0 | Foreword

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The beloved world of Harry Potter has been an inspiration for people of all ages since its release in 2001. However, before I begin this assignment, I feel it is necessary to first turn a critical eye to this universe and its author as many I know have been hurt by comments made by the author and representation within the books and film adaptations.

JK Rowling has long faced backlash for comments and actions deemed transphobic [1], commonly being referred to as a TERF (trans-exclusive radical feminist) among those my age. She has stated previously “I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans.” on Twitter [2,2a,2b] yet has since stated plainly how she does not believe transgender women are women [3]. This paradoxical set of statements appears repeatedly on her socials and has turned many against her.

Furthermore, Rowling showed passionate distaste for the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Bill, made to amend the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which aimed to improve the “invasive” and lengthy process undertaken to acquire a GRC (gender recognition certificate) [4]. The writer posted a picture sporting a shirt naming Nicola Sturgeon a “Destroyer of women’s rights” [5] garnering both support and rejection in the replies.

Do I believe Rowling is transphobic? Yes. Do I believe this comes from a place of genuine hatred towards trans people? No. In her explanation for speaking out on sex and gender issues, she reveals how she is a survivor of sexual assault and domestic abuse at the hands of a former partner, and still struggles with that trauma [1]. Rowling makes it clear that her priority is safety, for trans and AFAB (assigned female at birth) women, but who she sees as a man entering a woman’s bathroom is just another woman entering a space that should protect her as well. To quote Rowling, “Trans people need and deserve protection.” [1].

I believe her transphobia has formed from a misplaced effort towards protecting women and girls while misunderstanding where the danger comes from. Even though the Scottish Bill Reform may make it easier for a predator to gain access to a woman's bathroom, there is no physical barrier to them entering anyway, I think that if a predator was determined to enter a woman’s bathroom they would – GRC or not.

Within the books themselves, readers have highlighted numerous stereotypes and caricatures of minority groups; a common example being the goblins who run Gringotts Bank. Critics have likened them to the antisemitic piece of literature ‘The Protocols of Zion’ [6] yet also making note of how it appears to be an unconscious coincidence, with Rowling having spoken against antisemitism in the past [7]. Further problems arise with the representation and treatment of ethnic minorities within the series, particularly of the Patil twins, and Cho Chang.

The wardrobe for the twins during the film adaptation of the Yule Ball has upset many fans, having been referred to as an “insult to South Asian views and an injustice to the Patil twins.” [8]. The wardrobe itself feels cheap and poorly researched compared to traditional Indian formal attire, spouting a garish and book-inaccurate colour scheme, and a single set of bangles split between the twins.

Cho Chang’s fate is that of stereotypes and exoticism, even down to her name. There are no hints of her ethnicity apart from that she is an East Asian woman, meaning that she shoulders the representation of the whole of East Asia, and its cultures. Even her name, Cho Chang, cannot be traced back to a single culture as “Cho is a Korean surname, while Chang is a common Chinese surname” [9,10,11] which further perpetuates the harmful idea that East Asia can be simplified into a singular idea. Oxford reference defines ‘exoticism’ as “A romanticization, fetishization, and/or commodification of ethnic, racial, or cultural otherness […] identified as a form of objectification, marginalization, domination, oppression, and exploitation.” [12] and while that sounds extreme, Cho Chang could be seen as filling that role. Her only role in the story is as a love interest to Harry, and after she has served her purpose in the plot, she fades away into the background to become another passive, blank face at the whims of the white leads.

Stereotypical depictions of Asian characters usually fall into 1 of 2 categories, Dragon Lady or Geisha Girl (also known as ‘China Doll’ or ‘Lotus Blossom’), with the former referring to a manipulative, cold, and malicious “temptress” [11] and the latter describing someone “beautiful, gentle, nurturing” [8], and in this particular trope the girl will fall in love with a white man who abandons her for a white woman. The story of Harry Potter and Cho Chang, without a doubt, fits neatly into that description. Cho also falls victim to the ‘Model Minority’ stereotype, in which Asian children are portrayed as intelligent and high achieving [13,14] without taking away from leadership positions reserved for their white counterparts. She is placed in Ravenclaw, shown to have academic and athletic prowess, yet contributes no meaningful addition to the story through these skills. Cho Chang feels like a 1-dimensional, stereotypical character and is a failure on Rowling’s part in portraying a character of colour.

