The LGBTQ+ community has had a rather complicated relationship with theHarry Potterfranchise for some time now. But while some might take that as an indication that they should move on to something more welcoming, some young fans have apparently interpreted it as a challenge.
All across the video social platform TikTok, users are coming out in force to “reclaim” theHarry Potterseries for the LGBTQ+ community. From cosplay videos to duets and even complete rewrites of scenes from the books, fans who refuse to separate their values from the stories they love have taken to the platform to celebrate themselves and whatHarry Potterreally means to them. The hope is that these videos will reach younger, more impressionable fans and help them realize that creations can grow to become more than what their creator might have originally intended.Popular culture can influence LGBTQ+ representationin unexpected ways.
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This push comes as a direct response to many statements andinsinuationsHarry Potterauthor J.K. Rowling has madeover the years, most notably her openly anti-trans stance, which she has repeated in many forms. Her assertion that trans women aren’t “actual” women broke the hearts of trans and non-binaryHarry Potterfans around the world, as well as non-trans allies who support their trans friends and family. While some have decided to swear off the series in retaliation, others have taken a decidedly more proactive approach.
For instance, some of this effort has branched off from a TikTok trend known as #DracoTok, which essentially encompasses content related to the character Draco Malfoy, played by Tom Felton. Many users, like 21-year-old Marthe Woertman, used that as a jumping-off point to address issues the originalHarry Potterstories lacked, such asLGBTQ+ themes. “There’s zero queer representation in the movies so that queer creators were like we’re gonna make it ourselves then, and that’s what I found fun,” she explained when speaking with Gay Times.
Creators like Woertman have contributed to the trend by making videos depicting scenarios they feel could have, or even should have, been included in theHarry Pottermovies and books. Once #DracoTok gained its own level of notoriety (thanks in part to Felton himself taking notice and even participating), the LGBTQ+-focused content began to take off as well, giving young users an outlet to air their frustrations withRowling’s harmful statementswhile creating their own forms of modern artwork. Not only that, but younger users who see these videos get to seeHarry Potterfor the first time through a more inclusive lens, and that seems to be the ultimate goal for many in this particular community.
Rowling may have dealta blow to the inclusivity ofHarry Potterwith her reiterating sentiments, but these fans are proving that creations can outgrow their creators. While some may get a bad taste in their mouth at the idea of continuing to give the series exposure while knowing what they now know, the prevailing attitude seems to be that reclaiming it for all will do more good. It’s like when the purebloods try to exclude muggle-borns. If they had gotten their way, the Wizarding World would have never been introduced to Hermione.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stoneis now available on Amazon Prime Video.
