JK Rowling's retroactive Harry Potter continuity additions have been a continuous source of pop cultural embarrassment. But her repeated allusions to trans-exclusionary radical feminism has been even worse. After a few gross anti-trans tweets, Rowling decided to double-down on her discriminatory convictions by posting a massive screed on her website attempting to explain why, actually, trans and non-binary people and those who otherwise deal with gender dysphoria are — to hear Rowling tell it — not real human people but also thieves who are trying to steal money from Rowling's charities.
To be clear: this is bullshit, and it causes further unnecessary harm against trans and non-binary people who represent a sliver of the population but have definitely already dealt with enough bullshit in their lives simply because of antiquated social impositions on them.
The thrust of Rowling's shameful argument is that the 0.3-0.6 percent of people who are trans are selfishly robbing resources from causes that Rowling supports, like domestic violence shelters for women who have suffered from abuse. On the surface, this is an utterly fucking absurd assertion. Rhetorically, Rowling cleverly avoids citing any sources or data in support of any of her arguments — arguments which she, of course, insists are based on (un-linked) facts and not feelings. This fact alone should be enough to dismiss the absurdity of her claims.
But in case you need something more, TCGPlayer writer Cassie LaBelle has annotated Rowling's entire ridiculous blog post. All 13 pages of it. And she succinctly vivisects every stupid argument contained within. Read the rest
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele reveal the "deplorable conditions at Vincent Clortho Public School for Wizards."
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LEGO offers us the opportunity to build Harry Potter's Knight Bus.
Generally a wild time for Harry, the triple-level Knight Bus comes with Stan Shunpike, Ernie Prang and Harry minifigs.
With Ernie at the wheel, how can things go wrong?
LEGO Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban Knight Bus 75957 Building Kit, New 2019 (403 Pieces) via Amazon Read the rest
The 2019 LEGO Harry Potter advent calendar is here!
This years set includes Harry and Hedqig, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, Professor Flitwick, and a "Hogwarts Architect" and a micro Hogwarts Express train amongst the many treats.
I wonder what the Jewish wizards and witches do for Hannukah? My daughter likes the Star Wars advent set.
LEGO Harry Potter Advent Calendar 75964 Building Kit, New 2019 (305 Pieces) via Amazon Read the rest
Vivian Gomez posted the above home security cam video to her Facebook page. She writes:
"So I woke up Sunday morning and saw this on my camera and am trying to figure out...what the heck?? First I saw the shadow walking from my front door then I saw this thing....has anyone else seen this on their cameras?? The other two cameras didn’t pick it up for some reason."
Internet commenters insist that the mysterious creature is Dobby the house-elf from Harry Potter, but following Occam's razor, the simplest explanation is that it is an extraterrestrial.
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J.K. Rowling earlier declared wizarding headmaster Albus Dumbledore a gay man. Much discussion centered on why it wasn't on the page or the screen. Once again, she highlights a sexual dimension to her characters that surely motivates them, yet—for reasons unexplained—remains unspoken and unseen.
“So I’m less interested in the sexual side – though I believe there is a sexual dimension to this relationship – than I am in the sense of the emotions they felt for each other, which ultimately is the most fascinating thing about all human relationship,” Rowling adds.
Everything you say about your art that isn't in your art is criticism of your art.
Photo: Daniel Ogren (CC BY 2.0) Read the rest
This is what the kids are up to these days, at least the kids in the dance program at Walden Grove High School in Sahuarita, Arizona.
You may remember last year when they performed a dance version of The Wizard of Oz for their homecoming pep rally. This year, they've performed a dance based on Harry Potter. Good stuff!
(Geekologie) Read the rest
"Enjoying your classes, Harry?"
It's the 2009 work of Thewlis Rox, gone viral a decade later in its incarnation as a 2011 swipe posted by another YouTube user, after being reposted to Reddit hundreds (if not thousands) of times, before lightning struck again. Read the rest
The delightfulness of the 'Harry Potter' theme song is amplified by this street artist playing a glass harp rendition. Read the rest
YouTuber TheCraftMaiden decided to make a Harry Potter Golden Egg, and it's a triumph of winging it when trying a craft project. It even has a turnable owl to open it. Read the rest
In honor of Harry Potter’s 20th anniversary, the gentlemen of SORTEDFood concocted their own Butterbeer recipe, which is both sickly sweet and slightly alcoholic. Read the rest
Freeman Design crafted this gorgeous necklace and pendant inspired by the golden snitch, a ball used in quidditch in the Harry Potter books. This video shows that it holds a secret engagement ring. Read the rest
Animator Leigh Lahav and writer Oren Mendez created this wizarding world-salute to the holiday season. Read the rest
Writer and animator Natalie Gray creates a lot of great fan art, but one of her coolest pieces is this Harry Potter-themed “What do wizards have in their pockets” collection. The four GIFs represent the four Marauders: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.
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Skyler Johnson created an interactive infographic that charts the use of magic in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels. The spells are organized by count or time, with instances color-coded by the book they appear in. Hover over each use and you even get the quote, for context! [via Tor and Metafilter]
Emily Asher-Perrin writes:
Perhaps not surprisingly, the spells that we see used most often are commonly used by Harry and his friends as means of non-violent resistance; Expecto Patronum; Expelliarmus; Stupefy. The Killing Curse appears sixth down on the list, which is fascinating–it is technically speaking the “most evil” of all the dark magic spells, and it is the most often used.
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Tumblr artist Kayla of fleamontpotter always knows how to inject humor into the world of Harry Potter. And this Half-Blood Prince-inspired post is particularly great: Read the rest
