Hello, my beautiful watchers.
This is not a video I've been looking forward to making, but
I think that I do have a responsibility to address this issue considering how tied into the Harry Potter fandom
my channel has been in the past, and
how beneficial JK Rowling's work has been on my life and Youtube career.
I have been sharing my stance on what's been happening as it's developed on twitter and, FYI,
you really should be following me there. I am delightful and addicted to sharing cat photos
so what's not to like?
Just to be clear,
uh, what I'm about to discuss is specifically my take on it and my plans going forward.
I don't expect anyone to follow suit and I do
intend to try my hardest to respect dissenting opinions on this matter.
In case you've somehow managed to stay blissfully ignorant of this shit show
and if that is the case, please, teach me your ways, you drama-dodging master,
I need to block some of this shit out soon, um
JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, has spent the last few years being more and more openly transphobic and
in the last month or so has finally shown her TERF colors so vividly
not even the most steadfast JK apologist can deny her stance on the matter.
When called out for her behavior,
she's been following the transphobe playbook page by page and attempting to re-frame the backlash as an attack on feminism and
(deep inhale)
the absolute favorite, conflicting biological sex and gender identity.
I say this as someone who has made excuses for her and performed
mental gymnastics to justify some of the more worrisome elements of her subtext for far longer than I should have:
she has hella gone off the deep end and
I don't know there's any way she can come back from this, even if she wanted to.
This should go without saying but just in case, JK Rowling is wrong.
Her opinions are based on ignorance, outdated science, and super misguided concerns
Her intentions are currently debatable,
but she's being hateful and damaging whether she believes that or not.
So, I guess we'd better get the "too long, didn't read" out front and center right now:
I'm done.
I'm out. Going forward, I will no longer be participating in anything Harry Potter related on this channel,
on social media, or in my personal life.
If I could go back and change the Harry Potter-a-thon I would, but
all I can really say is that I'm sorry I didn't read the warning signs as early as others did and
I retract anything nice I've ever said about Rowling.
I super retract the part where I said it made sense that she never outed Dumbledore in the books.
That remains one of the dumbest things i've ever said in my time as a Youtuber.
This was and wasn't a hard decision for me.
I mean, you guys know what an embarrassingly hardcore Harry Potter fanboy I am.
Harry Potter helped my dyslexic arse learn to read,
Harry Potter got me through some of the worst and most miserable moments of my teenage life,
Lost in Adaptation exists because of Harry Potter.
I don't think it would be the same going forward, but honestly, that's kind of irrelevant because
as far as I'm concerned, there is no choice in this for me.
My views on the separation of art from the artist are ...
Well, I--I wouldn't say
super complicated but discussing them in full would certainly require an entire dedicated video and
I may or may not do just that at some point.
However, as a sneak peek at that content,
the very first thing I consider when I decide if it's morally justifiable to separate art from its artist is:
"Are they still alive and directly benefiting from my continued participation in their art?"
If the answer is yes, that's an immediate and hard disqualification for me.
End of discussion.
Joanna Rowling has held on to all the legal rights that matter when it comes to the Harry Potter franchise, therefore,
if I continue to use my platform to promote Harry Potter related things, I will
in a small way, be empowering Rowling, both financially and socially
and she is currently using that power to endanger a very vulnerable group of people who I love and respect.
What I'm saying is,
there would be a tangible negative consequence for trans people if I continue to enjoy Harry Potter,
so, as far as I'm concerned, applying "art from the artist" in this circumstance, would be
a convenient cowardice,
an excuse to continue enjoying and benefiting from the fandom I love guilt-free, disguised as a
pseudo-intellectual rationale.
So, yeah, unless there's a massive change in the situation in the future,
which I'm not expecting, but you never know,
I will not be discussing any Harry Potter related books, video games, or movies going forward.
I have already changed my merch accordingly,
yay, Percy Jackson TV series, you got this, Uncle Rick.
Actually, now that I think about it, this
kind of means I'm now borderline violating the typeface copyright of a much nicer person.
I sort of didn't think that one through, but oh well.
Like I said, if you don't hold to my philosophy of when separating the books from the author isn't an option,
I will try to respect that. I would ask that
if it hasn't occurred to you already, you consider that,
even if you're not an idiot like me who monetized the shit out of his passions,
it's still not a completely harmless thing that you're doing.
Yes, it is miniscule enough to be basically beyond register, but still--
every movie ticket you buy, every young relative you encourage to try the books,
every electronic wand that makes things move around at Universal Studios that you pay an extraordinary amount for,
is in a tiny way giving Rowling more of the influence that she is using to hurt people.
That said,
if you just cannot live without Harry Potter, I get it.
I do, and
it will not make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things.
Don't conflate this understanding with apathy on the greater issue, though.
If anyone is tempted to spam the comments with,
(mocking voice) "Well, actually, JK is right and being quite reasonable and she's being bullied for her opinion."
Shut the fuck up, you're wrong.
None of yours or Rowling's arguments hold up to scrutiny or basic fact checking and by holding on to them despite this you're proving
you're not anywhere near as unprejudiced on this subject as you might think you are.
Being polite or civilized while misrepresenting a marginalized and very vulnerable demographic doesn't mean you're not being hateful.
You do not have the high ground on anyone who is rude to you in response. They are using swear words,
you are helping to deny someone's right to exist.
Obviously, the line here is death threats. Never send death threats to anyone,
what is WRONG with people?
But yeah, if you come at me with the "she's just saying sex is real" bullshit
I am not going to dignify your stupidity with a debate.
If you want to unsub, fine, have a good life.
To everyone else, I will see you soon, and to my trans beautiful watchers, I love you, keep being you.
(wave sounds, continuing in background throughout)
(sighs)
(splash, explosion sound)
(splash, magical whoosh)
(splash, popping sound)
(splash, explosion and electric sounds)
(small boom)
(splash, explosion and electric sounds)
(sighs)
I--I'll miss you, Harry.
(owl hoots)
(shouts, thud)
Merlin's bouncing bubble butt, what the buggery hell
Ah. Hello, father.
Narrator: (reading letter) Hello, son.
I hope this letter finds you well and making progress with your therapist, overcoming your
irrational hostility towards Hufflepuffs.
(music begins in background)
Your stepmother and I have been doing a lot of thinking recently
and have decided that it is finally time to tell you the truth about your origins.
As hesitant as we are to feed your already inflated ego,
there is more to you than even you know.
We've always been honest with you that you are a half-blood,
but we may have crossed over a few details regarding exactly what that entails in your case.
(music continues, louder)
Oh my...
Gods.