Debbie Hayton Debbie Hayton

Why is Quidditch snitching on JK Rowling over trans rights?

A Quidditch player in the United States takes to the field (Getty images)

To those of us who know Quidditch from the fantasy world of the Harry Potter books, the idea of grown-ups running around a field with a broomstick clasped between their legs is a bit ridiculous. But make no mistake: this is serious stuff. The sport has its own governing body, the International Quidditch Association, that manages its rule book. And there’s also a World Cup, currently held by the United States, which has won the tournament three times. But now, there’s trouble brewing in the world of Quidditch.

As the sport has grown, a problem has emerged. The name Quidditch is trademarked by Warner Brothers. In a recent statement, US Quidditch explained that this had ‘limited the sport’s expansion, including but not limited to sponsorship and broadcast opportunities.’ As a result, a name change has been proposed. But this shake-up isn’t simply about seeking to avoid the attention of Warner Brothers’ lawyers. Once again, JK Rowling – the person who came up with the concept of Quidditch in the first place – has found herself in the firing line.

‘Additionally,’ the statement said, ‘the leagues are hoping a name change can help them continue to distance themselves from the works of J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series, who has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years.’

Rowling may have created the magical world of Harry Potter, Hogwarts and Quidditch, but she has her feet on the ground when it comes to the reality of the difference between male and female

Quidditch, you see, considers itself to be ‘one of the most progressive sports in the world on gender equality and inclusivity’. Its gender maximum rule stipulates that a team may not have more than four players of the same gender on the field at a time. On the face of it, this appears to be a worthy aim: it protects the representation of women in a mixed-sex sport.

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