Dear JK Rowling,
Hello, you don’t know me, but I know you.
Obviously. Everyone does. For many, you were the first “real” novel many children have read. For many, you taught kids the importance of reading. And for many, you’ve inspired them to start writing. You’ve inspired them to open their minds, invent characters, ideas, and showed them they had a story to tell. Growing up, I was one of those children. Growing up, I had an abusive stepmother. She called me stupid, worthless, fat, lazy, and an assortment of other fowl words.
For me, Harry Potter changed my life. Harry Potter SAVED my life. Do you know what became of that life? I grew up, got away from the abuse, got married, and had a beautiful child. Do you know what else I did? I discovered myself. Just like Harry, I discovered I was stronger than I thought, braver than I ever imagined, and smarter than I gave myself credit for. I used that strength, bravery, and courage to make the biggest discovery of my life.
I am transgender. More specifically, I’m non-binary trans. I love myself for the first time in a long time and I love Harry Potter. He was the root of my bravery. It breaks my heart to see what you’ve become...or really...what you’ve been all along.
Not only am I ashamed to see you this way, but many many others are as well. Your story inspired me, saved me, and allowed me to discover myself, only to have all that ripped out from underneath me.
Tell me? How does that make you feel? How do you sleep at night knowing what you’re saying is affecting thousands of children in the same boat as me? How does it feel to know so many kids who looked up to you, and possibly even chose to continue living because of you, now despise you? You’ve tarnished your name, your work, and your community.
I know you won’t read this. You won’t care. And if for some reason you do see this, you’ll probably block me or sick your lawyers on me. It’s fine. I’m an adult. But what about the children? Trans children. Children with trans relatives? Children with trans friends? Understand the damage you are doing to them. Understand what you’re saying.
You are transphobic. You are trash. Harry Potter isn’t yours anymore. It belongs to all the trans people whose name you’ve slandered. All the trans people whose lives you’ve made a little bit harder. You’ve once said, “it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be”. Listen to those words and remember them. Trans people aren’t going anywhere.
Just like Harry, we will fight and grow stronger and we will escape people like you, like the Dursley’s. I know you won’t read this. But I feel a little bit better getting it out there.
-Jason. Your friendly neighborhood Non-binary.
PS: Hermione would be ashamed of you.
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