I just don't know if this correct, TBH. But others can weigh in, in my absence.

Matthew R Francis@bowlerhatscience.org · 2d ago

I don't think it's nostalgic to think HP is different than other fandoms in scale, diversity, and devotion. I think nostalgia plays a role in people's unwillingness to leave that fandom, in that they want to hold onto how the franchise makes/made them feel.

How would you act if you kid thought a Tesla looked cool? Or a nazi symbol? My suggestion is I dunno, react like that.

Sandy Ernest Allen@sandyernestallen.bsky.social · 2d ago

When I say boycott, I mean boycott. I mean dollars, I mean vibes. I mean make this bigot's toxic IP more toxic, every opportunity you see, big or small. Speak up when a fellow parent hosts a Harry Potter birthday party. React accordingly if your kids want to consume HP. These are individual calls.

Rather than arguing about what doesn't count as part of a boycott, why not figure out how you *can* meaningfully contribute, even in your own heart?

This isn't a one size fits all answer, is one to me obvious point. For some people "Harry Potter" means books, for some it means movies, for some it's games, it's parks, it's whatever else. For some it's their entire identities. It's an individual's call, whether they divest from Harry Potter ...

Sandy Ernest Allen@sandyernestallen.bsky.social · 2d ago

I do want to respond: My point in crowdsourcing answers and writing on this is I hope to give whoever — parents, fans, readers, kids, ideas of other stuff they can read/check out/enjoy that's not Harry Potter, because I think this nostalgic delusion of Harry Potter being exceptional is a big issue.

(I do agree and it's what I plan on writing about more in this post. It's for sure a mechanism is at play here.)

THIS MACHINE LIFTS WEIGHTS@sorblaze.northsky.social · 2d ago

For most HP fans it's literally just nostalgia for their youth They want to (like boomers) force their children to accept the pop culture they had in their childhood. They're addicted to nostalgia and don't realize how fascist it's making them.

Yeah I mean for the record, I tend to agree. I AM a former fan and I don't think Harry Potter is special. It's everywhere, yes. It's very nostalgic for many, central to our histories etc. But that doesn't make it too unique in my view. Stating the obvious: Many other (big) communities of fans exist.

Lime@lime-equine.bsky.social · 2d ago

Is there a reason why people can’t move on from this that’s unique to them or the series? I read the books as an adult, my wife was a huge fan and wanted me to share her interest while the books were still coming out. I went to movie/book releases. It didn’t seem special or unique. 2/2

Yeah, thanks for sharing. I'll share my essay re: my own history with Harry Potter once again and then log out. Again, I'm asking these questions genuinely; I don't pay close enough attention to fandoms, genre lit, nerd shit like that LOL. I have my nerdy proclivities but they're just different.

Lime@lime-equine.bsky.social · 2d ago

I grew up when HP was coming out and popular among family and friends my age. I never got into anything in the same way but I have been a part of a lot of communities and fandoms and had no trouble dropping them for moral reasons or new interests. 1/2

And to be clear: This is a genuine question. I don't have kids and don't really know the today answers. In my vague opinion there are other analogues to Harry Potter in terms of the all pervasiveness of the branding across ages and especially regarding capturing new kids, but I could be wrong ...

Sandy Ernest Allen@sandyernestallen.bsky.social · 2d ago

Is this even true? That "nothing exists" like Harry Potter in this respect?

Here's my essay again, just for anyone who's not read it: lithub.com/burn-harry-b...

Burn Harry Burn: Reckoning With My Harry Potter Fandom as a Trans Person

During the spring of 2020, as the world locked down and people were dead and dying and breaking apart and mourning and afraid and hiding, the British author J.K. Rowling decided to publish an open …

lithub.com

Sandy Ernest Allen@sandyernestallen.bsky.social · 2d ago

Well I'm not talking about just the books I guess, I'm talking about the whole cultural universe that is Harry Potter. Which I argue folks should boycott all the crap you allude to — hence I'm exploring ideas as to alternatives for parents especially. Sure, book series, and everything else too.

This going around has caused me to resurrect my zombie of a piece that's an ENORMOUS thread of responses trans folks shared with me, to this question

Heather Hill@rollin-academic.bsky.social · 4d ago

A question from Reddit that I'll answer here: "What's the most unhinged thing a doctor has said to you with a straight face?"

I’m haven’t gotten around to the last three books yet but Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was a favorite for me growing up. The Magicians if you’ve got an older teen.

One of my best friends is one of the original "StarKid" cast members — for particular musical theater/Harry Potter nerds of a certain age who know that reference. If he can figure out how to separate himself from this culture I think anyone can.

