In this week’s newsletter: The big-budget Harry Potter spinoff should be an instant play for fans of the series, but for some author JK Rowling’s statements on sex and gender have made that decision complicated
I’ve spent the past week playing and reviewing Hogwarts Legacy, an exercise in wizarding wish-fulfilment that would once have been a no-brainer purchase for anyone who grew up fantasising about walking the hallowed halls of that imaginary castle. But like the rest of the Wizarding World, including the ailing Fantastic Beasts franchise, Hogwarts Legacy has become caught up in the controversy surrounding JK Rowling’s statements about sex and gender. (This is a pretty comprehensive breakdown of what she has publicly said.) As someone who unequivocally supports trans rights, Rowling’s comments have soured and complicated my relationship with Harry Potter – and I am far from alone.
Discussions of the ethics of buying the game have generated thousands of tweets, many loudly calling for a boycott, others wrestling with financially supporting it. (Rowling played no part in its creation; developer Avalanche consulted closely with her team.) The discourse made it on to BBC Radio 4 last week, and has been covered by the Times, the Mail and Sky – another beat in the endless media culture war that trans people have been subjected to. If you’re wondering why Rowling’s comments on this issue have attracted so much attention, consider the climate they’re feeding into. For more on that, especially as it intersects with Hogwarts Legacy, read this breakdown by media critic Jessie Earl, who writes about transgender topics.
