All references to JK Rowling have been removed from a museum in Seattle after one employee referred to her views on gender identity as “hateful”.
The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in the US city took out all references to the Harry Potter author from its exhibition Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic, and removed her image from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
The decision came after a lengthy blog post was written by a transgender museum employee back in May, that accused the author of “transphobic viewpoints”.
On Sunday, the museum confirmed their decision, saying they “root themselves in empathy, collaboration, and empowerment” and are “looking to create opportunities for underrepresented voices in the arts and culture sector” within the next three years.
Rowling, 58, has received a barrage of online abuse after her comments on transgender issues, which came to light in a number of posts on X (formerly Twitter) that she published in 2020.
The museum’s blog post said that as a result of what it called Rowling’s “super hateful and divisive views” it was removing any mention of the author on artefacts, instead concentrating on “the work of the actors, prop makers, and costume designers”.
“For the time being, the curators decided to remove any of her artefacts from this gallery to reduce her impact. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s what we were able to do in the short-term while determining long-term practices,” they wrote.
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The post added: “We learned that [Rowling] was a problem, which is why you’ll see the artefacts without any mention or image of the author. I’m not even talking about ‘separating art from artist’ but giving credit where it’s due.”
Many stars of the Harry Potter film franchise – including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint – have spoken out publicly in opposition to Rowling’s views on gender.
In a 2022 interview with Sky News, actor Tom Felton was blocked from answering a question on Rowling, insisting that she was “not relevant” despite the occasion celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first book in the series – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
American film company Warner Bros. then said in a statement that it was “wholly wrong” and that they are “proud” to work with “one of the world’s most accomplished storytellers”.
‘Never set out to upset anyone’
In the past, Rowling has responded to backlash she has received, saying she “never set out to upset anyone”.
The author has always denied accusations of transphobia and said there were “a tonne of Potter fans that were grateful that I said what I said“.
Among the tweets she had written in June 2020 was one saying: “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.”
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Speaking on a podcast in February this year, she said: “What has interested me in the last 10 years and certainly in the last few years, particularly on social media: ‘You’ve ruined your legacy, oh you could have been beloved forever but you chose to say this’ and I think you could not have misunderstood me more profoundly.
“I do not walk around my house thinking about my legacy. What a pompous way to live your life – walking around thinking about what my legacy will be. Whatever. I’ll be dead. I care about now. I care about the living.”
JK Rowling’s representative has been approached by Sky News for comment.
