A statue of fictional wizard Harry Potter was unveiled in London’s Leicester Square this week, but many online are worried it will be torn down for the alleged ‘transphobic’ transgressions of the character’s creator, J.K. Rowling.
The bronze statue depicting Daniel Radcliffe in arguably his most famous role, flying on his Nimbus 2000, was unveiled on Wednesday and is expected to remain in the square until at least July 2023 as part of the square’s ‘statue trail’.
However, given the recent slew of controversies and high profile rows besetting Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling for her stance on transgender issues, many have questioned whether the statue will be torn down by radical LGBTQ activists.
Waiting to hear the reason it must be torn down. https://t.co/nRD2nMIZAh
“Has @jk_rowling approved this? in an era where people are keen on tearing down statues this seems odd, no?” one person tweeted, referring to the recent spate of statue removals across the Western world in the name of social justice causes.
This gives something for the trans-lobby to pull down.
How long will it stay up….
LGBT allies online called for a trans flag to be placed – or painted – on the statue.
Harry Potter statue to be unveiled in London’s Leicester SquarePlease someone, put a trans flag on it, as we know Daniel Radcliffe is a fab trans ally! ??https://t.co/TotlXGJfyM
Please DO NOT put a flag on it.PAINT IT!!!
“Maybe knocking down statues isn’t bad after all,” quipped one online critic.
Others worried that, no matter what fate befell the statue, it would be politicized by all sides.
Will the statue get covered in transphobic dog-whistle stickers and then be used as an excuse to push anti-trans rhetoric in the papers. OrBe vandalised by people opposed to JK’s transphobia and then be used as an excuse to push anti-trans rhetoric in the papers. ??
Hashtags such as ‘#JkRowlingIsOverParty’ and ‘#CancelRowling’ were shared far and wide across Twitter in recent months following the author’s concerns that children are being peer-pressured into gender reassignment surgery before they understand the full consequences of the decision.
She has repeatedly been labeled as a ‘TERF’ (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) by her opponents in the transgender community for expressing such dissenting views among the LGBTQ community.
For now, the statue remains intact alongside tributes to such children’s fictional favorites as Mary Poppins, Looney Tunes’ Bugs Bunny, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Paddington Bear.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
