J.K. Rowling’s tweets about trans women have a bunch of former Harry Potter fans recommending Animorphs instead. Yesterday, the Potter scribe commented about a news story on her personal Twitter account and took things in a transphobic direction. Before long, she was trending on the platform amid worldwide protests against racism and police brutality. Last December saw Rowling upset the LGBTQ community by supporting Maya Forstater, a researcher who was fired after derogatory remarks about people’s gender identification. But, yesterday’s words seemed to be the last straw for some vocal fans who oppose that kind of rhetoric. Now, Animorphs is trending nationwide on the platform.
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Rowling wrote, “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” She would later type, “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. 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.”
Screw Harry Potter. GO READ ANIMORPHS!
This was 1998. pic.twitter.com/VpcNrcyyrU
— Tom Jensen🏳️🌈 (@keicowku) June 7, 2020
When asked by different users about her stance, she didn’t relent and the Internet decided to dunk on her with furious abandon. When the topic of K.A. Applegate’s Animorphs books came up, many nodded at her inclusive approach. Along with that, the author has also been using her platform to amplify the calls for action in the wake of George Floyd’s death. One popular comment reflected on her striking letter to Animorphs fans who felt unfulfilled by the ending of the series. (It’s kind of heavy, but necessary to understand how little coddling of the readership happens in those books.)
For those interested, you can read all 54 of the Animorphs books for free in both ePub and PDF format. (s/o to the Reddit Animorphs community) Social distancing at home requires a bit of reading material, and its there in spades if you enjoy children’s fantasy literature. Things have changed a bit since 1995, and in some ways they can be very much the same, but these weird tales of kids who can turn into animals and fight psychic slugs have not lost their edge. Things can be dark, scary, and hostile, but Rachel, Cassie, Marco, Jake, Tobias, and Ax all did their best to fight for the future of the planet. Hopefully, another generation will get a chance to learn from their story.
Have you read Animorphs? Let us know in the comments! Check out Elon’s interactions with the fans below:
Strong statement
throw out your wizard books and buy Animorphs, the series with an afterword where the author goes “oh, are you sad that this war story didn’t end happily? good, you should be, no war ends happily because all war is bad”
— Paul Krueger (@NotLikeFreddy) June 7, 2020
Sometimes things are a bit more complex
abandon harry potter and read animorphs instead which is k a applegate’s story about how war is complex and depressing and doesnt always have happy endings esp for minors and she is extremely trans supportive and has a trans daughter
— 🌾 wheat witch ☆ (@bloomfilters) June 7, 2020
Accurate
Rachel at the start of Animorphs vs Rachel at the end pic.twitter.com/iDJb3blf98
— Kojo (@DatUncleOfYours) June 7, 2020
Slight SPOILER WARNING
Wow people are talking about #Animorphs! That’s a series that could use a reboot. I remember watching the show so well. My first time ever seeing Shawn Ashmore! Poor Tobias turned into a hawk and couldn’t turn back into a human! pic.twitter.com/dFUq9plyJl
— Will is 30!!!!! (@AXEtheMercenary) June 7, 2020
The Chronicles are deep
I grew up reading @kaaauthor‘s Animorphs. As great as the series were and a huge part of my childhood; those companion books gave the story so much depth and context. The Andalite Chronicles, the Hork-Bajir Chronicles, The Andalite and Ellimist Chronicles were epic! #animorphs pic.twitter.com/WH3K9ysg1y
— SAbdul (@rilipinoy) June 7, 2020
Taking a victory lap
I can’t believe this day has come but I can finally brag about the fact that, growing up, I was an #Animorphs kid and not a #HarryPotter kid. If you want some good young adult sci-fi, read Animorphs. pic.twitter.com/3ptmPefxAH
— Pen Pen 🐧 is best girl 💙 (@Saitama666_) June 7, 2020
Hysterical recreation
Obey the Yeerk and read Animorphs pic.twitter.com/kL1xsf34ab
— Thot’s of a Croc (@OregonProgress) June 7, 2020
The wiki is a delight
Having a normal one on the Animorphs wiki pic.twitter.com/UWK0hDNiFx
— Super Secret Squirrel (@SpaceKoyotes) June 7, 2020
So important
As a shy, nerdy elementary/middle school kid, @Animorphs did more for my imagination than the other children’s fantasy novels combined.
— tfinferno (@tfinferno86) June 7, 2020
I’m grateful to those books for giving me that escape. And as a PoC and an #LGBTQ ally, it’s great to see @kaaauthor supporting both. pic.twitter.com/LLKPkWy5qA
There are some takes flying
hot take: Everworld > Animorphs pic.twitter.com/jrKMXYdkCk
— 🖤 (@ceaspoon) June 7, 2020
