She also said that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would be "extraordinary" in the White House. In the same interview, Rowling identified Robert F. Kennedy as her hero. Rowling, in April 2010, published an article in "The Times", in which she criticised Cameron's plan to encourage married couples to stay together by offering them a £150 annual tax credit: "Nobody who has ever experienced the reality of poverty could say 'it's not the money, it's the message'. When your flat has been broken into, and you cannot afford a locksmith, it is the money. When you are two pence short of a tin of baked beans, and your child is hungry, it is the money.
Politics
J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling | Politics
centre-left political views; she donated £1 million to the Labour Party, and publicly endorsed Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown To many, Rowling is known for her centre-left political views. She is known for her centre-left political views. Rowling is known for her centre-left political views.
when did jk rowling wrote the harry potter books
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Her debut novel was written between approximately June 1990 and some time in 1995.
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who is j.k. rowling?
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A British writer and philanthropist.
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what is her full name?
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Joanne Kathleen Rowling
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who were her parents?
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Science technician Anne and Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer Peter James Rowling.
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did she get married?
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Yes -She married Portuguese television journalist Jorge Arantes in 1992 but they separated. Then she married Neil Murray a Scottish doctor in 2001
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how many kids does she have?
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3 kids - Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes, David Gordon Rowling Murray, Mackenzie Jean Rowling
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where did she study?
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Wyedean School and College, University of Exeter.
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what are her views on religions?
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She identifies herself as a Christian; She believes in God, not magic; she is an adherent of the Church of England; believes in an afterlife, and that her faith plays a part in her books.
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what was her inspiration to write the aforementioned books?
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In 1990, while she was on a train trip from Manchester to London, the idea for a story of a young boy attending a school of wizardry "came fully formed" into her mind. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the "Harry Potter" headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Her mother's death heavily affected Rowling's writing
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who is the book's publisher?
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Bloomsbury.
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were the books adapted into anything other media form?
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Yes - films, illustrated version, media games, board games, audiobooks
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does she donate to any charity?
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Yes - In 2002, Rowling contributed a foreword to "Magic", an anthology of fiction published by Bloomsbury Publishing, helping to raise money for the National Council for One Parent Families.
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what are her views on politics?
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The British author J. K. Rowling, known for writing "Harry Potter" and other Wizarding World works, has a variety of political views. Rowling stated in 2000 that she is left-wing and said "there is a certain amount of political stuff in ["Harry Potter"]. But I also feel that every reader will bring his own agenda to the book. People who send their children to boarding schools seem to feel that I'm on their side. I'm not. Practicing Wiccans think I'm also a witch. I'm not." In 2002, she said her biggest literary influence was muckraker Jessica Mitford, whom she described as a "self-taught socialist".
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Introduction
As a resident of Scotland, Rowling was eligible to vote in the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, and intended to vote "No". She donated £1 million (US$1,694,000) to the Better Together anti-independence campaign, led by former neighbour and friend Alistair Darling, and used the "Death Eaters" characters from her "Harry Potter" series—who reject wizards unless they have pure blood—as a reference in her blog-post explanation of her donation; Rowling's words are: "However, when people try to make this debate about the purity of your lineage, things start getting a little Death Eaterish for my taste." In Rowling's post-donation blog post in mid-June 2014, she explained that she is "friendly" with members of both campaigns and stated a belief that "there are intelligent, thoughtful people on both sides of this question".
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Scottish independence campaign
Rowling has garnered attention for her support of the Labour Party under Gordon Brown and criticism under Jeremy Corbyn, as well as her opposition to the Conservative Party and the Republican Party under Donald Trump. She opposed Scottish independence in a 2014 referendum, and opposed Brexit during the 2016 referendum to leave the European Union. On the topic of transgender people, Rowling has opposed terms such as "people who menstruate". She said that she was a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault, and stated that "When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman ...
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Introduction
To many, Rowling is known for her centre-left political views. In September 2008, on the eve of the Labour Party Conference, Rowling announced that she had donated £1 million to the Labour Party, and publicly endorsed Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown over Conservative challenger David Cameron, praising Labour's policies on child poverty. Rowling is a close friend of Sarah Brown, wife of Gordon Brown, whom she met when they collaborated on a charitable project for One Parent Families. Entering the sphere of American politics, Rowling discussed the 2008 United States presidential election with the Spanish-language newspaper "El País" in February 2008, stating that the election would have a profound effect on the rest of the world.
J. K. Rowling | Politics
In June 2016, Rowling opposed Brexit and campaigned for the United Kingdom to stay in the European Union, in the run up to the referendum to leave the European Union, stating on her website that, "I'm the mongrel product of this European continent and I'm an internationalist. I was raised by a Francophile mother whose family was proud of their part-French heritage ... My values are not contained or proscribed by borders. The absence of a visa when I cross the channel has symbolic value to me. I might not be in my house, but I'm still in my hometown." Rowling expressed concern that "racists and bigots" were directing parts of the Leave campaign.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Brexit
The way you vote, the way you live, the way you protest, the pressure you bring to bear on your government, has an impact way beyond your borders. That is your privilege, and your burden." The Presidential Medal of Freedom was allegedly refused to be awarded to Rowling under George W. Bush, because her writing "encouraged witchcraft". This was claimed by Matt Latimer, a former speechwriter for Bush, who went on to write a memoir about his time in the administration, although then First Lady Laura Bush had declared a fondness for the books.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | US politics
Analysts note the criticism of racism in J. K. Rowling's texts. When asked about the theme of racism and if her books have changed how people think, Rowling said, "I do not think I am pessimistic but I think I am realistic about how much you can change deeply entrenched prejudice, so my feeling would be that if someone were a committed racist, possibly "Harry Potter" is not going to have an effect." When asked in a post-"Deathly Hallows" webchat about Hermione's future, Rowling said, "Hermione began her post-Hogwarts career at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures where she was instrumental in greatly improving life for house-elves and their ilk.
