In a 2019 interview, J.K. Rowling addressed the supposed sparks between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, confirming that: "Their relationship was incredibly intense. It was passionate, and it was a love relationship. But as happens in any relationship, gay or straight or whatever label we want to put on it, one never knows really what the other person is feeling. You can't know, you can believe you know." Later, film critic Eric D. Snider shared an article about the interview on his Twitter with a witty reimagined headline: "J.K. Rowling Confirms Some Characters in Her Books and Movies Are Gay Everywhere Except in the Books or the Movies." However, that may soon change with the new Fantastic Beasts movie.
In light of the bestselling author’s unapologetic transphobic statements, it remains a question whether this is a case of genuine growth or an attempt to wash her hands clean of any criticism for the absence of queer representation. Many disappointed longtime queer fans have been withdrawing their support by unfollowing her on social media and boycotting the Harry Potter franchise. Now that the upcoming Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is centered around the only known gay character in the original series, maybe it's time for a shift in thinking. The recent TV trailer showing Dumbledore confessing his love for Grindelwald increased our hopes. We might even get a brief flashback scene with Jude and Mads making out. Who knows. While the spin-off saga may not bring us any trans characters, here’s why it’s never too late to sway people’s hearts.
The Transgender Rant Controversy
On 6th June 2020, J.K. Rowling retweeted an article, which referred to women, who were assigned female at birth, as "people who menstruate," with a sarcastic comment: “'People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” This was generally interpreted as a rebuke against trans women’s right to womanhood, as she seemed to insinuate that only "people who menstruate" can be called women.
Rather than admit that her remark was inappropriate, she doubled down on the opposition by further elaborating her myopic views: ‘If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth." Her argument that the inevitable update of our language somehow poses a threat to the concept of biological sex only underlines the importance of the ongoing social evolution. Thanks to it, we’re no longer calling all transgender people "transsexuals," now that we’ve begun to understand the difference between sex and gender.
Actors from the original Harry Potter cast have expressed their condemnation of Rowling’s stance, including the main trio, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. Eddie Redmayne, who portrays the Fantastic Beasts protagonist Newt Scamander, and who himself had played a trans woman in the award-winning biopic The Danish Girl, stated:
"I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men, and nonbinary identities are valid. I would never want to speak on behalf of the community, but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse. They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it’s time to let them do so."
A Chance at Redemption
JK Rowling also stands accused of queer-baiting for never explicitly describing any of the Harry Potter characters as queer in her books while teasing fans with vague revelations alluding to queerness, seemingly to come across as more progressive without offending her conservative audiences. However, considering the hysterical religious backlash over the display of witchcraft in popular children’s books and the wild accusations of satanic imagery, despite J.K. herself identifying as Christian, some still hold a little sympathy for her not outing Dumbledore until the series was finished.
But the times have changed. With the unmatched worldwide influence that her brainchild holds at this day and age, trans representation would be a major step forward and perhaps the only chance to redeem herself from her messy social media reputation, which is only getting worse by the day. Let’s not forget that she used to be a great inspiration for feminists with her story of success in a male-dominated industry and for all the queer kids who liked to pretend they’d one day receive a letter from Hogwarts and escape all the homophobic bullying and abuse they had to face in the merciless Muggle world.
It’s clear enough that a considerable part of her fanbase is LGBTQIA+. They are now facing a conundrum of sticking to their moral principles and abandoning the fantastic stories they have held so dearly since childhood. Die-hard Potterheads have been speculating for years about gender identity and sexuality of their favorite characters, and plenty of same-sex romance fanfic pieces taking place in the magical universe have been sprouting all over the internet. This demonstrates that openness about such characters would be more than welcome.
Rowling is known to respond to fan theories, so maybe their suggestions will not go unheard. In reply to a fan’s question on Twitter, she did once confirm that Hogwarts is a safe space for LGBT students. There has never been a better time to put those words to action and, with emphasis on the T in LGBT, introduce trans characters in the remaining two films. Will she rise to the occasion, or will she remain complacent?
On the whole, her stubbornness does not give much cause for optimism. While she may still be the one to call the shots, all is not lost. The soon-to-be-released RPG videogame Hogwarts Legacy will reportedly allow users to create transgender characters. Although J.K. wasn’t involved, there is no good reason why the push to inclusivity couldn’t extend to the movies. We have seen a positive outcome from Pixar staff's hard-won fight for LGBTQIA+ representation. Could this serve as an example for the Fantastic Beasts film production team?