this post was submitted on 29 May 2025
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[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

It is important to separate art and artist.

People get a lot of comfort out of religious text knowing next to nothing about the author(s).

This also means you can hate on JK Rowling without making any connection to HP.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

You can separate the art from the artist for sure but when people are buying HP branded stuff, they are directly contributing to this.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Totally agree. Although in today's digital world there is no need to spend any money on HP.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'll admit this is easier for me because I was never a huge HP fan. But I don't even pirate it because I don't want to increase its cultural impact. I don't even want to seed the torrent, and leeches suck. I want Harry Potter to disappear because even after Rowling dies, the profits will go towards a transphobic foundation.

In some cases piracy increases total revenue by getting more people interested in the product.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

The product itself isn't bad. But you do have a point.

Let's compare Orsen Scott Card and Rowling. I'm never going to be pressured into taking kids to an Enders Game theme park, but piracy will make Univeral theme parks (and therefore Rowling) lots more money. Disney made more money from selling Churros than streaming.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

No. I'm so tired of this. You can like the IP but you can't spend a single dime on it without funding transphobia. That's what we are talking about here.

Edit: The IP also should just die. Its popularity fuels hateful policies and attitudes against my existence.

Edit: This comment on it says it succinctly: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/26719393/14648789

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

If you are going down that road then there are much big targets to aim at. Are you also applying the same anger (and logic) to organised religion?

The same arguments apply and they are multiple times more powerful than Rowling.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah okay, you are not being genuine. That much is clear now. This is a post about J. K. Rowling using profits from her IP to fund transphobia. People run in to defend the franchise, we try to explain how giving her money means more policies against us is bad, and then you object to that?

Ofc we are talking about HP in the HP post. Why would I talk about religion here? She gave a significant meaningful amount of money to fund hate against me, and she continues to be influential and use her and her IPs popularity to make peoples lives harder.

Why do you think I don't speak up against any church or organization funding hate and bigotry? You are not being genuine.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

giving her money means more policies against us is bad, and then you object to that?

No, you went further and are hating on people liking HP. You are attacking the art not the artist. I am defending art in general. I am not defending Rowling at all or encouraging funding for her. Everyone should pirate anything HP related.

Why would I talk about religion here?

Because you are confusing the art and the artist. That precedent should not be allowed no matter the topic. (By equating religion to art I can make my point quicker. Note I'm not choosing any religion in particular)

Why do you think I don't speak up against any church or organization funding hate and bigotry?

Do you also try to stop people from believing in that religion? From reading those religious books? No. The art is separate.

You are not being genuine.

I'm highlighting how art and artist are separate. No-one should feel guilty about enjoying a fictional book.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

No, you went further and are hating on people liking HP.

Where did that happen?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

The IP isn’t a person, this is not an example of what you claim it to be.

[–] HP_Rubshaft 9 points 3 weeks ago

Yup, fuck organized religion

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

And this is why I pirated Hogwarts legacy...

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago

For me the whole IP has been so tainted by her behavior that I can't even enjoy it if I didn't pay. I get a gross feeling from it, like I've stepped directly into some filthy place and must be careful not to let anything touch me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Understandable

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

It is important to separate art and artist.

I completely disagree, both on a subjective selfish aesthetic level, and on a moral level.

On the aesthetic side, you're doing yourself a huge disservice by making this separation. You're missing out on this whole other dimension a piece of art has to offer you; namely the context that the author operates in. Star Wars gains this whole other rich level of interpretation if you consider the fact that George Lucas lived through the invasion of Vietnam and other forms of US imperialism and completely opposes it, for example. You're missing out by ignoring the author.

On the moral side, the argument is more obvious, I think. By ignoring the author you're denying yourself the opportunity to spend your money and support folks in a way that aligns with your own morals. In my case, I consider trans people people, and think they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Since I know J K Rowling completely disagrees, I know that if I spend money on her, I will be putting money in the pocket of someone, and platforming them, who actively works against my morals. And I'm thankful for being able to know that spending money on her goes counter to my own morality.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Obviously if the authors views are reflected in the work then there isn’t a separation. HP is badly written with many failings, but it is enjoyable and not anti-trans itself. The art does not reflect the beliefs of the author.

On the moral side, no money needs to be given directly or indirectly to Rowling.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

The art does not reflect the beliefs of the author.

It really does though. The moral universe of Harry Potter says a lot about J K Rowling as a person, and there are many parallels with her own life. Morality in the Harry Potter universe is not inherent to an action, but to an actor. Is bullying bad? Depends on who does it. If a bad guy does it (for example the Dursleys), then it's bad. If a good guy does it (Hagrid), then it's good! There's a parallel with the abolition of slavery about half way through the series, and it's only one character doing it, and they're the butt of the joke. And of course there's Cho Chang and Blackie Shackleslave or whatever she called the one black character. The work speaks volumes about her, and vice versa. And you're depriving yourself of this deeper level of analysis. You're missing out.

There's a YouTuber called Shaun who's done a thorough analysis of her work and its parallels with her dealings with nazis and fellow transphobes. It's worth a watch.