Politics of Harry Potter | Racism, mistreatment of minorities and totalitarianism
Rowling expressed her opposition to Mexico City Policy, when it was reinstated by Donald Trump, and said that she supported abortion rights, especially in Third World countries.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Abortion
Actress Noma Dumezweni initially expressed support for Rowling but rescinded her stance following backlash. Radcliffe responded on behalf of The Trevor Project, writing: "Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I." Rowling later published an essay on her website in response to the criticism. She said that she was a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault, and stated that "When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman ...
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Transgender people
Rowling told a Spanish newspaper in February 2008 that "the international political stance of the United States has been wrong in previous years, for its own and for my country... I want a Democrat in the White House. It's sad Obama and Clinton are rivals because they are both great." In 2009, Obama returned the compliment when he met Rowling at a G20 dinner telling her that he had read all her books himself and to his children Sasha and Malia. Rowling advised the 2008 graduating class of Harvard, "the great majority of you belong to the world's only remaining superpower.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | US politics
In 2015, Rowling expressed support for refugees. By 2017, a petition asking her to shelter immigrants on her property acquired over 60,000 signatures.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | European migrant crisis
then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside", while stating that most trans people were vulnerable and deserved protection. These views have been praised by some feminists and criticised by organisations including GLAAD and Mermaids.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Introduction
In 2018, Rowling tweeted that she was tired of "blood and soil ethno-nationalists marching with" civic campaigners. She also said that Scottish nationalism "contains traces of bigotry".
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Scottish nationalism
The author also suggests that Azkaban, the wizard penitentiary, is a stand-in for Guantanamo Bay. Rowling has never confirmed these interpretations in "Harry Potter"; however, when the then Chancellor Gordon Brown once asked her to endorse the Labour Party while Tony Blair was Prime Minister, Rowling refused. Rowling attacked the Blair government's policy on single parent families. She said that Labour could do "a good deal more" and then donated £500,000 to the One Parent Families charity to set an example. Rowling said that Brown's measures for children 'would have made a real difference to my family's life' when she was poor.
Politics of Harry Potter | Characters compared to George Bush, Tony Blair, and Saddam Hussein
She persists in this campaigning also when it is considered quixotic even by her close friends and not much appreciated even by most of the House elves themselves. But in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", the campaign turns out to have had enormous unforeseen results, with House elves joining the struggle and making several indispensable contributions to Voldemort's final defeat and saving the main protagonists' lives. Rowling said in an early interview that Hermione and her political conscience about the rights of elves was fairly autobiographical.
Politics of Harry Potter | Social activism
Rowling was critical of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | UK politics
"Entertainment Weekly" noted that the post-9/11 generation's "ideas about war, about leadership, about the dangers of consolidation of power and of dictatorship, about the importance of dissent, and about heroism and sacrifice, have been shaped at least in part by Rowling," and that their concept of freedom of speech has been influenced by Rowling's weathering of her books' routine challenges. Bill O'Reilly joined in the political fray over Harry Potter character Albus Dumbledore's outing by asking if it was part of a "gay agenda" to indoctrinate children. He called J. K. Rowling a provocateur for telling fans about Dumbledore's sexuality after the books were written.
Politics of Harry Potter | Education versus indoctrination
Rowling's employment at Amnesty International made her realise that "imagination is what allows us to empathise with people who have suffered horribly and to act on their behalf." The danger of inaction, Rowling said, comes from people who "prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all."
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Amnesty International
Over the years, some religious people, particularly Christians, have decried Rowling's books for supposedly promoting witchcraft. Rowling identifies as a Christian. She once said, "I believe in God, not magic." Early on and in response to the criticism, she felt that if readers knew of her Christian beliefs they would be able to predict plot lines of characters in her books. In 2007, Rowling said she was the only one in her family who went regularly to church and that she was an adherent of the Church of England. As a student, she became annoyed at the "smugness of religious people" and attended less often.
J. K. Rowling | Religion
His guest, "Entertainment Weekly" Senior Editor Tina Jordan, called his "indoctrination" claims "a shallow argument", saying "indoctrination is a very strong word" because "we all know gay people, whether we know it or not." O'Reilly continued the following day saying that the real problem is Rowling is teaching "tolerance" and "parity for homosexuals with heterosexuals". His guest Dennis Miller said that tolerance was good and didn't think you could indoctrinate a child into being gay. Zenit, a news agency dedicated to promoting the message of the Catholic Church, accused Rowling of betraying her readers by disclosing Dumbledore's sexuality, and said Rowling is the wealthiest woman in Britain thanks to the lack of political, social or moral propaganda in her books.
Politics of Harry Potter | Education versus indoctrination
Above all, believers are called to love, even at the highest cost." In a 1999 interview with Rowling, "The Guardian Unlimited"s Joanna Carey said, "JK Rowling is every bit as witty and subversive as you'd expect. Rowling described her admiration of Jessica Mitford since age 14, her time at Exeter University "not quite the chance to be the 'radical' I planned", and said the later books dealing with Harry's hormones, and deaths would be unlike other children's series like the Famous Five. Carey suggested a parallel between Harry Potter and Prince Harry which Rowling laughs off saying a friend said never let the press make you discuss the royal family." James Morone, a political science professor at Brown University, wrote in the liberal "American Prospect" in 2001, "Magical headmaster Albus Dumbledore practically awards bonus points for breaking rules.
Politics of Harry Potter | Subversive and anarchistic message
The radical feminist Julie Bindel stated that Rowling has always been a feminist and has inspired people "to look into issues of sex-based discrimination".
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Transgender people
Rowling has publicly opposed the labelling of children's books as "age appropriate".
