Today, we are thrilled to announce the release of The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, an audio documentary hosted by Megan Phelps-Roper that examines some of the most contentious conflicts of our time through the life and career of the world’s most successful author.
Episode One: Plotted in Darkness
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.
Episode Two: Burn the Witch
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.
You can listen to the first two episodes now on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Just listened to this now.
Thank you so much for creating this podcast. Harry Potter and JK Rowling have played a particular role in my life. I'm so grateful for her work. My heart goes out to those suffering from gender dysphoria, and those marginalized for who they are... But the hatred of JK Rowling is deeply misplaced. It's as foolish now by the trans movement as it was by the Christians in the late 90s.
Harry Potter was a guiding light, a hope in a mostly miserable upbringing I had throughout my schooling. I was born with a cleft lip, which left a scar I was often bullied for. I didn't have a girlfriend throughout elementary, junior high, or highschool. I went head first into university but that was a mistake and I soon dropped out. It took me years to get to the point where I was a functioning member of society. In 2015 (five years after dropping out) I went back to university with a new sense of purpose.
In February of 2017 I was working on a paper for my "Current Issues in Psychopathology Class" (by sheer coincidence, it actually was about whether gender dysphoria should be in the the DSM, but this story isn't about that). I was working on this paper with a classmate of mine in the library, where I was then joined by a woman I had met last summer, who wanted to study with my classmate and I. After a productive study day, the four of us: my classmate, her boyfriend, this female friend who was taking and interest in me, and I went to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them.
I cannot put into words the feeling I felt. At age 26, as the Hogwarts Theme Music came on in a theatre where I was on a double date, and I was able to squeeze the hand of the woman beside me, who squeezed my had back. After a lifetime of living in the cupboard under the stairs, I was finally at hogwarts where I was accepted by my peers, and it was everything that the spark of hope in my heart had hoped it would be. That woman beside me soon became my girlfriend and we shared three wonderful years of adventures together. Harry Potter had been there for me the entire time, and was a topic of frequent discussion between my girlfriend and I as our relationship developed. I'll always be grateful for JK Rowling for that.
Thank you Free Press for giving this platform for JK Rowling to share her perspective.
Hell yes!! As a dyslexic kid I would make my mom read Harry Potter to me. I was so proud of myself when I was able to read the Goblet of fire on my own when it came out. At the time the thought of reading a book that big by myself seemed impossible. I love Harry Potter for a lot of reasons. Things were also rough growing up with what was going on in my family.