Two Quidditch leagues made it clear Wednesday they would change the name of their’real-life version’ of Quidditch to distance themselves from J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter author, for her comments on the transgender community.
On Wednesday, Major League Quidditch & U.S. Quidditch jointly announced that the two organizations would change the sport’s name in light of recent controversy.
The survey allows you to cast your vote for a name-change.
According to the statement, “The leagues hope a name change will allow them keep their distance from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series book series. She has come under increased scrutiny for her antitranspositions in recent years.”
Rowling’s Harry Potter movies featured a fictional sport. Rowling fans were inspired by the book and film to invent their own version of it and create leagues.
Rowling (56), was initially under scrutiny in June 2020 when she tweeted about biological sexuality, which triggered backlash from trans communities. She was later expelled from the HBO Max 20th Anniversary Harry Potter Special due to her comments about transphobia.
Two Quidditch leagues are changing the name of the sport following Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted about biological sex, leading to backlash from the trans community
Players at MLQ were seen enjoying a live-action version of this sport which usually requires the use broomsticks.
They are changing their names as the Warner Brothers Studio, who produced the Harry Potter films, trademarks it
Rowling’s book The Book of Fantasy made Rowling famous for creating the fantasy sports. It is similar to hockey or soccer, but uses flying broomsticks.
The change also comes after the fact that the name of the sport has been trademarked by Warner Brothers Studios, which produces the Harry Potter franchise, and ‘has limited the sport’s expansion, including but not limited to sponsorship and broadcast opportunities.’
“Our sport is known for its progressive views on gender equality and inclusion, partly due to the gender maximum rule that stipulates that no more than four people of the same gender can be on the field at the same time,” the statement said.
Both organizations believe it’s important to maintain this reputation throughout their operations. This move represents a significant step forward.
On Wednesday, both leagues issued a joint statement to announce the name changes.
The fantasy sports were adapted by Alex Benepe, Xander Marsh and Alex Benepe at Middlebury College in Vermont.
Benepe currently serves as Director of Leagues in Sky Zone Sports. He supported the decision to change the name.
Benepe declared in the statement, “I am thrilled that USQ & MLQ are moving forward in this direction,”
“Big changes such as this are not without risks, but I have been an advocate for this decision for a while.
“The sport must have its own space and growth potential without being restricted. It is vital to change the name.
Rowling posted a series of tweets that featured her opinions on transgender people.
Officials of both leagues released comments as well.
Amanda Dallas, MLQ Commissioner said that the leagues had quietly been collecting information for the move over the last year. She also spoke out about extensive conversations with trademark lawyers and the other leagues to see how to work together to smoothen the process.
‘I believe quidditch is at a turning point,” USQ Executive Director Mary Kimball also commented.
We have the option of keeping it as is and moving at a slow pace, or making big changes that will propel the sport to its next stage.
The sport’s renaming opens up many new revenue streams for the organizations. This is vital to their expansion.
USQ and MLQ both stated that they expect the survey to take place until January 31, after which the decision will be made on the names.
These leagues will retain their initial acronyms while the new name of the sport will still wear the original “Q.”
Both businesses will undergo brand development with MLQ. This includes a redesign of their website and branding.
‘For a decade, I’ve watched USQ grow,’ USQ PR & Marketing Manager Fabiana Echeverria said. The new branding and name will help US Quidditch move into the next stage, while also advancing our goals of making Quidditch a supportive sport for everyone.
‘This is an exciting time for the sport and I can’t wait to see where it takes us!’
The first official poster for the Harry Potter reunion special has been released, featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint
The three protagonists are seen sitting in the set of the Gryffindor common room after they first appeared in Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001
Radcliffe played Harry Potter’s title character, while Watson and Grint were his best friends Ronald Weasley & Hermione Granger.
The controversy surrounding Rowling began in June 2020 when she took to Twitter to criticize an opinion piece that used the term ‘people who menstruate’ instead of women.
“I’m certain there was a word to describe these people,” she wrote at the time. Help me. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?’
After that, she continued to discuss biological sex.
“Sex doesn’t exist, so there won’t be any same-sex attraction,” she stated. She stated that sex cannot be real and will erase the reality of life for women worldwide.
“I am a trans person and I love them, but eliminating the notion of sex is limiting the possibility of people being able to discuss their lives in a meaningful way.”
Rowling stated later that she respected ‘every transperson’s right to live however they feel comfortable, and she said she would march for anyone who was being discriminated against due to her trans identity.
‘At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female,’ Rowling said, The Associated Press reported at the time.
I don’t think it’s racist to do so.
After her new book Troubled Blood was published under Rowling’s pseudonym Robert Galbraith, it was discovered that she had revealed the evil in the story. This renewed transphobia prompted her to face fresh calls in September 2020. A male serial killer dressed as a woman in order to kill his victims.
An early review of the 900-page book by The Daily Telegraph – in which the critic states the book’s ‘moral seems to be: never trust a man in a dress’ – sparked immediate backlash online.
Rowling has been criticised by many fans. Eddie Redmayne, Rupert Grint Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint have also come out to condemn Rowling.
Grint plays Ron Weasley on the beloved series in film. admitted that he felt he needed to stand up for transgender people following Rowling’s remarks.
He said that while he was ‘not an authority’ on the debate, he felt he had a responsibility to speak out in support of the trans community as ‘silence is louder’.
In an interview with Esquire, he said: ‘I am hugely grateful [for] everything that she’s done. I think that she’s extremely talented, and I mean, clearly, her works are genius.’
“But, yeah, I believe you can also have great respect and disagreement with someone…
“Sometimes, silence can be even more loud. It was necessary that I did so because it felt important. I mean, I don’t want to talk about all that… Generally, I’m not an authority on the subject.
“Just out kindness and simply respecting other people. I think it’s a valuable group that I think needs standing up for.’
Rowling was not included in promotional material for Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, which will air on HBO Max January 1, 2022.
However, the author will appear in archive footage as part of this special.