Published 17:45 IST, July 22nd 2020
Harry Potter book sales drastically collapse as author J.K. Rowling faces backlash
Harry Potter book sales drastically collapse as author J.K. Rowling faces backlash for her trans remarks and controversial tweets on transgender identity, Read-
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As per reports, Harry Potter fans started distancing themselves from J.K. Rowling back in June, soon after she posted a bunch of controversial tweets. Her tweets were about confirming that women can only be identified by their biological sex. Reportedly, this current cultural boycott is particularly visible in Rowling’s print book sales in the United States. And these book sales are witnessing a sudden drop, as per the recent figures from NPD BookScan.
A leading daily also reported that the English novelist experienced her US print book sales increase by just 10.9% in June. While, the other multiple titles in adult, young adult, and juvenile sectors have seen double-digit growth in recent weeks. Reports also say that the sales of “Harry Potter” print books, and other books comprising of licensed titles not authored by Rowling, have also experienced a sudden drop in the sales and increased just 7.7% in the month of June.
The figures of NPD BookScan do not interpret for eBook, audiobook sales, or sales to libraries and direct publisher sales, which have been improved by the recent launch of the new “Harry Potter At Home” hub via WizardingWorld.com. As per reports, the NPD Group has not remarked on J.K. Rowling’s reducing sales, her underperformance has come at a time when the “Harry Potter” author has been boycotted for the controversial tweets and beliefs on transgender identity.
Harry Potter Book sales decrease due to J.K. Rowling controversy-
Several actors from the “Harry Potter” movies and spinoffs, such as Daniel Radcliffe, Eddie Redmayne, Noma Dumezweni, and Emma Watson, are also speaking against Rowling’s remarks.
Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.
— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) June 10, 2020
“Harry Potter” franchise has two most popular fan sites, which are "the Leaky Cauldron" and "Mugglenet". These two sites have also raised their voice against J.K Rowling as they announced that they will no longer cover Rowling’s personal endeavours, or feature photos and quotes from the author.
“We find the use of her influence and privilege to target marginalized people to be out of step with the message of acceptance and empowerment we find in her books and celebrated by the Harry Potter community,” they wrote in a joint statement. The English author hit back by signing an open letter in a leading magazine that warns about the spread of “censoriousness” and “a vogue for public shaming and ostracism.”
Reportedly, a number of 150 writers, academics, and artists have also spoken about this issue and raised their voice by sharing their similar concerns about cancel culture, including Martin Amis, Noam Chomsky, Steven Pinker, Malcolm Gladwell and Gloria Steinem. The initiative #cancel was met with criticism online, with some American journalist and author Glenn Greenwald remarking in a tweet that “several of the people on this @Harpers Open Letter have behavior in their past that reflects the censorious mentality they’re condemning here.”
A statement signed by 150 people incl. Bill T. Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Noam Chomsky, J.K. Rowling, Margaret Atwood, and Salman Rushdie expresses concern over the illiberal trend intensified by our national reckoning.https://t.co/4zPjuPNXBu
— Harper's Magazine (@Harpers) July 7, 2020
17:45 IST, July 22nd 2020