Should Harry Potter be "canceled" because of J.K. Rowling's transphobic statements?

J.K. Rowling profits from continued media exposure through the Harry Potter series

Question: Should Harry Potter be "canceled" because of J.K. Rowling's transphobic statements?
Position‹2 of 3›: Yes, the Harry Potter series should be “canceled”
Argument: J.K. Rowling profits from continued media exposure through the Harry Potter series

“All press is good press” is a marketing tactic that has been co-opted in recent years by conservative outlets. By scrutinizing Rowling and her platform, the movement she speaks for gains national attention, whereas it might otherwise fizzle out into unawareness.

The argument

Indulging Rowling in the media circus brought on by her stance on transgender issues only serves to commodify and promote her platform. Many may not share her beliefs, but her voice is amplified due to the popularity of her books. Any response to her shines a light on a movement that may not have gained much attention otherwise. J.K. Rowling is one of the most affluent and prolific authors of this century, and as such, has been afforded many privileges, including access to a far-reaching platform. When she chooses to use that platform for hate and negative rhetoric, much of which has been disproved by scientific study, she shows the world that she can get away with almost anything due to her powerful status. An arbitrary “cancellation” of the author has proven to be ineffective in this circumstance. Rowling has gone on to publish a book that perpetuates harmful stereotypes about cross-dressing and trans people. She quite literally profits from the controversial stance she takes. As such, the only way to meaningfully counteract her controversial views is to stop buying and discussing her books on large platforms. This way, she cannot continue to profit off of them, and her cultural relevance is diminished. There are many other authors who write fantasy fiction and represent a much broader range of lived experiences and include genuine diversity in their works. We should be turning towards those authors in modern times, rather than clinging desperately to the outdated and bigoted ones.

Premises

[P1]Engaging with the media circus around Rowling's views only commodifies and promotes her platform. [P2] Because of the books' popularity her voice is amplified, so any response draws attention to views that might otherwise gain little. [P3] As one of the century's most affluent authors she already has a far-reaching platform, which proponents say she uses for harmful rhetoric. [C] Therefore, to stop amplifying that platform, the Harry Potter series should be "canceled."

Counter-arguments

Many LGBTQ youths have adapted Harry Potter for their own use. Taking the series away from them for the sake of public and moral justification is nothing more than badly-intentioned virtue-signaling. Personal feelings towards the Harry Potter series and its relationship with Rowling should not make for a universal decision; instead, each should be allowed to make their own choice about what they deem acceptable.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] The premise is in tension with the conclusion it supports. If attention is what commodifies the platform, then a public campaign to cancel a globally famous series is itself a very large quantity of attention, and no reason is given to think a boycott generates less of it than silence would. [Rejecting P2] Amplification through book sales and amplification through news coverage are different mechanisms, and the argument treats them as one. The statements at issue circulated through media and social platforms rather than through the novels, so reducing sales does not obviously reduce the reach of the views. [Rejecting P3] This premise concedes the decisive point: the argument states that cancellation "has proven to be ineffective in this circumstance" and that she profits from the controversy, then recommends more of the same remedy. It also leaves the counter-argument's objection standing — that the cost falls on readers, including the LGBTQ readers who have made their own use of the books, rather than on the author, and that what to read is the kind of decision individuals ordinarily make for themselves.

Proponents cited

Kacen Callendar
“I understand the stakes when it comes to writing books for children and teens. I understand that books can save lives, as they have saved mine. I also understand that, when a powerful children’s author like J. K. Rowling spouts the same sort of hateful rhetoric that already kills so many, she is directly influencing the lives of children and young readers who might have once looked up to her and found safety in her work. Her words have not only been emotionally harmful. They are dangerous and potentially life-threatening, and could impact a young transgender or nonbinary person’s mental health — the very same youth she is writing for, the same people she had once taught empathy, the lives she is supposed to want to protect and love. I’m worried for the young trans and nonbinary readers who have been betrayed by her. I think about the responsibility we all have to end our support of J. K. Rowling.”
Flourish Kink
“When J.K. started expressing her opinions about trans folks, it became really clear that she would fundamentally disapprove of me as a nonbinary person, and that she holds beliefs that I think are fundamentally dangerous to people like me. It hurt because when I was a child, I idolized her so much. It’s one thing to write books that kind of imply a regressive worldview, and it's another thing entirely to speak out so loudly and stridently, you know? Her words felt extremely personal to me. After reading what [Rowling] said, just being around anything Harry Potter-related kinda hurts. Her blog post about trans issues was the moment I knew I had to completely let Harry Potter go...It’s extremely hard to leave Harry Potter behind. It's hard to express how much it’s shaped my life — I’m 33 now and it’s been with me for two-thirds of my existence. There’s so much of my life that’s intertwined with Harry Potter that it’s difficult to comprehend that I won't be taking part in any of it anymore. But when I do try to think about it or interact with it, it just makes me sad. That’s not what I'm there for.”