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Age branding of children's books
McFadyen states that she is "saddened" by Rowling's position, but asserts that "It is not my intention here to rebut your arguments, but rather to offer a response." McFadyen writes that the referendum is "the most wonderful gift", as citizens of their own country are asked for their opinion about their nation's future, and the "referendum question has sparked the imagination of the nation". McFadyen concludes with several quotes taken from a speech delivered by Rowling, as well as a poem from Maurice Lindsay, and concludes: "We would be delighted to extend an invitation to yourself to attend one of the many Yestival events taking place across Scotland this July."
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Scottish independence campaign
On 22 October 2015, a letter was published in "The Guardian" signed by Rowling (along with over 150 other figures from arts and politics) opposing the cultural boycott of Israel, and announcing the creation of a network for dialogue, called Culture for Coexistence. Rowling later explained her position in more detail, saying that although she opposed most of Benjamin Netanyahu's actions she did not think the cultural boycott would bring about the removal of Israel's leader or help improve the situation in Israel and Palestine.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Israel
Rowling stated she was proud to sign the letter to defend "open debate and freedom of thought and speech". Objections to the letter included accusations that Rowling and the other signatories had powerful means to publish their opinions, and that it was disingenuous to attempt to silence others who might offer criticism of their views. Some thought that Rowling was trying to specifically suppress criticism about her statements concerning transgender topics. After learning who also signed the letter, Jennifer Finney Boylan expressed regret over her support, and stated she would not have signed had she known who the other signatories were.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Open letter on justice and open debate
When an interviewer suggested her books portrayed a conservative world, Rowling replied, "So I'm told repeatedly. The two groups of people who are constantly thanking me are Wiccans and boarding schools. And really, don't thank me. I'm not with either of them. New ageism leaves me completely cold, and [my daughter] would never go to boarding school. I went to a comprehensive." Rowling says she gets frustrated with the "conservative world thing". She made Hogwarts a boarding school so that action could happen in the middle of the night and to create a sense of community among the characters. Harry also reflects the modern world, she argues, in that he is mixed race — his father being pure-blood, his mother being Muggle-born." She also says her feminist conscience is saved by Hermione, "who's the brightest character" and is a "very strong female character".
Politics of Harry Potter | Accusations of conservative and sexist themes
According to Philip Nel of Kansas State University, the Potter series can be seen as "political novels that critique racism and racial superiority. Rowling, who worked for Amnesty International, evokes her social activism through Hermione's passion for oppressed elves and the formation of her "Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare." Dobby the house elf has been compared to the labour lawyer Dobby Walker who introduced Rowling's heroine, Jessica Mitford, to the Communist Party. Hermione is depicted as starting a campaign to emancipate the enslaved House elves, using the methods of real-world campaigns on social and political issues such as badges with slogans.
Politics of Harry Potter | Social activism
In a blog post, she added: "How can a retreat into selfish and insecure individualism be the right response when Europe faces genuine threats, when the bonds that tie us are so powerful, when we have come so far together? How can we hope to conquer the enormous challenges of terrorism and climate change without cooperation and collaboration?"
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Brexit
David Cameron's promise of tax perks for the married, on the other hand, is reminiscent of the Conservative government I experienced as a lone parent. It sends the message that the Conservatives still believe a childless, dual-income, but married couple is more deserving of a financial pat on the head than those struggling, as I once was, to keep their families afloat in difficult times. Rowling praised Brown in a 2009 "Time" magazine essay saying she "still wanted him in charge". Rowling wrote about what it meant to be British saying, "It means a welfare state of which we should be fiercely proud and a tradition of tolerance and free speech we should defend to our last collective breath." Rowling also praised the National Health Service (NHS).
Politics of J. K. Rowling | UK politics
Rowling then sarcastically tweeted that Boylan should incur public penance for her association with her. Stanford Law professor Richard Thompson Ford, a signatory to the letter, stated it should not matter who has signed because it did not mean they all endorsed the entire gamut of viewpoints and deeds of their co-signatories. Writer Bari Weiss said she was proud to stand with Rowling and the other signatories. Several of the signers also defended their letter, saying there is a very diverse group of people supporting their stand against excessive retribution by what they called the "forces of illiberalism".
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Open letter on justice and open debate
While Rowling concluded that "If the majority of people in Scotland want independence I truly hope that it is a resounding success" and that her "love" for Scotland is why she wants it to "thrive", she explains in the body of her piece that she is concerned about "serious risks", with Scottish medical research of particular interest to her—Rowling has donated a large sum of money to multiple sclerosis research after her mother's death from the disease. Rowling's fear was triggered by an open letter co-signed by all five of Scotland's medical schools, in which "grave concerns" are expressed about the impact of independence upon Scotland's highly regarded medical work.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Scottish independence campaign
"Time" magazine said in 2005, "Rowling adapts an inherently conservative genre for her own progressive purposes. Her Hogwarts is secular and sexual and multicultural and multiracial and even sort of multimedia, with all those talking ghosts." To mark the French publication of "Deathly Hallows", prominent French center-left paper "Liberation" devoted the front cover and two more pages to answering the question "Why Harry Potter is of the Left". In 2007, responding to a question from a child about Dumbledore's love life, Rowling revealed, "I always saw Dumbledore as gay." Filling in a few more details, she said, "Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald...
