JK Rowling Concerns

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:17pm

Her ongoing campaign against trans rights has ramped up even further.

Should this prevent us from supporting Cursed Child?

 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:19pm

Has anyone changed their minds since I last brought this subject up?

I was piled on, and the thread deleted. People expressed surprise that I could even consider her opinions transphobic.

[Sauja]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:26pm

She’s been saying offensive things for a few years now, but I will confess it was only about a week ago that I found myself so disgusted that I finally threw out my Harry Potter books. I saw and loved the play when it was in two parts, but I couldn’t in good faith support any of her output any more.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:31pm

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Her ongoing campaign against trans rights has ramped up even further.

Should this prevent us from supporting Cursed Child?"

Campaigning?!  The woman is simply being vocal with her unmerited opinion. In no way is she “campaigning” anything. An interviewer asks her a question and she stupidly answers it and stirs the pot sending certain people in a tizzy. Nothing more. Her most recent nonsense wasn’t even justified by the 2 actors she dragged into her bubble. They know better than acknowledge her stupidity.  

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:32pm

Let's just say the last few years have made me glad I read Animorphs instead of Harry Potter.

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:43pm

I think the question of separating art from artist, and what will or wont push someone to do that, differs for everyone. 

For me it is not so cut and dry. Her rhetoric is absolutely disgusting and it baffles me as to why she spends so much of her waking hours dedicated towards hate. (She is one of the richest people in the world...if I had her money you would never hear a peep out of me as I'd just be vibe-ing on a private island or lounging in my penthouse apartment without a care!) Yet, the Harry Potter franchise isn't just hers anymore. It has now touched the book publishers office, a film studio, the movie cast and crew, theme parks and their workers, and the casts and crews of the stage productions, and more. There are surely plenty of folks in those professions who are not transphobic and indeed also horrified by what she says. They are just trying to make good art and make a living. For some folks, the fact that any dollar amount will go towards her is unacceptable, but others may see it as something greater than just one person.

I really wish there was a way to remove her from the whole thing. Remember when K Spacey was removed from House of Cards and they did the whole final season without him? It was the best possible scenario. Why punish an entire cast and crew for one person's heinous deeds by cancelling the show and everyone loses their job? Just punish that one low life! Unfortunately there isn't really a way to do that with Rowling in this situation. But one can dream. The things she says are harmful and vile. Full stop.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:43pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Jay Lerner-Z said: "Her ongoing campaign against trans rights has ramped up even further.

Should this prevent us from supporting Cursed Child?"

Campaigning?! The woman is simply being vocal with her unmerited opinion. In no way is she “campaigning” anything. An interviewer asks her a question and she stupidly answers it and stirs the pot sending certain people in a tizzy. Nothing more. Her most recent nonsense wasn’t even justified by the 2 actors she dragged into her bubble. They know better than acknowledge her stupidity. "


As usual you are deeply misinformed. J.K. Rowling has become absolutely radicalized and is leading a very active campaign (more like war) against trans people. It has become her entire personality. She tweets about it daily. She is a psychotic bully who is absolutely obsessed with tearing down trans people to her 14 million Twitter followers. I’m not being hyperbolic. Just take a quick look at her Twitter or better yet, watch ContraPoint’s YouTube essays about her. The woman is extremely unhinged and because of her incredible popularity and influence, she is very dangerous. It’s hard to believe this is the hill she has chosen to die upon. Her legacy is forever tarnished and I see it getting much, much worse as time goes on.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:45pm

Her views are abhorrent and I no longer support her writing. I think the stage show is another story, and I don't know if I would support a boycott of it. Compared to the money she makes from book sales and film royalties, Cursed Child probably represents a fairly small amount of JK Rowling's earnings. On the other hand, it's the primary source of income for the scores of actors and crew members that work on the show every day, who don't hold the same transphobic views as Rowling. If I feel for anyone (in addition to the millions of trans/NB folx who have to watch this vile ideology being shoved further into the mainstream), it's for the people who act in Cursed Child, and are having their livelihoods threatened by an insane billionaire.

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:49pm

My opinion on the subject hasn’t changed. For years I’ve said I would never again financially support any work (book, movie, play, video game) that she’s attached to. Her war on trans people has become so virulent and beyond “just my belief” that I think others should strongly consider boycotting any works she is attached to. 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:52pm

Thankfully, I escaped that cesspool formerly known as Twitter a while back. But, unfortunately, I did happen to read her latest statements on this site.  She has gone beyond talking about her hatred for trans folks, and it is now entirely personal.  Anyone who disagrees with her is an enemy.  Her words were so threatening and frightening that I do believe that there is a sickness there.  And the fact that she has unlimited funds to crush anyone who dares speak out against her is a sad commentary on our current times.  If people want to look the other way while she is rallying her troops to attack two fine actors who expressed an opinion, so be it.   I understand that they need to make a living.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:55pm

Her bullying responses on Twitter are so immature and bizarre they are truly Trumpian in nature.