Despite all the controversy and issues with representation, Harry Potter remains a classic for children and adults alike, continuing to amass a huge global fanbase who are still finding joy in these characters and stories while being aware of the context in which they exist. Going forward with my assignment I would like to keep note of these findings and, if possible, subjugate them to the best of my ability.

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REFERENCES

[1] ROWLING, Joanne Kathleen. (2020). J.K. rowling writes about her reasons for speaking out on sex and gender issues. [online]. Available at: https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/. J.K. Rowling

[2] ROWLING, Joanne Kathleen. [@jk_rowling]. (2020a). https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269389298664701952. [online] Available at: https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269389298664701952. X

[2a] ROWLING, Joanne Kathleen. [jk_rowling]. (2020b). https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269406094595588096. [online]. Available at: https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269406094595588096. X

[2b] ROWLING, Joanne Kathleen. [@jk_rowling]. (2020c). https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269407862234775552. [online] Available at: https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269407862234775552. X

[3] ROWLING, Joanne Kathleen. [@jk_rowling]. (2023a). https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1714279937279160596. [online] Available at: https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1714279937279160596. X

[4] www.parliament.scot. (n.d.). Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. [online] Available at: https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/gender-recognition-reform-scotland-bill.

[5] ROWLING, Joanne Kathleen. [@jk_rowling]. (2022). https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1577964493702938626.  [online] Available at: https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1577964493702938626. X

[6] BERLATSKY, N. (2022). Opinion | Why most people still miss these antisemitic tropes in ‘Harry Potter’. [online] Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/j-k-rowling-s-harry-potter-goblins-echo-jewish-caricatures-ncna1287043. NBC News.

[7] SEDLEY, D. (n.d.). JK Rowling tells victims of anti-Semitism: ‘You aren’t alone’. [online] Available at: https://www.timesofisrael.com/jk-rowling-tells-victims-of-anti-semitism-you-arent-alone/. www.timesofisrael.com.

[8] STIGERS, Jules and MORENO, Kassandra. (2020).  How Harry Potter Failed to Represent the Ethnically Diverse Members of Dumbledore’s Army. [online] Available at: https://rtfgenderandmediaculture.wordpress.com/2020/11/20/__trashed-3/#:~:text=The%20producers%20of%20Harry%20Potter,their%20roles%20in%20the%20films. https://rtfgenderandmediaculture.wordpress.com.

[9] LU, Anna. (2018). There is Nothing Magical in Reinforcing Asian Stereotypes. [online] Available at: (https://stuyspec.com/opinions/there-is-nothing-magical-in-reinforcing-asian-stereotypes. Studyspec.com

[10] SANDOVAL, Andrea. (2024). Why Fans Take Issue With the Name 'Cho Chang' in Harry Potter. [online] Available at: https://www.cbr.com/why-cho-chang-bad-name-harry-potter/#cho-chang-is-not-a-plausible-name www.cbr.com

[11] PHAM, Kaitlin. (2014). Respect, Cho Chang, and Asian Representation: A Critical Analysis of the White Gaze in Harry Potter. [online] Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/comssp/170. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

[12] OXFORDREFERENCE.com (2024). ‘exoticism’. [online] Available at: https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20111102095717481. Oxfordreference.com

[13] PANER, Isabel. (2018). The Marginalization and Stereotyping of Asians in American Film. [online] Available at: https://scholar.dominican.edu/honors-theses/36/. Dominican University of California

[14] BLACKBURN, Sarah-Soonling. (2019). WHAT IS THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH? [online] Available at: https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/what-is-the-model-minority-myth. www.learningforjustice.org