Politics of Harry Potter | Progressive values and diversity
On 19 December 2019, Rowling tweeted her support for Maya Forstater, who lost her employment tribunal against her former employer, the Center for Global Development. Forstater's contract was not renewed after she tweeted "men cannot change into women", and at the tribunal she asserted that her "gender critical" beliefs should be protected under the Equality Act 2010. However, the tribunal judge ruled against her, describing her views as "absolutist". On 6 June 2020, Rowling criticised a Devex article's use of the phrase "people who menstruate" instead of the word "women". She went on to tweet, "If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Transgender people
She then moved to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement where she was a progressive voice who ensured the eradication of oppressive, pro-pureblood laws." After the publication of "Deathly Hallows", Rowling responded to queries about metaphors in the books for ethnic cleansing: "Well, it is a political metaphor. But... I didn't sit down and think, 'I want to recreate Nazi Germany', in the—in the wizarding world. Because—although there are—quite consciously overtones of Nazi Germany, there are also associations with other political situations. So I can't really single one out." Rowling also compared her character Voldemort to paranoid megalomaniacs like Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
Politics of Harry Potter | Racism, mistreatment of minorities and totalitarianism
J. K. Rowling has been a long-time friend of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah Brown. In September 2008, Rowling donated £1 million to the Labour Party, saying: I believe that poor and vulnerable families will fare much better under the Labour Party than they would under a Cameron-led Conservative Party. Gordon Brown has consistently prioritised and introduced measures that will save as many children as possible from a life lacking in opportunity or choice. The Labour government has reversed the long-term trend in child poverty, and is one of the leading EU countries in combating child poverty.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | UK politics
The head of Human Life International, an American-based Roman Catholic activist pro-life organisation, taking a negative view of the books and "their literary offspring", said that Harry Potter indoctrinates young souls in the language and mechanics of the occult and said that Rowling's portrayal of Dumbledore socialises if not indoctrinates young people into tolerance of gays. The "Berkeley Beacon" said that one parent's perception of indoctrination is another's education, in their article, "No Politics in Harry Potter", which countered charges that Rowling promoted homosexuality in her books. Discussing the controversy, Rowling told the BBC that "Christian fundamentalists were never my base" and thought it ridiculous to question if a gay person could be a moral compass in the 21st century.
Politics of Harry Potter | Education versus indoctrination
One of the novel's major themes is politics. "The Guardian" referred to "The Casual Vacancy" as a "parable of national politics", with Rowling saying, "I'm interested in that drive, that rush to judgment, that is so prevalent in our society, We all know that pleasurable rush that comes from condemning, and in the short term it's quite a satisfying thing to do, isn't it?" Rowling was also critical of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition that had led since the general election in 2010 saying, "There has been a horribly familiar change of atmosphere [since the 2010 election], it feels to me a lot like it did in the early 90s, where there's been a bit of redistribution of benefits and suddenly lone-parent families are that little bit worse off.
The Casual Vacancy | Politics and poverty
She also said that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would be "extraordinary" in the White House. In the same interview, Rowling identified Robert F. Kennedy as her hero. Rowling, in April 2010, published an article in "The Times", in which she criticised Cameron's plan to encourage married couples to stay together by offering them a £150 annual tax credit: "Nobody who has ever experienced the reality of poverty could say 'it's not the money, it's the message'. When your flat has been broken into, and you cannot afford a locksmith, it is the money. When you are two pence short of a tin of baked beans, and your child is hungry, it is the money.
J. K. Rowling | Politics
Don't forget, falling in love can blind us. [He] was very drawn to this brilliant person. This was Dumbledore's tragedy." Melissa Anelli, webmaster of the fan site The Leaky Cauldron, told The Associated Press, "Jo Rowling calling any Harry Potter character gay would make wonderful strides in tolerance toward homosexuality... By dubbing someone so respected, so talented and so kind, as someone who just happens to be also homosexual, she's reinforcing the idea that a person's gayness is not something of which they should be ashamed." Of the ensuing controversy, Rowling said, "I know that it was a positive thing that I said it, for at least one person, because one man 'came out' at Carnegie Hall." "Entertainment Weekly"s Mark Harris said "her choice to make a beloved professor-mentor gay in a world where gay teachers are still routinely slandered as malign influences was, I am certain, no accident." Harris also says that there is a drastic underrepresentation of gays in the population, and it is a failure of decency and nerve on the entertainment industry— "including the tremendous number of gay producers, writers, and executives who sacrifice their convictions so they don't look too "strident" or "political.""
Politics of Harry Potter | Progressive values and diversity
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is unruly, even slightly anarchic. Harry's classmate Hermione 'had become a bit more relaxed about breaking the rules,' writes Rowling near the end of "Philosopher's Stone", 'and she was much nicer for it.' There's more than a touch of anarchy when all the students sing to their own tune. In her books, the kids are the central agents of their own lives. They make choices. Weigh judgments. Wrestle with freedom."
Politics of Harry Potter | Subversive and anarchistic message
The right-wing U.S. John Birch Society has objected to Rowling's books and her public statements. In his article for the John Birch Society's magazine "The New American", Constitution Party Communications Director Steve Bonta compared "Harry Potter" negatively to "The Lord of the Rings", saying, "The Potter books read in places like diatribes against the modern middle class, especially whenever Harry confronts his ludicrously dysfunctional and downright abusive adopted family, the Dursleys."
Politics of Harry Potter | Conservative objections to liberal and socialist values
Rowling's work invites children to a world where witchcraft is 'neutral' and where authority is determined solely by one's cleverness. Lewis invites readers to a world where God's authority is not only recognised, but celebrated — a world that resounds with His goodness and care." Rowling's attitude toward the Inklings, and to Lewis in particular, has undergone change. In 1998, in one of her earliest interviews, she said that she had a lifelong love of C. S. Lewis. "Even now, if I was in a room with one of the Narnia books I would pick it up like a shot and re-read it." However, in later interviews she expressed a different opinion.
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Rowling and the Inklings
Every time I've been asked if I believe in God, I've said yes, because I do, but no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than that, and I have to say that does suit me, because if I talk too freely about that I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 60, will be able to guess what's coming in the books. "Personally", she said of her religious faith, "I think you can see that in the books. Of course, Hogwarts is a multifaith school." Rowling claims to have been very careful not to colour her novels in an overtly religious way, lest one faith be given prominence over any other.
