By Kathleen Huynh
Twitter is a cesspool of opinions that should have remained in the drafts. Yet, these less than savory thoughts slip out anyway, resulting in public outrage. While many decry cancel culture as being rash and unproductive, there are some moments in which a person’s words and actions are so glaringly offensive that they ought to be … cancelled.
Earlier this year, author J.K Rowling piped in on a discussion about an op-ed from Devex.com titled, “Creating a More Equal Post-Covid-19 World for People Who Menstruate.” She was appalled that the author chose to say “people who menstruate” instead of “women.” While this may seem like a sound critique, Rowling exhibited Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) ideals. What Rowling failed to understand was that the “people who mensturate” and “women” are not interchangeable. To treat them as the same would be to diminish the identity of transwomen. Even when she was called out by many in the LGBTQ+ community and their advocates, Rowling stoutly defended her beliefs, writing, “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.” There isn’t a right or wrong way to feel about this situation. Every person has the right to decide whether or not they want to be outraged. The reactions varied, but many fans were confronted with the issue of whether or not they could still enjoy Harry Potter—is it possible to separate the art from the artist?
Not every person is a Potterhead but Rowling’s situation reminds us that with the internet, the world is at our fingertips, and our clicks and streams hold power. Not only are we giving our attention to a given subject, we are also giving the person behind it publicity through interaction and furthering their platforms. As stakeholders in determining what is relevant, we should make an effort to be more conscious of who we choose to support. The internet is free; do your research. There really is no excuse not to read up on your favorite artists. Obviously, there will be certain cases of overdrawn scandals that you can choose to ignore, but on the flip side, there will also be evidence of long-standing controversial behavior. In the J.K Rowling controversy, fans all over the world were caught in between a rock and a hard place as “Harry Potter” has been an integral part of their childhoods. Could they continue to support the franchise while cognizant of the author’s problematic opinions? Rowling’s anti-trans opinions are not new or secret. Confronted with these facts, actor Daniel Radcliffe and several other actors in the “Harry Potter” franchise distanced themselves from Rowling and voiced their solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. On a blog post from the Trevor Project, Radcliffe wrote, “While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken … I feel compelled to say something at this moment. Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I. ” His firm statement goes to show that, sometimes, it’s necessary to turn your back on what once brought you joy in order to be consistent with your values and morals. For the average Joes, Janes, and everyone in between, simple actions such as muting an artist is an easy way to separate ourselves from artists that we’re no longer comfortable with.
For all that I’m preaching, the decision is ultimately your own. It is not required to research the views of every author or artist that you come across, but we all should be more conscious about who we choose to support and what they stand for.
While I agree that art cannot be separated from the artist, I still believe that viewers should be able to appreciate the art made by an artist in question without having to be troubled by the questionable views of the artist in question. For example, Richard Wagner had racist and anti-semitic views, yet his music and operas are still played and enjoyed by many free of the implications of his troubling beliefs.