For average fans whose take on the matter won’t typically make headlines, the debate has fractured a community that was once united through the shared love of a treasured work of literature. The reaction has been somewhat divisive, with some former cast members such as Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe have firmly spoken out against the author’s stance, and others such as Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes have derided the backlash as “extreme” and “disgusting”.
This tide began to turn when the once universally beloved J.K Rowling began to voice opinions on culturally sensitive issues on Twitter, leading many to condemn her statements as transphobic. Hogwarts became a fictional home for lonely kids to close their eyes and escape to for solace, making the love of Harry Potter a hugely important part of many people’s lives. In fact, with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon’s callous neglect and disgust with Harry’s identity as a wizard, many closeted or alienated LGBT children and youth saw a reflection of their own struggles in the character. Harry Potter was a lonely and ostracized boy, misunderstood by those who were supposed to love him most.
At the height of the franchise’s success, J.K Rowling was revered by an entire generation of young readers that resonated with the themes of the novels.
As the story goes, J.K Rowling dreamed up the early inceptions of this global franchise with some scribbles on a café napkin, surely unable to fathom just how far this idea would go.
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