A few hours ago, after discussion, we went ahead and retweeted the link to JK Rowling’s essay giving her opinions about the controversy she kicked up with her tweets about trans people, specifically trans women. Over the past few days we also retweeted Emma Watson’s comments and those of Dan Radcliffe, comments which we agree with and support. However, my editors pointed out that retweeting Rowling’s essay might make seem like we also agree with her statements, which would make the position of the Lexicon less than clear. So I want to state that position very clearly.
Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We love and support them. They are our friends, fellow fans, and truly part of our family.
As for the Lexicon’s stance on enjoying the Harry Potter books despite the author’s politics or philosophy, let me just say that in all its twenty years of existence, the Lexicon has always been an expression of fans’ love for the world of Harry Potter and by extension, of Newt Scamander. The Lexicon has never been a JK Rowling fansite. I personally have never read anything else she had written — I’m a fan of the Wizarding World. As for the rest, I’m honestly not interested. We will continue to celebrate the wonderfully imaginative world which was created.
Maybe some of you will find it difficult to separate the creative work from the creator. Before you leave Harry Potter fandom, please read what Dan Radcliffe had to say about that:
To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you. I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you. If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred. And in my opinion nobody can touch that. It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much. (from The Trevor Project website)
If you still feel the need to go, leave knowing that you are loved and you will be missed. And we will always be friends. Always.
Steve VanderArk and the Editors of the Harry Potter Lexicon
