Claim OwnershipThe Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling
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The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling is an audio documentary that examines some of the most contentious conflicts of our time through the life and career of the world’s most successful author. In conversation with host Megan Phelps-Roper, J.K. Rowling speaks with unprecedented candor and depth about the controversies surrounding her—from book bans to debates on gender and sex. The series also examines the forces propelling this moment in history, through interviews with Rowling’s supporters and critics, journalists, historians, clinicians, and more.
8 Episodes
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13The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling premieres Tuesday, February 21, 2023.
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Read an essay by host Megan Phelps-Roper
Host Megan Phelps-Roper writes a letter to J.K. Rowling—and receives a surprising invitation in reply: the opportunity for an intimate conversation in Rowling’s Scottish home.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
As "Harry Potter" becomes an international phenomenon, it coincides with the culture wars of the 1990s. In the backlash from Christians across America, author J.K. Rowling is accused of mainstreaming witchcraft and poisoning children’s minds.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
The early days of the internet collide with the feverish fandom of “Harry Potter,” and a sprawling, global community emerges. But the hopefulness of this new technology brings with it the darker impulses of human nature.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
The movement for trans rights hits its stride in the early 2010s, but encounters fierce resistance from an unexpected source. J.K. Rowling watches the battle unfold with mounting unease.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
After years of observing the conflict between advocates for trans rights and women’s rights, J.K. Rowling weighs in.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
Transgender fans of Harry Potter share their criticism of J.K. Rowling—and the experiences that inform their views.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Megan Phelps-Roper, and Candace Mittel Kahn, with special thanks to Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
Host Megan Phelps-Roper asks J.K. Rowling to respond to pushback from some of her critics. The two also discuss the difficulty of discernment—why it can be so hard to know what’s right.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
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JK has done nothing wrong whatsoever. She is a real hero for what string minded women can achieve. F*k the ideologues and the ideology. Trans is a mental illness, not a state of being. I'd never tell an anorexic that they are right and affirm their belief they are fat. Equally, I wouldn't affirm the gender dysphoria in these people either. You are a very confused individual, you're not a woman/boy.
My biggest issue with Rowling is that she jumped on the completely manufactured anti-Corbyn craze and is a generally reactionary Blairite Labor type. Probably ended up joining the LibDems with the rest of the Zionist nitwits.
i boycott her because she donated 1 million pound of her own money to the "better together" campaign to brainwash and trick old people into losing their pensions if Scotland becomes independent.
Yhe young man at the end of this episode was a delight to listen to. Incredibly articulate and thought provoking. Thank you!
This was beautiful!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you're interested in learning more about her and her work, you can visit her website at https://www.ahsaasprogram.pk/sehat-insaf-card/
so well done
these people are literally insane and breathing their own air so much they have lost all common sense.
people aren't even trying to listen to what she's saying. it's all..you need to understand me. but is that going both ways?
she is so intelligent
too bad some of these ... preachers (and similar names) were put in the podcast. their "words" need warning labels too
She is just too intelligent for the "moral majority" Social Media is unfortunately a bane on society. IMO
I do think Rowling believes what she says, but it's irresponsible not to question her wording choices in this format. Letting her praise a social taboo around bathrooms without mention of butch women, letting her call trans women "oppressors" because she believes they are men, letting her pivot to "rapists in women's prisons" without any interrogation of the transphobic implications, and flat out ignoring the body of scientific literature that exists on best practices for trans health care. Freedom of speech and plurality of views are important. Presenting this podcast as balanced and pluralistic while omitting almost all of the argument against Rowling is irresponsible.
Great work, thank you! ❤️ Can you please tell me if there are audio books of Harry Potter narrated by the person in the episode or who he is?
Wow! Megan has done a brilliant job. The research, style of interviews, presentation… very important work being done here. I believe everyone should listen to this show (all the way through), regardless of whether they hate JK Rowling, support her, or don’t have any feelings on the matter. As important as the core issue is, this podcast is about *so much* more than that. And I believe really listening and being open will make us all into kinder, more compassionate people overall.
I hoped this would help me to feel better about JK Rowling... unfortunately that's not yet the case. Maybe this next episode will help?
So much could be said about this episode. I am interested in hearing JKR's reply. From my point of view, although the stories were interesting they do not change my opinion and they only reinforce my perception that JKR is right. For a start, people need to stop conflating sex and gender. Despite most saying that they are not doing so, they are. Additionally, how did gender ever supersede sex? That, I believe, is the issue getting many people's back up. Many of us can see the logical end conclusion of where this belief system can go even if every transgender person does not want the same end goal. For those that do, it is still one too many. That is, the Alex Drummonds of this world will be able to enter any female only space or competition at will, which is wrong and unfair to women. Finally, why does a feeling or belief system, even if it is marginalized, get to tell everyone else the rules? That would be like a Muslim saying that they are now a Catholic and so now, if they demanded it, all Catholics should also believe in Muhammad and pray facing Mecca, or vice versa. Just because your gender identity feels more real and true than your sex doesn't make it true. People have thought this about the soul or the existence of God. Believe what you want but I don't have to agree with you.
This podcast is well done, it offered a lot of clarity on a messy topic. JK is still very wrong, but I appreciate Megan's work in showing all of the gray areas that need illuminating.
This is my new favourite podcast. I have read the books but as a general xer I didn't realise the book releases coincided with the development of the internet. Truly brilliantly fascinating.