Matthew R Francis@bowlerhatscience.org · 2d ago

... the ambient culture is what people love more than the stories themselves. That's not replicable in an organic way.

I read A LOT. I don't have time to write reviews, but if anyone wants to have a look at my ratings on my storygraph account, here it is. I usually go more for SciFi than Fantasy though. app.thestorygraph.com/profile/lady...

My favorite YA (?) books are the classic Moomin books by the great Tove Jansson. She also made comics about these characters, referenced here in my illustrated personal essay. I will add a trigger warning about my work below re: incest survivorship. medium.com/mammon-machi...

Turned Into Flowers

Tove Jansson, love, loss, the Moomins, and making it through this winter

medium.com

Sandy Ernest Allen@sandyernestallen.bsky.social · 2d ago

Just to respond to one (more) point here: I also often think I *should* read more YA, because I do enjoy some that I read! I liked Pet for example: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/586483...

Is this even true? That "nothing exists" like Harry Potter in this respect?

Matthew R Francis@bowlerhatscience.org · 2d ago

I think another problem (which others have highlighted) is that HP is books but also movies, cosplay, LEGO kits, and lots of fandom. Nothing exists like that except HP. I never really participated in most of that (the movies were mid at best and I did one costume once), but I think ...

Sorry/not sorry if me posting about Harry Potter gives you license to be rude in my replies, I'll just eventually block you.

Genuinely: Why say this to me? I'm crowdsourcing ideas to write a post that you evidently won't find helpful. You're following along but want to let me know it's a bad idea and also everybody's tastes suck? Okay?

- The Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper - they are a bit old fashioned by now, especially when it comes to gender roles, but they are charming and kind with loving and caring characters - The Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett are for younger readers, but all of Discworld is good. 4/x

Yeah bonus points I suppose if folks rec sci fi/fantasy/other genre lit that's by trans/gnc/queer authors or has decent trans/gnc/queer representation ...

Your Cyberpunk Future@lady8jane.bsky.social · 2d ago

One of Tamora Pierce's other series has an outright trans character, I've forgotten which one, but heck, all her books are very charming and fun. - Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin - at least the first 3 are YA, but try to get the collection The Books of Earthsea with all Earthsea works 2/x

Earthsea even covers similar themes as HP: A powerful man wants to cheat death and breaks the world in the attempt. - Chrestomanci Series and Howls Castle Series by Diana Wynne Jones - what do I even have to say here, if you've seen Howl's Moving Castle ... you know :) 3/x

The chronicles of crestomanci blew my mind, she’s a fantastic author

Multiple trips and they won't reimburse. Shameful IMO.

Sandy Ernest Allen@sandyernestallen.bsky.social · 2d ago

Without naming names, this is a story for a "big" magazine that's paying me so little I'm not even gonna break even, post expenses. I had to travel to report.

Alright, What's Helping Today ... I finally am finishing a story I've been working on for 15+ months. As in like, today.

Alright, let's see. - Animorphs by K. A. Applegate - weirdly nuanced depiction of what war does to young people + amazing cover art - the couple writing these has a trans daughter, they are outspoken allies - The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce - deals with gender and gender roles 1/x

One of our favorite series ever. Still have the set 20 years later. Highly recommend Gregor the Overlander.

Diana Wynne Jones had some excellent books about magic I loved as a kid (and as an adult upon reread). All the Chrestomanci books are fun

just to say aloud, a reason that I'm asking people about alternatives to Harry Potter is that precisely this: so many people read the series to their kids. I don't have kids or kids I read to so am way less aware of the options that are out there.

H R Pickens@hrpickens.bsky.social · 2d ago

This. I've been reading these to my 8yo and he loves them. I read them as a kid and they're even better than I remember.

Just to respond to one (more) point here: I also often think I *should* read more YA, because I do enjoy some that I read! I liked Pet for example: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/586483...

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi: 9780593175446 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • STONEWALL BOOK AWARD WINNER • ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by The New York Times • Time...

penguinrandomhouse.com

Matthew R Francis@bowlerhatscience.org · 3d ago

oh sure but I wasn't sure if the question was specifically directed for people who want children's/YA books to fill the HP-shaped hole in their lives. I certainly don't read much YA stuff, though I should do more.

Yuuuup.

Erren@erren.bsky.social · 3d ago

You'd think they could take Daniel Radcliffe's example and let it go.

(Sometimes I wonder if I'm losing my mind, the things people say to me on this website, but indeed Earthsea's been recommended already, a few times.)

The Ghost of Joe Liebling's Dog@joesdog.bsky.social · 3d ago

Wanted to recommend this series too. Not only beautifully written, but as with Le Guin's Earthsea series the magic feels much more "real" and serious, as does the central conflict.