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 4:58pm

J.K. Rowling is the face of the TERF movement. There is no person alive who is more synonymous with transphobia and the hatred of trans people.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:12pm

Can't support her, therefore will not spend any money on anything JKR connected. I'm not so idealistic to think that my withholding my financial support means a hill of beans. 

 

I was chagrined to see that my very liberal (young) co-workers that "tsk, tsk" ed her earlier comments were damn quick to buy the most recent video game. WTF

I listen to my conscience, you listen to yours.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:13pm

My husband was involved in the mounting of Cursed Child on Broadway. We had never seen it together, so, against my better judgement, I got us tickets to see the single-part version. I wanted to support his work. There are a couple of actors in the show I've worked with (one of whom is trans). I wanted to support their work. First of all...the single-part version is just a mess. Second, I just felt awful sitting there having paid money that would go in her pocket. I couldn't get past that even for the work of former colleagues and my own friggin' husband.

Her recent attacks on two of the stars of her movies (one a UN Goodwill Ambassador on women's issues and the other who was speaking fondly on the work he does with the Trevor Project which exists solely to keep queer kids from killing themselves) have filled me with rage more than anything else she's said to this point. The woman is irredeemable. I loved those books and the movies and the theme park event. But I cannot in good conscience engage with any of it...even to support people I love. 

Maybe it's easier to separate the art from the artist when the artist is dead. At least money isn't going directly into their pocket anymore. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:16pm

I don't want to seem insensitive, or anything like that. But we have such little joy in our lives, that if something does right now-do it. You don't have to publicize it because then you're just asking for attacks, but privately, if you want to read the HP books- do it! See the HP play? You don't have to post on social media that you did. But don't allow her actions to dictate your joy 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:21pm

I sincerely hope this thread doesn’t get deleted. This needs to be discussed.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:26pm

As the poster above you said, for many of us, she has ruined that joy.

I'm not throwing out the books, she gets nothing from my rereading them. Not that I'm sure I will.

 

 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:33pm

Thanks all, this is for sure a better reception than my last thread on this subject got. That’s a relief.

I don’t feel that the loss of my few cents will make any difference to her bank balance, I just worry that the continued success of this show on both sides of the Atlantic somehow gives her platform legitimacy. It means she is taken seriously, it is seen as the broader public not caring or even agreeing with her stance.

At least the recent Fantastic Beasts movies flopped.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:44pm

Compared to the movies or even the theme parks, this play means very little in the grand scheme of things.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:50pm

If you already have the books, that also means very little as well. It's not like she has trackers and gets money every time you read them (again, if you already have the books) 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:51pm

I never saw Cursed Child. Hell, even when I was in London last year, I chose not to see the 2-Part London production without thinking for a second. I'm really glad that I don't have the Harry Potter Books because I would've BURNED them the moment she revealed her true colors.

As for the show, I never would wish actors to lose their jobs in a million years. That said, JK Rowling is still making money off of cursed child. I would rather have Cursed Child not running so that she loses money! I just wish people would post more saying that if you buy a ticket to Cursed Child or buy one of the books, you should know that you are giving your money to a transphobic B****!!!! I don't think I've hated a person more than this woman, well, maybe Trump, but she's up there in the small list of people I despise with a passion! 

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:58pm

I do wonder if going so directly after Watson and Radcliffe will be the thing that truly damages her brand. It's like a narcissistic mom turning on her kids. It shouldn't have taken her attacking two cisgender millionaires to put the nail in, but something feels very different about this attack and the response to it. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:59pm

Yeah she’s awful but she created one of the most profitable franchises ever that people will forever love. It’s another example of separating the artist from the art and if you can do it, great. If you can’t, then you can’t and there’s nothing wrong with that, either.
The entire “Potter” series is about to be remade by HBO spanning 7 seasons, one season per book per year and it’ll most probably create an even bigger fanbase. Do I mind that my subscriber money will go to pay her? Not really. She’s worth a BILLION dollars so the buck or so she’ll get from me (same with buying a ticket to the show on Broadway) won’t impact her at all. 
 

It just sucks that she’s hurt so many people who were impacted so positively by what she created. I find her decision to go from one of the most beloved people to one of the most hated, for an opinion she truly never needed to say out loud, and then continuing to run with it all this time endlessly fascinating, though. 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 5:59pm

Financially, sure... but what about "soft power”? It could appear to neutral observers, or even well intentioned liberals, that if LGBT haven “Broadway” endorses her, then what she says and does can’t be THAT bad. We shouldn’t turn a blind eye.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/16/24 at 6:06pm

No, I know exactly what you’re saying and I don’t disagree. But I’m saying as for Broadway i went to see it twice last year to see a friend in it and I had no problem doing that. And as for the new series, I’m not canceling my MAX subscription for seven years to make sure she doesn’t get a few bucks from me.