For years now, fantasy lovers have been forced to contend with a treasured staple of their childhoods and its connection to a writer who has willfully participated in transphobic remarks in recent years.
J.K. Rowling made her thoughts on transgender rights clear years ago, and since then she’s seen her popularity plummet — but not enough to hurt her where it counts. Her wallet is still overstuffed from decades of fervent Harry Potter passion, and — even as boycotts limit her future earning potential — she’s absolutely rolling in that Wizarding World cash.
So much so that she’s the proud owner of an eye-wateringly expensive yacht, which she uses to cruise around the world without needing to rub elbows with her many detractors. Those trans-exclusionary views haven’t made her many friends, but who needs friends when you have billions?
J.K. Rowling’s multi-million dollar yacht
It’s nothing new that J.K. Rowling is bafflingly wealthy, but many people would love to think that the wave of boycotts and outright rejection of Rowling and all of her properties would be enough to take her down a tax bracket. Unfortunately, Harry Potter is still a strong property and, with yet another adaptation of the once-beloved series in development, Rowling’s bank account isn’t set to drain anytime soon.
We all made Rowling a billionaire, and — unfortunately for everyone with empathy and kindness in their hearts — she used it to further the trans-exclusionary movement. Over the last few years she’s become the face of the radical feminist, transgender-erasing movement, and, no matter what we desire, that unfortunately makes Harry Potter complicit.
She made her money off our fandom, and for years she’s been pouring her more than $1 billion net worth into plenty of luxurious things, but among the most lavish is her $150 million yacht. Made in 2015, the Samsara Yacht boasts seven cabins for guests and 13 for crew, 88.5 meters in length, and a maximum speed of 20 knots. It also costs between $10 and $15 million annually to upkeep, so any dreams of Rowling’s coffers draining clearly remain unfulfilled.
We still have a chance to show Rowling how little approval her toxic exclusionary stance has among her one-time fans, particularly with the new W.B. series on the way. We likely won’t ever make her a pauper, but we can turn our backs on her bigoted ideologies and support transgender people by putting that Harry Potter money toward much more worthy causes.
