"Can I Still Read Harry Potter?" BBC R4 Thursday 12th November 2020

[terryleather]

Just noticed this is in the schedule for tomorrow morning at 11am.

Journalist and fan Aja Romano examines their decision to close the books on the boy wizard and hears different viewpoints toward Harry Potter and contemporary readership.

Aja Romano has been a Harry Potter fan for many years, but after personally disagreeing with statements by their author JK Rowling regarding gender identity, they are considering closing the books for good.

Across the world, millions continue to embrace the Wizarding World in all its forms and JK Rowling has received a lot of support for speaking out on an important issue in a personal way.

With this in mind Aja assesses the different factors at play in their choice, speaking to cultural experts, academics and fans and considering influences such as social media, trends in fan communities, "cancelling" , literary theory and more. With contributions from critic Sam Leith, writer Gavin Haynes , journalist Sarah Shaffi, Dr Ika Willis and fans Jackson Bird and Patricio Tarantino.

Don't think I can bear to listen as I strongly suspect it will give me the BBC radge, but I reckon some of you are made of sterner stuff than I am!

Here's the link:
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000n47p

Can you imagine the BBC producing:
Can I still read Shakespeare?
Can I still go to the Royal Opera House?
Can I still watch rugby?
Can I still vote?

An unbelievable biased approach to such a successful woman writer. Shame on the BBC .

Can I still listen to R4 since the BBC were outed as the home of so many rampant sex abusers for so long even though others among them knew there was dodgy goings on?🤔

Absolute idiots.

Twits

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks the premise itself is a load of wankpiffle..

they are considering closing the books for good. in reference to an individual

I’m out!

Just why.

Amazing how women are portrayed as evil just for questioning the more extreme aspects of gender ideology. She's researched, and she's written so gently and respectfully, but still is vilified. As PP has said, perhaps the Beeb could ask if we should still listen to the beeb? After all, child abuse and sex discrimination is worse than an essay exploring sex and gender, surely?

@Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons

they are considering closing the books for good. in reference to an individual

I’m out!

Yes Gibbons, according to the Twitter bio it's they/she.

The BBC just can't seem to stop themselves from blowing smoke up the genderists' asses. Beyond tiresome.

What a horrible premise for a programme.

I am quite naive about such things, but this implies that the BBC is questioning JKRs character - is this potentially libellous ?

Premise based on assumption that she is a said something wrong/hateful/transphobic surprisingly no one has actually pointed out what that was

Sounds like she's already read the books, so it's really too late for Aja anyway

In other media profiles they describe themselves as an ex Harry Potter nerd so I think it’s pretty safe to assume it’s not exactly going to be a dispassionate examination of the case....

What a load of wank.

@Childrenofthestones

Can I still listen to R4 since the BBC were outed as the home of so many rampant sex abusers for so long even though others among them knew there was dodgy goings on?🤔

Well said.

I am generally so disappointed in R4.

I used to love their 6.30pm comedies - think Miranda, Elven Quest, Cabin Pressure, anything with John Finnamore or Milton Jones and Old Harry's Game.

Now their comedy isn't particularly funny and a shadow of what it used to be. Or it is ridiculously left wing - which I don't particularly object to, but I can understand anyone even slightly right of centre would be put off by.

They seem to have retreated into a navel gazing woke agenda. I used to love PM but, again it seems to have lost its sense of humour.

Sorry for this derail rant, but, it just makes me want to cry.

This sounds like something from twitter or tumblr not the BBC. And yes it sounds potentionally libellous.

Sickening that we have sports men and other celebrities accused and even convicted or rape or sexual assault and they don't get cancelled but a female author dares to speak about women's rights and she becomes off limits.

Are they 12 years old or something?

and yes you can still read Harry Potter, nobody is stopping you

@Childrenofthestones

Can I still listen to R4 since the BBC were outed as the home of so many rampant sex abusers for so long even though others among them knew there was dodgy goings on?🤔

Was just coming here to say that.

The BBC enabled one of UKs most prolific sexual predators for decades and created an atmosphere where it was completely normal.

But a woman speaking for women is a step too far

I would agree Tomatoes, they seem to have fully embraced genderism/ Critical Social Justice and with a particular American perspective which grates as the UK is not the USA.

I strongly suspect it's yet another of R4's attempts to woo a younger demographic, which they indulge in from time to time. I wish they would just leave it alone.

The BBC sees determined to drive away people, like me, who were devoted R4 listeners. They need to succeed if their aim is to attract a younger demographic. Otherwise what will be the point of their existence be?

I’d love to know where these writers and journos lurk if they honestly think that people will be turning away from the HP hype forever.

From my perspective, as a normal person with hair that isn’t blue and lives on planet earth, HP is gaining a new audience as it’s first readers grow up and share the books with their own kids.

Huge new range of HP kids clothes just released in M&S and H&M, there’s theme parks which get hundreds of thousands of international visitors a year waiting 3 hours + to get on the new HP ride that recently opened. Independent shops across the U.K., particularly in Edinburgh that sustain themselves selling HP memorabilia. The films are constantly being repeated, and the sets have become a tourist attraction themselves.

So yeah, I’m not sure JKR is shaking in her boots about her books becoming irrelevant.