Upon hearing the news that HBO Max will be developing a new “Harry Potter” series, leftists have expressed outrage over the fact that it will benefit author J.K. Rowling, who has been described as a TERF for her stalwart stance against transgender ideological extremism.
Writing at NBC News, cultural critic Ani Bundel said that HBO Max will essentially be giving “an undeserved platform” to a bigot.
“It wasn’t until last summer that Rowling really made her anti-transgender feelings clear, when she released a lengthy screed on her website outlining her ‘fears’ of ‘trans activism.’ For a woman who made billions using the written word, it was a shockingly unreadable piece, full of pseudoscientific nonsense to dress up undeniable bigotry,” wrote Bundel. “It was also a pivot sure to shock her audience. The ‘Harry Potter’ series was beloved by readers because it preached messages of tolerance and inclusivity. The evil Voldemort and his followers are characterized as believing in wizarding purity, an unsubtle stand-in for eugenics. And yet, here was the woman credited with turning a whole generation of readers into progressives, suddenly, and loudly, declaring that intolerance was sometimes acceptable. Worse, Rowling hasn’t let it go, circling back every few weeks to remind everyone that she is still dedicated to the transphobic cause.”
The temperature on social media was not much cooler, with multiple trolls vowing to boycott the product.
“It’s time to do the ‘Stop enabling JK Rowling from getting royalties challenge,'” tweeted one user.
“Harry Potter was the biggest part of my childhood and if it weren’t for the fact that JK Rowling is transphobic asshole I would be so excited for this but really…..who’s even going to watch this now? What’s the point?” tweeted another.
“JK Rowling will profit from any and all new Harry Potter-related media. If you spend money consuming that media, you are giving JK Rowling money. That’s it. That’s the tweet,” tweeted another.
Last summer, J.K. Rowling said that transgender ideology could lead to the erasure of womanhood as we know it by denying the basic biological functions that differentiate women from men.
“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” she tweeted.
Following her post, Rowling faced severe social media backlash, prompting “Harry Potter” stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Eddie Redmayne to publicly declare their support for the trans movement.
“As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand,” Redmayne wrote in a statement provided to Variety this past June.
“I disagree with Jo’s comments,” Redmayne continued. “Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid. I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse. They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it’s time to let them do so.”