Hogwarts Legacy’s pre-launch has been about as controversy free as a Netflix stand-up special from a 55-year-old comedian. With a shroud encompassing it for many months prior to release, a surprise bonus controversy popped up just as early access to the game launched.
As players began to gain access to the game, a franchise first was introduced to the public. The Wizarding World now has its very first transgender character, but an issue was quickly picked up by critics regarding the character’s name — Sirona Ryan.
Why is Sirona Ryan’s name being called transphobic?
There are a few issues that need to be addressed to fully understand the backlash to Sirona.
The biggest is J.K. Rowling, and her place within the Harry Potter franchise. Rowling is a trans-exclusionary radical feminist, who has repeatedly shared highly transphobic comments, denied trans-women’s status as women (which they are), and in recent years, the 57-year-old author has even been called out for racism.
One of the more common criticisms comes from Rowling’s naming process for characters. She often seems to name characters using racist tropes or stereotypes. Well known characters with problematic names include Cho Chang (which combines two completely different Asian cultures with very different naming customs), Kingsley Shacklebolt (a Black character name that involves shackles, a la slavery in some eyes), and Jewish wizard Anthony Goldstein (lazy, really). Notice a bit of a pattern?
Rowling has absolutely nothing to do with Hogwarts Legacy other than financial pushback due to its reliance on her IP, and the developer behind the game, Avalanche Studios, seems desperate to distance the game from her.
Unfortunately, Sirona Ryan feels like she follows in Rowling’s same terrible form, despite Rowling’s lack of involvement in her development. Fans have found several problems with her name, but before listing them it’s worth noting that Sirona is a Celtic name derived from a vital goddess.
But within the Harry Potter world, fans take issue with the character. Adding “sir” into a trans woman’s name feels far from subtle, and very much fitting with Rowling’s anti-trans viewpoints. Then there’s her a masculine-leaning last name, Ryan, which again feels like something which should be completely avoided.
Smaller sections of critics also noted how Sirona Ryan features the term “Aryan,” which is typically connected to jargon from eugenicists and white supremacists. This one feels a bit more like a stretch, however, and a note that you’d only find if you were really searching for patterns. The crux of arguments against Sirona remain the “sir” and “Ryan” portions of her name, which feel egregious given she could’ve sported literally any other name.
Hogwarts Legacy is stuck in a mess that keeps getting more complicated, but the game is experiencing zero issues attracting players and stirring up interest.
