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J.K. Rowling Tweeted About ‘Black Panther’ And Got Dragged For Lack Of Representation In ‘Harry Potter’

Fair

by Hafeezah Nazim

J.K. Rowling has been called out in the past for her performative wokeness on Twitter, including the ways in which she's added diversity to the Harry Potter universe after the fact (i.e. Dumbledore being gay). But now, after tweeting about Black Panther, the author is facing a new line of criticique.

Rowling, who was also heavily criticized for allowing Johnny Depp to maintain his starring role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, took to Twitter to express the "bitter, aching regret" she felt after choosing to stay home and write instead of seeing Black Panther in theaters this weekend with her family. 

Many people used the tweet as an opportunity both to question Rowling's decision to stay home (it's Black Panther!), and to address the fact that not only were her books predominately full of white characters, but also most of the leading roles and lines all the Harry Potter films were delivered by white cast members

"Maybe you should have gone," one user wrote. "Then you would have seen what representation looks like."

Ouch. But also? Totally fair.