Quidditch Governing Body to Rename Sport Over J.K. Rowling’s ‘Anti-Trans’ Positions
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The governing body for the real-life adaptation of the fictional Harry Potter game Quidditch will rename the competitive sport over what it called “anti-trans” positions from series author J.K Rowling.
US Quidditch joined Major League Quidditch, the sport’s largest league, in issuing a joint press release this week with regard to the coming rebrand.
The two entities wrote, “USQ and Major League Quidditch have begun the process of selecting a new name for the real-life version of quidditch. The leagues will conduct a series of surveys over the next few months to guide a decision regarding the new name.”
The statement continued, “As the game has grown, the name ‘quidditch,’ which is trademarked by Warner Bros., has limited the sport’s expansion, including but not limited to sponsorship and broadcast opportunities. Both leagues expect that this name change will allow for new and exciting developments for our players, fans, and volunteers as the sport continues to grow.”
The press release then took its shot at Rowling, who has divided Potter fans in recent years over her positions on transgender women. Rowling previously labeled herself a TERF, which is an acronym for “trans-exclusionary radical feminist.”
The stance has endeared her to comedian Dave Chappelle, but not to those who play the game she first introduced to the world in 1997 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
USQ and MLQ said of Rowling:
Additionally, the leagues are hoping a name change can help them continue to distance themselves from the works of J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series, who has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years. Our sport has developed a reputation as one of the most progressive sports in the world on gender equality and inclusivity, in part thanks to its gender maximum rule, which stipulates that a team may not have more than four players of the same gender on the field at a time. Both organizations feel it is imperative to live up to this reputation in all aspects of their operations and believe this move is a step in that direction.
While the real-life sport does not feature flying brooms, witches and wizards, magic, or catching an elusive and gravity-defying snitch, it has gained popularity since people organized and began playing it competitively on grass fields using dodge balls, tennis balls and volley balls in 2005.
Those who run the sport are seeking to expand its influence, and to leave Rowling behind.
US Quidditch executive director Mary Kimball said, “I believe quidditch is at a turning point. We can continue the status quo and stay relatively small, or we can make big moves and really propel this sport forward into its next phase. Renaming the sport opens up so many more revenue opportunities for both organizations, which is crucial to expansion.”
