(Credit to Tumblr user comradesaucegay for this Harry Potter-free website banner)
Like many millennials, I grew up with the Harry Potter series and was a major fan of the series. I had read the original 7 books and watched their film adaptations. The series was a passion of mine during my early- to mid-teen years. While the Harry Potter novels were far from the first books I read, they were the first fantasy novels I read, and the series’ concept of a magical world set in a contemporary setting fascinated teenage me.
However, even during my Harry Potter fixation years, there were things from the series that bothered me, from the idea of house elves being a slave race that naturally love being slaves, to Snape’s unconvincing “redemption” arc. As I got older and became more aware of social issues, I started to notice more problems with the series. In addition, reading more books has also made me realise that even on a technical writing level, the Harry Potter series was mediocre at best. As a result, I had stopped becoming a Harry Potter fan even before J. K. Rowling’s transphobia got mainstream attention.
Unfortunately, many adults with nostalgia goggles still refuse to let go of Harry Potter, and they believe Harry Potter can be separated or “reclaimed” by J. K. Rowling, despite how much Rowling’s worldview and prejudice are inextricably linked to her writing.
Therefore, I am compiling this masterlist by curating various materials that are critical of the Harry Potter series and J. K. Rowling. Items are ordered in chronological order. This is far from a comprehensive list of all the pieces that criticise Harry Potter and Rowling; this list is my curated list of ones that I have read, watched or listened to, and I personally endorse.
Articles
#- Harry Potter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by Alina Utrata (28 October 2016)
- Addressing The Claims In JK Rowling’s Justification For Transphobia by Katy Montgomerie (16 June 2020)
- The Antisemitism of ‘Harry Potter’ Returns in ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ by Jack Doyle (8 February 2023)
- Hogwarts Legacy wants to make everyone happy, but Harry Potter gets in the way by by Gita Jackson (17 February 2023)
- Is J.K. Rowling transphobic? Let’s let her speak for herself. by Aja Romano (3 March 2023)
- Talking Shit About Harry Potter by Matthew Graybosch (19 June 2024) — This post was prompted by this very masterlist and our email exchange about the topic.
Videos
#- Harry Potter is GARBAGE, and Here's Why by satenmadpun (25 August 2020)
- We need to talk about Dudley Dursley- Harry Potter and Fatphobia by Ok2BeFat (30 May 2021)
- Harry Potter by Shaun (4 March 2023)
- JK Rowling's New Friends by Shaun (14 October 2022)
- The Consumerist Dystopia of Harry Potter by verilybitchie (21 January 2023)
- Explaining JK Rowling’s Transphobia by Jessie Gender (27 January 2023)
- Hogwarts Legacy and the Politics of Potter by Wisecrack (11 February 2023)
- Hogwarts: A Legacy Of Hate (The Jimquisition) by James Stephanie Sterling (13 February 2023)
- The ALLEGED Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling (What The Megan Phelps Podcast Won't Tell You) by Caelan Conrad (18 March 2023)
- The Harry Potter Villains Were Trans? by Brigitte Empire (3 April 2023)
- Maybe The Wizard Game Just Wasn't Very Good (The Jimquisition) by James Stephanie Sterling (20 November 2023)
- J.K. Rowling & Holocaust Denial by Caelan Conrad (16 March 2024)
- Did J.K. Rowling STEAL Harry Potter (Rip-off? Plagiarism?!) by Caelan Conrad (3 June 2024)
Podcasts
#- The Shrieking Shack — A book reading podcast hosted by Xeecee and Liz. Originally a Harry Potter reread podcast made by and for lapsed fans that goes through every chapter of the Harry Potter books and their film adaptations and analyses the writing and politics of the series and J. K. Rowling.