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Christianity in the novels
"" noted that Rowling admires Roddy Doyle and Jane Austen, saying "both of whom write about class distinctions," and asked if the reason Rowling wrote about class was a conscious decision. Rowling replied, "kids are acutely aware of money—before they're aware of class. A kid isn't really going to notice how another kid holds his knife and fork. But a kid will be acutely aware that he doesn't have pocket money. Or that he doesn't have as much pocket money. I think back to myself at 11. Kids can be mean, very mean. So it was there in Ron not having the proper length robes, you know? And not being able to buy stuff on the trolley.
Politics of Harry Potter | Class distinctions
But it's not a 'little bit' when you're in that situation. Even a tenner a week can make such a vast, vast difference. So, yeah, it does feel familiar. Though I started writing this five years ago when we didn't have a coalition government, so it's become maybe more relevant as I've written." Rowling went on to say that Britain held a "phenomenally snobby society", and described the middle class as "pretentious" and "funny". Rowling has commented on her economic situation before the success of "Harry Potter" as being "poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless" and said that this was why she was drawn to writing about poverty.
The Casual Vacancy | Politics and poverty
Later, she started to attend a Church of Scotland congregation at the time she was writing "Harry Potter". Her eldest daughter, Jessica, was baptised there. In a 2006 interview with "Tatler", Rowling noted that, "like Graham Greene, my faith is sometimes about if my faith will return. It's important to me." She has said that she has struggled with doubt, that she believes in an afterlife, and that her faith plays a part in her books. In a 2012 radio interview, she said that she was a member of the Scottish Episcopal Church, a province of the Anglican Communion.
J. K. Rowling | Religion
If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased", while also saying she was "empathetic to trans people". The term "people who menstruate" is used to include some trans men and non-binary people who also menstruate. The media advocacy group GLAAD called the tweets "anti-trans" and "cruel", and wrote: "JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people." Several actors known for portraying Rowling's characters criticised her views or spoke in support of trans rights, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Eddie Redmayne, Evanna Lynch, Bonnie Wright and Katie Leung, as did the fansites MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Transgender people
While many describe the books as secular or Satanic, many writers, including Rowling herself, have gone to great lengths to demonstrate that the books actively promote Christian values. Rowling attended a Church of Scotland congregation while writing "Harry Potter" and her eldest daughter, Jessica, was baptised into that faith. "I go to church myself", she told MTV in 2007, "I don't take any responsibility for the lunatic fringes of my own religion". In 2000, when asked if she was a Christian by journalist Max Wyman of "The Vancouver Sun", she replied: Yes, I am, which seems to offend the religious right far worse than if I said I thought there was no God.
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Christianity in the novels
Some political commentators have seen J. K. Rowling's portrayal of the bureaucratised Ministry of Magic and the oppressive measures taken by the Ministry in the later books (like making attendance at Hogwarts School compulsory and the "registration of Mudbloods" with the Ministry) as an allegory criticising the state. The "People's Weekly World", the newspaper of the Communist Party USA, claims the books draw you "into the politics of the wizarding world—the 'Educational Decrees' from the toad-like Ministry of Magic representative, the high-level connections of 'war criminals' from the last rise of Voldemort, the against 'mudbloods' and 'half-breeds.'" They suggest connections "to the world we live in, to the similarities and differences between the Fudge administration and the Bush administration".
Politics of Harry Potter | Anti-government interpretation
then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside", while stating that most trans people were vulnerable and deserved protection. She also wrote that many women consider terms like "people who menstruate" to be demeaning. Among those who disputed the claims in Rowling's essay were Mermaids, a charity organisation for gender non-conforming children, who refuted the notion that trans people are predatory, and CEO of GLAAD Sarah Kate Ellis who said it could create a dangerous environment for the trans community. However, she has received support from actors Robbie Coltrane and Brian Cox, and some feminists such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Transgender people
Rowling was recognised with the Order of the Forest for demanding that 16 publishers around the world print her books using "eco-friendly" papers. The last book in the Potter series is considered within the industry to be the most environmentally friendly in publishing history. In 2008, Rowling blocked the Finnish publication of her latest Harry Potter novel on paper from Finland because it lacked the ecologically friendly certification she favours.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Green values
In 2006, Rowling criticised models on her website, describing that their "only function in the world appears to be supporting the trade in overpriced handbags and rat-sized dogs." In response to criticism over the connotations of weight within "Harry Potter", Rowling responded that "Harry Potter" characters who are "on the plumper side" include "several of my most important, admirable and loveable characters". She linked to a fan website – MuggleNet – that lists seven characters who are "fat and good", three who are "fat and bad" and claims there are none who are "fat and evil". However, there were skinny and evil characters in the series.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Eating disorders
Teachers have hailed "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" as a "blistering satire on years of politically motivated interference in the running of schools". Rowling describes her character Dolores Umbridge, the Ministry-appointed headmistress of Hogwarts and under-secretary to the minister, Cornelius Fudge, saying "She has good contacts at the Ministry. She is one of those people, and they do exist in real life, who will always side with the established order. As far as she is concerned authority cannot be wrong so she doesn't question it, and I would go as far as to say that whatever happened and whoever took over at the Ministry, Umbridge would be there, she likes power.
Politics of Harry Potter | Education reform in "The Order of the Phoenix"
When you find yourself contemplating shoplifting to get nappies, it is the money."
J. K. Rowling | Politics
In July 2020, Rowling signed an open letter published in "Harper's Magazine" titled "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate," with 150 other public figures, largely writers and academics. The letter states in part, "The free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted", criticises "a vogue for public shaming and ostracism" and "a blinding moral certainty", warns of fear spreading in the arts and media, and denounces President Donald Trump as "a real threat to democracy". The letter sparked much debate about cancel culture (public criticism calling for censure of prominent people over their controversial actions or opinions).
