Bookstores in San Francisco have pulled “Harry Potter” books from the shelves over J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans views and in protest of a new private legal fund the author has launched.
Booksmith, a popular bookstore in the city’s Haight Ashbury neighborhood, announced the move in response to the launch of the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund.
The legal fund, which doesn’t specifically mention transgender people, will support “individuals and organizations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces,” its website says.
The bookstore characterized the fund as “an organization dedicated to removing transgender rights” in a statement.
“With this announcement, we've decided to stop carrying her books. We don't know exactly what her ‘women's fund’ will entail, but we know that we aren't going to be a part of it,” the statement said.
“As a group of queer booksellers, we also had our adolescence shaped by wizards and elves. Look at us, it's obvious. If you or someone you love wants to dive into the world of Harry Potter, we suggest doing so by buying used copies of these books,” it continued.
Booksmith added a list of suggested titles for customers that “might fit the [Harry Potter] brief” as an alternative.
Fabulosa Books, another San Francisco bookstore, also announced it would no longer be buying or selling Rowling’s books “as she is devoting her life to nastiness,” a post on its Instagram page said.
Rowling’s fund was announced at the end of May. “I looked into all options and a private fund is the most efficient, streamlined way for me to do this,” the author said. “Lots of people are offering to contribute, which I truly appreciate, but there are many other women’s rights orgs that could do with the money, so donate away, just not to me!”
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, the trio of child actors who played Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, have all publicly shunned Rowling over her apparent anti-transgender views.
The author has said she would not forgive them for criticizing her opinions, telling them to “save their apologies.”
Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the films, was recently asked whether Rowling’s views “impact you at all or impact your work in the world of Harry Potter at all.”
“No, I can’t say it does,” he replied. “I’m not really that attuned to it.”
“The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world – here I am in New York – and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. And she’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful.”
The remarks overshadowed the announcement he will reprise the role of Draco in the Broadway play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
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