#so i think im allowed to complain 🙂↕️🙂↕️

[messrsrarchives]

hey robyn :)

No need to respond to this if the topic is too much to deal with right now, but I've just (as I periodically do) checked jkr's twitter to keep an eye on what fresh horrors she'd inflicting and be informed of how to counteract that through petitions/ donations to trans charities etc...

and I've just seen a thread she's reposted from "SEEN in publishing" suggesting that in the wake of this indefinite puberty blocker ban, books depicting transition and/or puberty blockers and hormones ought to literally be banned. Right. Now she's advocating book bans. (As if the christian right-wing haven't been itching to do the same to her for depicting 'witchcraft' for years).

As abhorrent as this already is, it also got me thinking about the future of fanfiction. Because, although she seems most concerned about kids literature, a lot of young people (and sometimes kids) read fanfiction. And a lot of fanfiction is explicitly queer/trans, particularly in the Marauders fandom.

Although we're perhaps too large a group for her to touch, she's one of the richest authors out there, and also one of the richest people on the planet. If anyone could slam AO3 and fanfic authors with copyright violations etc, it would be her. And to be honest, I've almost stopped being shocked at the depths she will go to, so frankly, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if she came for fanfiction.

I suppose I don't even really have much of a question to ask, but perhaps just if you had any thoughts on the future of fanfiction and this community, and whether we should prepare for her wrath to turn on us.

best wishes for these troubling times,

a friend x

the puberty blocker thing is,,, hard. it's really not often i find a topic i struggle to speak on but. it's fucking difficult. i don't want to whine too much but it really is getting harder and harder. i'll speak on it at some point (because i want to, not because this feels pressuring just to clarify <3) but not just yet so onto the rest of it !

i've looked at the thread and it's just so fucking ironic. harry potter is THE most banned book in america. her books under robert galbraith are disgusting (see here) and it's all just so ironic and so hateful. and so unsurprising.

in terms of fanfiction though,,, i think fanspaces are more at risk and a distinction is needed.

because these spaces are at risk. we will most likely see a backlash against fanfiction sites as this presidency goes forward and the rest of the world follows, mass censorship of LGBTQ+ themes online etc. fanfiction however? fanfiction existed long before the internet and will continue to - we'll always create art. no one can stop the creation of it (just like banning PB isn't going to stop trans people getting them, it'll just be more covert)

but also,,, i think the future of fanfiction AND fanspaces is an issue from both sides, which some people won't like me saying but,,, if fanspaces get attacked, it's the fault of fandoms too. those selling binds, those bringing fandoms to random comment sections (i'm thinking for example ben barnes' comment sections but also random men online getting spammed with james potter comments), the negativity etc etc - fandom is only legal as long it's free, but it's also only safe so long as it's,,,, safe? you know? and i think the more legal issues we run into, the more likely we are to get targetted. and the more hateful it is, the more likely too. we're not as covert as we used to be especially in the hp fandom

and i think we've done a very poor job recently. i say we as a collective but it's not everyone - it's also not a select few, because i could rant for hours about fanfilms but it's also the people blindingly engaging with them and spending €50 on an script that isn't the fanfilms IP (and yes some people simply arent aware but far too many who are aware were involved in TMP script sellings)

i'm losing my train of thought but,,, i think we do absolutely have to think about what happens if these spaces are shut down, but we'll find new ones. we just all need to do a bit better i think, because this is a double-edge sword. but i can 100% see her coming for fanfiction next.

but yah ! potentially more coherent thoughts to follow later and this is your daily reminder that JKR is a despicable human being with a lot of power.

and also a reminder to hold your trans friends a little tighter right now. they need it 🫂

switchboard - national lgbtq+ helpline - for those that need it right now and those that are in a position to donate <3