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Open letter on justice and open debate
Humphrys has been described as a "natural liberal" and does not view himself as conservative, saying; "I am not conservative, you know. I am genuinely one of those pathetic people who has very strong views about issues". He also stated that he his political views are heavily influenced by what he sees and talks to as a reporter. "So every other bloody week I change my mind about something or other, and when you vote, you look for the party that comes closest to what you believe." When asked if he was happy with having the extracts of his books published in the "Daily Mail", Humphreys responded saying: "Yes.
John Humphrys | Political views
You do not have the right to decide what everyone else's children are exposed to. So that's how I feel about it". "Practicing Wiccans think I'm also a witch", Rowling told "Entertainment Weekly" in 2000. "I'm not."
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Rowling's response
In connection with her portrayal of the bureaucratised Ministry of Magic and the oppressive measures taken by the Ministry in the later books (like making attendance to Hogwarts compulsory and the "registration of Muggle-borns" with the Ministry), Rowling has been asked whether there is a parallel with Nazism. She replied that "It wasn't really exclusively that. I think you can see in the Ministry even before it's taken over, there are parallels to regimes we all know and love." Jennifer Barnett of "People's Weekly World" stated that the reader is drawn "into the politics of the wizarding world—the 'Educational Decrees' from the toad-like Ministry of Magic representative, the high-level connections of 'war criminals' from the last rise of Voldemort, the prejudice against 'mudbloods' and 'half-breeds,'" and suggested connections "to the world we live in, to the similarities and differences between the Fudge administration and the Bush administration." Julia Turner of "Slate Magazine" also interpreted Rowling's depiction of the ministration as criticism of the Bush and Blair administrations, suggesting the Ministry's security pamphlet recalls the Operation TIPS (Terrorism Information and Prevention System).
Ministry of Magic | Reception
When asked about the politics and message in "Harry Potter", Rowling explained, "I wanted Harry to leave our world and find exactly the same problems in the wizarding world. So you have the intent to impose a hierarchy, you have bigotry, and this notion of purity, which is this great fallacy, but it crops up all over the world. People like to think themselves superior and that if they can pride themselves in nothing else they can pride themselves on perceived purity. [...] It wasn't really exclusively that. I think you can see in the Ministry even before it's taken over, there are parallels to regimes we all know and love." She also said, "You should question authority and you should not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth."
Politics of Harry Potter | Introduction
Blair stepped down shortly before the release of Rowling's seventh book, and Brown was appointed Prime Minister. Rowling subsequently donated £1 million to the Labour Party during the 2010 general election which Labour lost.
Politics of Harry Potter | Characters compared to George Bush, Tony Blair, and Saddam Hussein
Rowling has named civil rights activist Jessica Mitford as her greatest influence. She said "Jessica Mitford has been my heroine since I was 14 years old, when I overheard my formidable great-aunt discussing how Mitford had run away at the age of 19 to fight with the Reds in the Spanish Civil War", and claims what inspired her about Mitford was that she was "incurably and instinctively rebellious, brave, adventurous, funny and irreverent, she liked nothing better than a good fight, preferably against a pompous and hypocritical target". Rowling has described Jane Austen as her favourite author, calling "Emma" her favourite book in "O, The Oprah Magazine".
J. K. Rowling | Influences
In October 2010, she was named the "Most Influential Woman in Britain" by leading magazine editors. Rowling has supported multiple charities, including Comic Relief, One Parent Families, and Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain, as well as launching her own charity, Lumos.
J. K. Rowling | Introduction
So she is going to side with the people who give her the authority." Andrew Slack, founder of the Harry Potter Alliance, writes in "In These Times" about the "Muggle Mindset" in which "Lindsay Lohan supersedes news about genocide, men assess their 'worth' by their paychecks, women's bodies are treated as commodities and our educational system preoccupies itself not with stimulating children's curiosity but rather getting them to efficiently regurgitate information on standardised tests."
Politics of Harry Potter | Education reform in "The Order of the Phoenix"
Her 2013 appearance on the British TV programme "Question Time" was publicly criticised, with one viewer threatening on Twitter to cut her tongue out. Reader has said she is "an egalitarian who believes in the autonomy of small nations, it's unconscionable that those who call people 'nationalists' for wanting their country to manage its own wealth, do not recognise the 'nationalistic' choice of supporting a 'BRITISH nation'". Reader said that, in reprisal for her advocacy for Scottish independence, Lord David Steel said in a debate on Scottish independence in the House of Lords that Reader's work on Robert Burns was "murdering Burns' simple melodies".
Eddi Reader | Politics
Rowling said that to her, the moral significance of the tales seems "blindingly obvious". The key for her was the choice between what is right and what is easy, "because that, that is how tyranny is started, with people being apathetic and taking the easy route and suddenly finding themselves in deep trouble." In an interview with MTV after the publication of the last book, she is quoted as saying, "To me [the religious parallels have] always been obvious, but I never wanted to talk too openly about it because I thought it might show people who just wanted the story where we were going."
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Christianity in the novels
In October 2020, the British satirical magazine, Private Eye, criticised the Society of Authors for its failure to stand up for J. K. Rowling, after attacks on her by transgender rights activists: Thousands of Twitter users wish an author dead. Others send her rape-threats. "Newsweek" reports that burnings of her books are being shared on TikTok ... The Society of Authors officially opposes in the "strongest terms any attempt to stifle or control the author's voice whether by censorship, imprisonment, execution, hate speech, or inappropriate trolling". The Society, when asked if it opposes the hatred and trolling of Rowling, failed to return calls.
Society of Authors | Controversy
There are many published theories about the politics of the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling, which range from them containing criticism of racism to anti-government sentiments. According to "Inside Higher Ed", doctoral theses have been devoted to the Harry Potter books. There are also several university courses centred on analysis of the Potter series, including an upper division political science course. "Time" magazine noted the political and social aspects of Harry Potter in their 2007 Person of the Year issue where Rowling placed third behind politicians Vladimir Putin and Al Gore. "Harry Potter"s potential social and political impact was called similar to the 19th-century phenomenon of Harriet Beecher Stowe's popular, but critically maligned, book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", which fuelled the abolitionist movement leading up to the American Civil War.
