Harry Potter was my whole childhood. The series got me through so much and I never felt alone when I read the series. Many days, I felt like I was inside the books myself. I was easily enamored by the adventures within the pages.
However, my heart has been broken by J. K. Rowling.
I used to look up to her. She created the series that I depended on in my darkest moments. Yet, more and more she has proven to be cruel and transphobic. To learn of her true self, I felt my blood boil and my heart sink.
I thought that because of her comments that all of my childhood was ruined, but I have come to different terms.
I can continue to love the books and the adventure, but I do not have to love Rowling.
I came to the realization that a lot of what I loved about the series was the inner stories and lore that I and other fans had come up with. The fanon we created within the series was much more interesting. It was an added twist to the original stories.
How else could things have gone? What would happen if this character lived or died?
Rowling is not Harry Potter, nor will she ever be. They may have a shared date of birth, but there is nothing more. The series is over. Harry did not say women have to have vaginas in order to be women. He did not support transphobia. That was not in the books.
In fact, the actors who played in the films have shown their own disappointment within Rowling. If anything, they are more of the series to me than she is.
I will no longer support official merchandise, nor will I support Rowling’s other endeavors. If I want any merchandise, I will go to the fans. I will read their works based off of the stories, I will support them because they created an extension on the series’ world that is not cruel or full of hate.
Rowling is not her series, so I can close the book on that chapter.