How to be a Harry Potter Fan & Ally to Transgender People in 2025
This is the least we can do.
What is top of mind for me right now is legislation threatening to deny the existence of transgender people in the United States (Read about it on the ACLU’s website).
I am lost for words about what to say or do about this, which makes me hesitate from saying or doing anything. In my clumsy despair, for now I will focus on bringing attention to the seriousness of what is happening.
To anyone directly impacted by this: I love you and I see you. I will do what I can, and am receptive to guidance on action I can take to support you.
Here, I’m focusing on sectors I’m most aware of, where I see room for improvement. As a theme park enthusiast, former HP devotee, and non-binary citizen of Edinburgh, Scotland, I am surprised by how often JKR’s role in amplifying transphobia is ignored.
Do people not care? Do they not know? Are they a little disturbed, but override that feeling because it’s probably fine? Are they very disturbed, and like me, overcome with hopelessness about what to do about it?
I’m going to address all of these possibilities, except the first, because I assume if you’re here reading this, you do care.
If you don’t know what’s going on, I’ll happily inform —
What’s going on with JKR and Transphobia in 2025?
Last year I wrote about how people were asking me ‘oh no is JKR still at it?’. Yes and, now she is celebrating Donald Trump’s executive order, and frankly just being meaner than ever.
Once again, here is a useful Guide to Firing JK Rowling but it is the most extensive compilation of resources on what’s going on and suggested action around it.
Something I want to emphasise, because it surprised me, is that as of 2019, licensing for theme parks rights to the Wizarding World makes up the largest part of JKR’s income (Forbes). Park attendance, even if you don’t go to the Wizarding World section, supports her directly. In the theme park world, Universal is on top right now, with Epic Universe opening soon in Florida, and Universal Great Britain in progress. I have not seen one theme park blogger or enthusiast acknowledge concern about the implications this has for transgender people. (If you know any, comment with a link to their work! I want to follow them).
If you are aware and disturbed about what’s going on, I offer you simplicity: Do not ignore it.
I’m not even asking you to boycott. If you’re able to enjoy and gain things from engaging with the Wizarding World still, do it. Reclaim that joy. I wish I could, and one day I hope to. I ask that you please do so with acknowledgment of how we cannot ignore JKR’s transphobia. Make it clear where you stand, because if you don’t, it implies that you are endorsing her views and behaviour.
If you’re having fun at the theme park, want to make a HP reference, or garner wisdom from the series, it doesn’t kill the vibe to take a moment to clarify that you disagree with JKR’s transphobia (or bullying, which is what JKR is doing right now). Acknowledgement brings relief. A great example of this is the podcast Harry Potter After 2020, which does it right in the title, and commits to analysing the series through this lens.
In this climate, publicly displaying Harry Potter merchandise is a micro-aggression against trans people, who have enough to worry about right now. Purchasing or wearing official merchandise in public is unethical.
So much of my life has been shaped by the Harry Potter series, so I know how devastating it may seem to put that part of one’s self aside. Those who can’t relate to this perspective on the series might see this as an easy ask. I understand that it’s not. But trans lives matter more.
If you have useful resources on how to support trans people, please share them in the comments. The far right tech giants are making it harder to circulate resources on human rights. I went to look for my own Instagram post on this subject from a year ago, and it’s not there anymore. I don’t know for certain but I think Instagram deleted it from my grid without notification or explanation.
Finally, I offer gratitude and well wishes to the recently retired Fandom Forward, and its many wonderful organisers. Formerly known as the Harry Potter Alliance, they taught me the foundations of what I now practice in social justice, championing the power of fiction and applying the empathy it inspires into real-world action.
Let’s take care of each other.
With love,
X
Thank you Xandra, this is repeatedly on my mind time and again. It‘s good not to be alone with the pain.
Hi! I'm just finding this now while looking for HP themed wall art. What do you think about this: I'd love to support small businesses or enjoy the hp world without contributing money to JKR and Warner Bros.
Examples: handmade gifts from small, (also especially female, trans) businesses like "weasley"sweaters, podcasts about HP (I loved "Witch please"), creative magical photography that feels Harry-Potter-ish without being official merch.
I'm desperately looking for suggestions and collections and I would love for the fandom to reclaim our story.
Reading fan fic and books by other authors is also a huge tip for allies who still love the story/world itself :)
(I'm a cis, ablebodied, white female so while I hate what's happening, I'm still trying to learn and be conscious)