Politics of Harry Potter | Introduction
In 2004, said: "I do feel that my country – I am English – is losing a lot of what I grew up with. I feel we are eroding ourselves to Brussels." In early 2005, Collins commented that she was a supporter of the Conservative Party, stating, "The Labour Party doesn't care about the British people." She was a supporter of the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and was invited to attend Thatcher's funeral on 17 April 2013. Collins is also a staunch monarchist, stating "I'm a big monarchist and I love the Queen." Collins supported British withdrawal from the European Union.
Joan Collins | Political views
On the "Harry Potter" series, Rowling said on her United States book tour in October 2007, "I very consciously wanted to show what is one of the great evils of war, which is that totally innocent people are slaughtered... Another great evil of war is that children lose their families."
Politics of Harry Potter | Evils of war
On 10 June 2020, Rowling published a 3,600-word essay on her website in response to the criticism. She said that she was a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault, and stated that "When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman ... then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside", while stating that most trans people were vulnerable and deserved protection. She also wrote that many women consider terms like "people who menstruate" to be demeaning. The essay was criticised by, among others, the gender non-conforming children's charity Mermaids.
J. K. Rowling | Transgender people
Similar to her religious views, there has been much study and speculation on Collins' political views. She has been described as "critical of sectaries and Independents, pro-Commonwealth, opposed to the radical wing of Parliament, anti-Commonwealth, and Royalist." One thing is certain; Collins writes a great deal of responses to the conflicts between the Parliamentarians and Royalists of the English Civil War. Collins clearly opposes the Engagement Oath, which was similarly protested by many religious groups. While Collins clearly demonstrates a measure of dissent against the politics of her day, the language of her poems makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly what her views are on many serious issues of the day.
An Collins | Political views
"Newsweek" magazine asked Alfonso Cuarón, director of the third film based on Rowling's "Prisoner of Azkaban" if the villainous wizard Voldemort still reminded him of George W. Bush. Cuarón confirmed, "In combination with Saddam. They both have selfish interests and are very much in love with power. Also, a disregard for the environment. A love for manipulating people. I read books four and five, and Fudge is similar to Tony Blair. He's the ultimate politician. He's in denial about many things. And everything is for the sake of his own persona, his own power. The way the Iraq thing was handled was not unlike the way Fudge handled affairs in book four." "Slate Magazine" also says Rowling takes jabs at the Bush and Blair administrations suggesting the Ministry of Magic's security pamphlet recalls the much-scorned Operation TIPS (Terrorism Information and Prevention System).
Politics of Harry Potter | Characters compared to George Bush, Tony Blair, and Saddam Hussein
Rowling later said that she based the character of Hermione Granger on herself when she was eleven. Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth, owned a turquoise Ford Anglia which she says inspired a flying version that appeared in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets". Like many teenagers, she became interested in rock music, listening to the Clash, the Smiths, and Siouxsie Sioux, adopting the look of the latter with back-combed hair and black eyeliner, a look that she would still sport when beginning university.
J. K. Rowling | Childhood
As a student at King's, James had opposed the appointment of Thomas Henry Huxley as Provost of Eton because of Huxley's agnosticism. In his later life, James had little interest in politics and rarely spoke on political issues. However, James often spoke out against the Irish Home Rule movement, and in his letters he also expressed a dislike for Communism. James's friend A. C. Benson considered him to be "reactionary" and "against modernity and progress".
M. R. James | Views on literature and politics
Rowling, and have a reputation for their astute audiences.
Politics and Prose | Introduction
In April 2009, she announced that she was withdrawing her support for Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland, citing her inability to resolve an ongoing feud between the organisation's northern and southern branches that had sapped morale and led to several resignations.
J. K. Rowling | Multiple sclerosis
J. K. Rowling has repeatedly denied that her books lead children into witchcraft. In an interview with CNN in 1999, she said, I absolutely did not start writing these books to encourage any child into witchcraft. I'm laughing slightly because to me, the idea is absurd. I have met thousands of children and not even one time has a child come up to me and said, "Ms Rowling, I'm so glad I've read these books because now I want to be a witch." In an interview on the "Donny & Marie Show" in 1999, Rowling said that "You have a perfect right, of course, as every parent does, and I'm a parent, to decide what your child is exposed to.
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Rowling's response
However, Rowling disputed the assertion, saying she was not a billionaire. "Forbes" reported that she lost her billionaire status after giving away much of her earnings to charity. Her UK sales total in excess of £238 million, making her the best-selling living author in Britain. The 2020 "Sunday Times" Rich List estimated Rowling's fortune at £795 million, ranking her as the 178th richest person in the UK. "Time" named her a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fans. Rowling was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) at the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to literature and philanthropy.
J. K. Rowling | Introduction
Hepburn was a socialist sympathizer, and considered herself a Marxist. Talking about her parents to a Ladies' Home Journal reporter, Hepburn was described by her daughter as a "communist." She said to a Time Magazine journalist, "I don't think [Dad] leaned toward Communism. Mother did." Aside from her work and family, she enjoyed political debate, current events, Russian history, specifically the Bolshevik Revolution , the works of William Shakespeare and Bernard Shaw, and golf. She did not care for movies, preferring instead the theatre. Her daughter Katharine mused that it was "curious that Fate gave her a movie-queen daughter."
Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn | Political views
Kirk feared Rowling (by then party president) might lose his seat and did not want to lose his economics expertise. Rowling refused on the grounds that such a self interested move would not be befitting of a party president.
Bill Rowling | Member of Parliament
However, unlike Peter, Kathryn doesn't seem fazed by this at all. It is revealed at the end of the book that Kathryn entered politics after graduating from university and is the local Member of Parliament. It was rumoured that she might be expanding her politics to Canberra in hopes of becoming Prime Minister. She also still maintains contact with Joan, who works in the parliamentary library.
