Harry Potter writer JK Rowling has been banned from exhibits at the Seattle Pop Culture Museum because her past comments were deemed anti-transgender. Based on Rowling’s acclaimed series of novels, the Harry Potter franchise has been a big hit for Warner Bros. Despite her ongoing love of films and books, Rowling has become a divisive figure due to her constant comments about the trans community.
In a recent blog post published by the Museum of Pop Culture, project manager Chris Moore explains that the controversial Harry Potter author will not be included in any of the museum’s exhibits due to her anti-trans views. Rowling has little representation in the museum, and Moore’s explanations make her thoughts about the author very clear. Here is an excerpt from the blog post:
There is a cold, ruthless, joy-sucking entity in the world of Harry Potter, and this time it’s not a Dementor. We’d like to stick to the Internet theory that these books were written without an author, but this particular person is too vocal with his hateful and divisive views to be ignored. For now, the curators have decided to remove any objects or references to her from this gallery in order to lessen her influence. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s what we’ve been able to do in the short term by defining long term methods.”
Explaining J.K. Rowling’s controversy against transgender people
In 2019, Rowling supported a researcher fired for expressing views against transgender people. Rowling was criticized for this decision, but reaffirmed her views in 2020 in a series of tweets. In one notable tweet, the author complained that one post used the term “menstruating people” instead of “women”.
Emphasizing her commitment to the trans community, the author continued to express language that was widely interpreted as contradicting these positions. The central issue the author insists on is the idea that trans women are not women. Rowling’s views have subsequently divided Harry Potter fans, and her comments have drawn her strong criticism online.
Harry Potter stars such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, among others, have spoken out against Rowling and her anti-trans views. Others, however, such as Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and the late Robbie Coltrane, defended the author. While Rowling remains a divisive figure, it’s clear that the author’s comments have greatly complicated how many people feel about the Harry Potter story and the characters she created.
Source: Museum of Pop Culture.