Transgender rights protesters took their battle to the front lines at the opening of a Harry Potter Shop in London. The new location is flashy, with multiple floors and more than 20,000 square feet, and drew a large crowd on Oxford Street. The protesters showed up to make sure the shoppers knew what they were putting their money into.
Signs carried during the protest read “Protect Trans Lives” and urged people to “stop funding trans erasure.” Their pushback has little to do with a store selling wands and spell books. Their concern is with J.K. Rowling, the Harry Potter author whose anti-trans sentiments have become poisonous to the franchise in recent years.
In the U.K. specifically, Rowling has celebrated rulings that transgender women should not be recognized as women under Britain’s Equality Act. The ruling was made possible by the anti-transgender For Women Scotland campaign, to which Rowling donated £70,000 in 2024.
When HBO announced its Harry Potter series, an executive from the network found it pertinent to clarify it was not “secretly being infused with anything. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.” Actors who signed on to the project were criticized by association. John Lithgow, who will play Dumbledore in the series, considered quitting after learning the extent of Rowling’s anti-trans stance.
“Considering the impact that J.K. Rowling has on trans rights, it would be a disappointment if trans people weren’t here to have their voices heard,” a trans activist named West told Variety at the London flagship location. “It is largely J.K. Rowling making the biggest impact on people’s lives, I think, unfortunately. People don’t realize that, so that’s why we’re here today.”
The nearly two dozen protesters were largely outnumbered by shoppers, but stood firm in their argument and hope of being heard. “The fact is, years ago, when Harry Potter was at the peak of its popularity, it would’ve been impossible to even get close to the store,” West said. “The fact is that the franchise is losing its popularity — and for good reason.”
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