Let's Talk About JK Rowling

A few weeks ago, just a couple days after my last blog post was published, I received my very first suggestion from one of you readers at home (which is something you can do too by heading over to the “contact” page on my website). This person asked for my opinion on the relatively new Harry Potter game, “Hogwarts Legacy”, and the controversy that has surrounded it due to Harry Potter creator, JK Rowling’s, overt transphobia. While I was obviously thrilled to find that someone has been enjoying my blog enough to ask me for specific content, I wasn’t sure at first if this was something I really wanted to write about because a) I don’t have any strong ties to the Harry Potter franchise (I read the first three books in elementary school but then gave up because they get too long after that) and b) I don’t have a definitive answer: play the game, don’t play the game, I don’t care. But despite my lack of passion towards this topic, I do think the situation brings up the perfect opportunity to start a nuanced conversation about whether or not ethical consumption under capitalism is possible, and the incredibly dangerous wave of transphobia that is happening in our country right now.

Even though JK Rowling has made it abundantly clear that she is an evil TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist) gremlin monster, a lot of Harry Potter fans actually aren’t transphobic assholes; heck, a lot of Harry Potter fans are trans! Among this group of people, there are two sides of the argument about this silly little game. One side is calling for a complete boycott of Hogwarts Legacy in solidarity with transgender people, to send Rowling a message that her hateful rhetoric cannot be spewed without consequences to her and her brand. The other side argues that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism and therefore, everyone should just do whatever they want. While both reactions to the release of the game are understandable and have valid points attached to them, it is this type of black and white thinking that stunts our ability to find the best, most conscientious answers.

Personally, as I have mentioned in previous blog posts, the overuse of the phrase, “there is no ethical consumption under capitalism”, makes me want to launch myself into a wood chipper. However, this sentiment is unfortunately true at its core; to consume something “ethically” would mean to obtain a product or service that was produced without causing any harm. Since we live in a capitalist society where the exploitation of laborers for profit is the name of the game, truly ethical consumption and our current economic system cannot coexist.

Even if we look beyond the simple nature of capitalism and its inherent evils, every major food and beverage company (yes, every single one) has blood on their hands in some way. “But Ashley, how could you possibly know what goes on behind the scenes of every corporation?” Well, it’s not as hard as you think–there are ten mega corporations that control just about everything. Craving a little snack? Well I hope you don’t like any candies, chocolates, crackers, cookies, or gum, because Nestle and Mondelez International produce all of those, and according to Frugl on January 19, 2020, have both been under fire for their excessive use of unsustainable palm oil: using practices that have desecrated orangutan habitats and forests all over the world. Say you’re doing something undeniably wholesome like enjoying a public park and stop at a vending machine for a bottle of water. Hopefully they have more options than just Dasani and SmartWater, because both of those companies are owned by Coca-Cola, whose significant donations to republican politicians and committees have been instrumental in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, according to Business Insider on May 5, 2022.

As frustrating and disheartening as it is to be forced to participate in a system that puts morals and humanity on the back burner, I don't think that gives us, the consumers and society dwellers, the green light to abandon all of our own principles. Just because there is no purely ethical consumption under capitalism doesn't mean that some companies aren't a lot worse than others. While we can't fully rely on mindful consumerism and individual actions to fix these large scale issues, trying to do your part in whatever way you can will never be a bad thing.

"So, if we know JK Rowling is a bad person and is continuing to amplify transphobia in a time when being trans is already scary enough, shouldn't we reject her game and overall brand?" Sure! Go for it! That's what I'm doing. But just know that doing that doesn't make you the hero you think you are. Boycotting Harry Potter in its entirety can serve as a symbolic demonstration of your allyship to the transgender community, but it's not going to actually change anything materially in terms of the current war on their existence or have an effect on Rowling in any way at all. Although incredibly influential with her giant platform, she isn't contributing/donating/lobbying for anti-trans legislation, she's just an annoying asshole who like to incessantly chirp online–and not playing her little game isn't going to change that. We also don't need to chastise people for playing the game because they are "making a transphobe richer". I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this goblin of a woman has a net worth of one billion dollars; even if this game were to flop completely, the effects on her bank account would be a drop in the bucket, and certainly not enough to convince her to have a change of heart.

While JK Rowling absolutely deserves all of the backlash she's getting, refusing to play her game or buy her products is merely a form of performative activism. The actual lives and wellbeing of transgender people are infinitely more important that trying to teach some weirdo British lady a lesson. As I mentioned previously, transgender people are under attack right now in perhaps the most deplorable anti-LGBT (but mostly the T) campaign the right has ever launched. Their evil objectives were made explicitly clear at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on March 4, 2023 when Daily Wire host, Michael Knowles, took center stage to declare, "For the good of society. . .transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely–the whole preposterous ideology, at every level" and was met with roaring applause and cheers. As terrifying and extreme and genocidal as this sounds, Knowles has since tried to clarify that he was specifically referencing transness as an ideology and not the actual extermination of trans individuals. But what he fails to recognize is that the two cannot be separated: transgenderism is not an "ideology", it is who these people are. Trans people have always been around and will always be around. Their existence is not something legislation can change–all it changes is their chances of surviving in a world that hates them for simply being themselves.

In addition to horrifying calls to action, laws aiming to erase trans existence and visibility are already being passed. Just this month in the state of Tennessee, lawmakers have banned all gender affirming care for minors and all drag performances, according to Newsweek on March 27, 2023. While not all drag performers are trans, do you really think the police are going to take the time to make those distinctions? Any biological male presenting as a woman in the presence of children could face up to a year in jail on their first charge, and literally become a convicted felon on their second, as explained by NPR on March 6, 2023.

If it hasn't already been made excruciatingly clear, the transgender community needs our help, our real help. Instead of shaming people for playing some dumbass game, donate to organizations that are making actual strides to protect trans people and advocate for more tolerant laws, such as the Fund for Trans Generations, Black Trans Fund, and Trans Justice Funding Project. Interested in a more hands on approach? Find out what trans folks are running for political office in your local and/or larger scale governments and volunteer to help with their campaigns. If you don't have the time or means to do either of those things, just stick up for the trans community in your everyday life. Press for equal opportunities for your trans coworkers. Call out your friends when they showcase a microaggression (intentional or not). Uplift trans voices on social media. Buy trans art. The options are limitless.

While the idea of ethical consumption within our capitalist system may unfortunately be nothing more than a fantasy, we can still be mindful of how and what we consume, and simultaneously be critical of the way of living we've all been forced into. JK Rowling is far from the only rich person who does/has done horrible things, but let this serve as a reminder that celebrities cannot be trusted, and that while their voices may be incredibly influential, ours are too! Never let the (often times overwhelming) presence of evil stop you from from being a force for good. Solidarity with trans people and all marginalized groups now and forever.