JK Rowling has a button for all the people mentioning her in Twitter conversations about the new Fantastic Beasts sequel: the mute button.
Earlier this week, fans of the Harry Potter franchise spoke out against Fantastic Beasts director David Yates, who said that Dumbledore’s queer sexuality will not be a part of the upcoming Beasts sequel. Anger at Yates turned into anger at the Potter series’ original author JK Rowling, who outed Dumbledore as gay in 2007.
“Being sent abuse about an interview that didn’t involve me, about a screenplay I wrote but which none of the angry people have read, which is part of a five-movie series that’s only one instalment in, is obviously tons of fun, but you know what’s even *more* fun?” Rowling tweeted.
Being sent abuse about an interview that didn’t involve me, about a screenplay I wrote but which none of the angry people have read, which is part of a five-movie series that’s only one instalment in, is obviously tons of fun, but you know what’s even *more* fun? pic.twitter.com/Rj6Zr8aKUk
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 31, 2018
However, Rowling’s dismissal of the issue did not go over well with many fans, who responded that her “muting” them was not good form.
Subscribe to get a twice-weekly dose of queer news, updates, and insights from the INTO team.
in Your Inbox
Or you could… listen to people’s concerns? Twitter abuse is never okay, and by all means mute away, but many of these “angry people” are fans who took comfort in your writing when the world rejected them, and now feel rejected (and ignored, and ridiculed) by you as well.
— Selina Wilken (@SelinaWilken) January 31, 2018
Or wanting an actor involved w/ said universe to be held accountable for abusive behaviour & then being told, “Well, he’s always been nice to *me*”?
— Taylor Driggers (@TaylorWDriggers) January 31, 2018
It must be terribly difficult for you in these trying times after you repeatedly kept reupping the marketability and virality of your books by glibly responding to people’s headcanons “oh yes, I absolutely meant to do that.”
Also you like TERF tweets and memes so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
— The computer business is too competitive. (@onebrightlight) February 1, 2018
Representation is SO important. Please remember how many young people need that in their media and acknowledge it’s important to you too. It would mean the world.
— Jill Pantozzi ♿ (@JillPantozzi) January 31, 2018
I think people are coming from a place of confusion, hurt and fear. A lot of us queer Harry Potter fans were so happy when you announced that Dumbledore was gay. Representation is so rare. Instead of ignoring us, maybe you could ease our worries?
— Mich Ella (@NutellaPraxis) January 31, 2018
I admire you so much, and your books are such an important part of my childhood and who i grew up to be as a person, but please try to get where people are coming from? I don’t mean this as an attack, but this franchise continues to let down it’s fans by going against the very
— E.D. (@CorLeonis92) January 31, 2018
Well, when it comes to queer representation, the LGBTQ community is patient. Here’s hoping the Beasts sequels finally decide to deal with its main characters’ sexuality. Until then, there’s always fanfic.
