletter\\\/book-riot-newsletter\\\/&#8221;,&#8221;checked&#8221;:true},{&#8220;name&#8221;:&#8221;Literary Activism&#8221;,&#8221;listname&#8221;:&#8221;BookRiot_LiteraryActivism&#8221;,&#8221;sfmc_name&#8221;:&#8221;BookRiot_LiteraryActivism&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>News you can use plus tips and tools for the fight against censorship and other bookish activism!&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnail_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/LiteraryActivism_600x600-150&#215;150.png&#8221;,&#8221;category_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/newsletter\\\/literary-activism\\\/&#8221;,&#8221;checked&#8221;:true},{&#8220;name&#8221;:&#8221;The Fright Stuff&#8221;,&#8221;listname&#8221;:&#8221;BookRiot_TheFrightStuff&#8221;,&#8221;sfmc_name&#8221;:&#8221;BookRiot_TheFrightStuff&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;Ready for some thrills and chills? Sign up to receive the latest and greatest from the world of horror.&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnail_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/TheFrightStuff_600x600-150&#215;150.png&#8221;,&#8221;category_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/newsletter\\\/the-fright-stuff\\\/&#8221;,&#8221;checked&#8221;:true},{&#8220;name&#8221;:&#8221;Book Deals&#8221;,&#8221;listname&#8221;:&#8221;BookRiot_BookDeals&#8221;,&#8221;sfmc_name&#8221;:&#8221;BookRiot_BookDeals&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Sign up for our <strong>Book Deals newsletter and get up to 80% off books you actually want to read.&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnail_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/BookDeals_600x600-150&#215;150.png&#8221;,&#8221;category_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/newsletter\\\/book-deals\\\/&#8221;,&#8221;checked&#8221;:true},{&#8220;name&#8221;:&#8221;Kissing Books&#8221;,&#8221;listname&#8221;:&#8221;BookRiot_KissingBooks&#8221;,&#8221;sfmc_name&#8221;:&#8221;BookRiot_KissingBooks&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Sign up for <strong>Kissing Books to receive news, book recommendations, and more for residents of Romancelandia.&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnail_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/KissingBooks_600x600-150&#215;150.png&#8221;,&#8221;category_url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\\\/\\\/bookriot.com\\\/newsletter\\\/kissing-books\\\/&#8221;,&#8221;checked&#8221;:true}]&#8221;&gt;<\/p>\n<div class=\"nl-recommendations-content\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"nl-recommendations-submit\" type=\"button\">Subscribe to Selected<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"nl-recommendations-skip\" type=\"button\">No Thanks<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That just scratches the surface, though. If we want to counteract the marketing power behind the HBO adaptation, we need to get loud. Any business that boosts Harry Potter or gives J. K. Rowling money should know that the brand is now synonymous with bigotry and that there will be pushback. Most companies don\u2019t want to deal with the headache, so these actions can have a big impact.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are three ways the Harry Potter backlash has already begun, ahead of the adaptation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1) Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Virginia held a marathon of all eight Harry Potter movies, which sparked a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/richmond\/2026\/09\/10\/byrd-theatre-boycott-harry-potter-richmond-film\">boycott<\/a>. They closed the comments on their Instagram posts after receiving criticism, but the damage was already done: 20 businesses withdrew from their upcoming events in response. This kind of organized, targeted boycott can be extremely effective.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2) r\/Crafts, a massive subreddit with hundreds of thousands of users, has <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/crafts\/comments\/1wka0ps\/harry_potter_survey_results_final_decision\/\">banned<\/a> all crafts related to Harry Potter and\/or J. K. Rowling. The moderators said it was \u201cdue to JK Rowling\u2019s increasingly vocal bigotry and use of her political, economic, and social platforms to further that agenda, as documented <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.them.us\/story\/timeline-jk-rowlings-descent-into-transphobia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Political_views_of_J._K._Rowling#Gender_and_sexuality\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a direct result of users consistently voicing their concerns: \u201cwe found that Harry Potter posts generated far more issues and conflict than any other IP, and no other IP has been raised as a concern to the same degree.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These kinds of policies do a few things at once: they prevent the brand from getting free publicity, and they reinforce the link between Harry Potter and Rowling\u2019s bigotry, making the IP less attractive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bubblewrap bubblewrap--third\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3) Bookish Type, a queer bookstore in Leeds, has a fundraiser where you can pay \u00a31 to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thebookishtype.co.uk\/products\/deface-a-page-of-harry-potter-the-chamber-of-secrets?_pos=1&amp;_sid=7c73dbf6b&amp;_ss=r\">deface a page from Harry Potter<\/a>: \u201ctaking cathartic revenge and funding trans healthcare!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How can you contribute?<\/strong> These are just a few examples, but it will depend on your context. Consider where you can make the biggest difference. You can encourage your local bookstores, libraries, and theaters not to host Harry Potter events. You can spread the word, online and in person, about boycotting HBO\u2019s adaptation. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For me, it was using my platform to write an <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookriot.com\/open-letter-to-john-lithgow\/\">open letter<\/a> to John Lithgow, asking him to step away from Harry Potter. While it <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/harry-potter-series-star-john-lithgow-surprised-by-jk-rowling-backlash-11722976\">didn\u2019t convince him<\/a>, it did spark a conversation about the adaptation and Rowling\u2019s bigotry: that open letter was covered by <em>Rolling Stone, Variety, Entertainment Weekly<\/em>, and even Fox News (yikes).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Harry Potter backlash has been happening for years, but expect it to heat up in the coming months. I hope to see you there.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/bookriot.com\/harry-potter-backlash\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>J. K. Rowling\u2019s name was once synonymous with one of the most beloved franchises in history: Harry Potter. Now, though, she spends most of her time online attacking trans women (or women she suspects are trans), and she puts her money where her mouth is. Rowling donated \u00a370,000 (~$89,000) to the anti-trans organization For Women [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14736,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/bookriot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/wizarding-world.jpg.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[173,74,6401,4624,6801,1454],"class_list":["post-14735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","tag-backlash","tag-harry","tag-joining","tag-potter","tag-progress","tag-youre"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14735\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}