The massive success of the Harry Potter movies has resulted in a continuous expansion of the universe in the years that followed. On the big screen, fans were introduced to the prequel world of Fantastic Beasts that boasted a cast of veteran actors such as Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne, and at one point, Johnny Depp (he was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen for the third movie). There have also been rumors of a Harry Potter series in the works but that hasn’t been confirmed so far.Meanwhile, outside of the movies and shows, quidditch, the fictional sport first introduced by author J.K. Rowling in her Harry Potter books, has also taken a life of its own. Back in 2005, it became a real-life sport and since then, quidditch has attracted players from all over the world.In light of the controversy surrounding Rowling though, it was recently decided that quidditch would have to go by another name.
J.K. Rowling Has Been Under Fire For Offensive Comments
Rowling may have been outspoken for as long as fans have known her for Harry Potter, but it was only back in 2020 when her comments resulted in a major controversy.
Back then, the author retweeted an op-ed piece with the term people who menstruate” used in the article. “'People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” Rowling wrote.
This immediately created a backlash, but Rowling wouldn’t back down.
“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” she wrote in a follow-up tweet.
“I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”
Not long after, Rowling also published a post on her website in which she took up the acronym TERF or Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist and also explained why she tweeted her support for Maya Forstater, a woman who lost her job after being accused of making ‘transphobic’ tweets.
The author also detailed her reasons for being “worried about the new trans activism,” which drew even more ire from Harry Potter fans and trans activists alike.
In response, Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint also released statements in support of the transgender community.
J.K. Rowling’s Recent Controversy Has Resulted In Quidditch Being Renamed To ‘Quadball’
Outside of Hollywood, Rowling’s apparent war with the transgender community has also had some repercussions. Recently, the real-life quidditch sport has been renamed to quadball after years of promoting the sport that also features a snitch, much like the books and films (instead of a flying ball though, the snitch is a player dressed in gold and yellow).
“We did not make this name-change lightly,” the Major League Quadball (MQA) said in an open letter from founders Ethan Sturm and Amanda Dallas.
“Quadball is the result of thousands of surveyed stakeholders all across the world, hundreds of volunteer hours, tens of discussions with legal teams, and the collaborative efforts of MLQ and USQ.”
And while Rowling wasn’t mentioned in MQA’s letter, a press statement published by the International Quidditch Association (IQA) in July confirmed that the author and her “anti-trans positions” as one of the reasons for the name change.
In addition, the MQA has also made sure to emphasize that the transgender community is welcome to join the games as it promoted its Take Back the Pitch campaign.
“Take Back the Pitch is a showcase that challenges the current understanding of gender in quadball and opens opportunities for gender-diverse athletes to play quadball out from under the scrutiny of misogyny, transmisogyny, and misdirected misogyny,” its website explained.
“Through the open-access tournament, MLQ aims to highlight and lift up athletes that are overlooked by their seasonal teams and in the community on account of sex and gender, and give them the leadership opportunities, playing time, and diverse skill training they deserve all the time.”
And now that the sport has distanced itself from Rowling (and Harry Potter), the games have continued. Recently, dates for its upcoming IQA World Cup 2023 have also been revealed.
It will take place in Richmond, Virginia from July 15 to 16, 2023. “We are so excited to continue working on the IQA World Cup!” IQA Events Director Luke Zak said in a statement. “After having two amazing Continental Games, I'm certain that we will have a wonderful World Cup!”