I Hate Fridays collection | Kathryn Chambers
It's "Pilgrim's Progress" for a new audience." (This quotation predates Rowling's revelation that Ginny Weasley's full name is Ginevra, not Virginia.) Other Christian writers find Rowling's treatment of magic less acceptable than Lewis's and Tolkien's. In his essay "Harry Potter vs. Gandalf," Steven D. Greydanus notes that in the works of Tolkien and Lewis, magic is confined to alien realms with their own laws, whereas Rowling's world coexists with our own; he thinks this is wrong: "Lewis goes to great lengths to make clear just how dangerous and wrong, how incompatible with Christianity, is any form of attempted magic in our world." John Andrew Murray similarly observes that Rowling's work portrays magic as a natural force to be manipulated, while Lewis and Tolkien portray magic as a gift bestowed by a higher power: "Despite superficial similarities, Rowling's and Lewis' worlds are as far apart as east is from west.
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Rowling and the Inklings
As a child, Rowling has said her early influences included "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C. S. Lewis, "The Little White Horse" by Elizabeth Goudge, and "Manxmouse" by Paul Gallico.
J. K. Rowling | Influences
While she points out "as her critics say, Rowling is no Dickens", she says that Rowling "has willed into a fictional being, in every book, legions of new characters, places, spells, rules and scores of unimagined twists and subplots".
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows | Critical response
In response to a question asking if the magic presented in the "Harry Potter" series should be considered in the same light as some New Age practices warned against in the document, Fleetwood stated, "If I have understood well the intentions of Harry Potter's author, they help children to see the difference between good and evil. And she is very clear on this." He added that Rowling is "Christian by conviction, is Christian in her mode of living, even in her way of writing." This comment was seized on by the media as an endorsement of the novels from the Catholic Church, and by extension, the Pope at that time, John Paul II, though there is no evidence that the Pope officially approved of the novels.
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Catholicism
There is no agreement on Austen's political views and it was not until the second half of the 20th century that her novels were viewed as political at all. As Gary Kelly explains: Marilyn Butler and Alastair Duckworth have made the case for Austen as a conservative writer. Butler argues that one measure of a conservative writer is "whether the plot, broadly, suggests a victim suffering at the hands of society". Butler argues that Austen's novels are so structured, and thus conservative. She divides Austen's works into two kinds: stories involving a "Heroine who is Right" and a spokeswoman for conservative orthodoxy, and stories involving a "Heroine who is Wrong" who must learn from her mistakes by recognizing them and resolving to do better.
Styles and themes of Jane Austen | Politics
[H]is approach to politics was her inspiration as a child". Maskell worked as a care-worker and physiotherapist in the National Health Service for 20 years in the south of England in Norwich and the London Borough of Barnet. Maskell has also been a trade-union official.
Rachael Maskell | Background
"I adored [Lewis' books] when I was a child," she told "The Sydney Morning Herald" in 2001, "I got so caught up I didn't think C. S. Lewis was especially preachy. Reading them now I find that his subliminal message isn't very subliminal." In an interview with Lev Grossman in 2005, she said, "There comes a point [in Lewis' "The Last Battle"] where Susan, who was the older girl, is lost to Narnia because she becomes interested in lipstick. She's become irreligious basically because she found sex. I have a big problem with that."
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Rowling and the Inklings
Since 1998, Cornwell has donated at least $130,000 to the Republican Party, and has made additional individual contributions to Republican U.S. Senate candidates, including George Allen, John Warner, and Orrin Hatch. She has occasionally supported specific Democratic candidates as well, including Hillary Clinton, Nicola Tsongas, Charles Robb, and Mark Warner. Cornwell has spoken negatively of the presidency of George W. Bush, saying, "I was supportive of young George W. Bush because I liked his family. I thought he was going to be another Big George. Boy, was I ever wrong. It's not a democracy so much as a theocracy, and those are not the principles this country was founded on."
Patricia Cornwell | Political views
The letter, which says that First Minister Alex Salmond's plans for a common research funding area are "fraught with difficulty" and "unlikely to come to fruition", is supported by 14 professors, who all agree that "it is highly unlikely that the remaining UK would tolerate a situation in which an independent 'competitor' country won more money than it contributed." The Edinburgh-based National Collective organisation of artists and writers who support independence—"non-party movement for artists and creatives who support Scottish independence"—published an open letter in response to Rowling's explanation on 11 June 2014, signed by Teaching Research Assistant and freelancer Mairi McFadyen.
Politics of J. K. Rowling | Scottish independence campaign
Although many of his friends and colleagues did so in the mid-1930s, Hergé did not join the far-right Rexist Party, later asserting that he "had always had an aversion to it" and commenting that "to throw my heart and soul into an ideology is the opposite of who I am."
Hergé | Political views
She argued that they were following their spiritual duties and doing what they believed God would want them to do despite what the law says. She said that they have the right to follow their own religious beliefs.
Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh | Politics
Many people know of Jones because of her involvement in science and medicine, but her letters reveal that she was an avid political and religious philosopher. She was open-minded and her beliefs changed as she was confronted with new experiences. In the 1630s, Jones followed the radical political belief of constitutional monarchy. In the 1640s due to her determination to spread critical thinking throughout all of Europe, she changed her political beliefs to support a republic. Another theory as to why she changed her beliefs from royalism to republicanism was that she saw the system of monarchy as a threat to the nation.
Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh | Politics
The comparisons are unflattering, any plea in favor of these simple values seems compromised from the get-go. I must accept this handicap."
Iordan Chimet | Political views
The statement was met with an ovation from the audience. "If I'd known it would make you so happy, I would have announced it years ago!" Rowling said. In an appearance three days later in Toronto, she responded to questions about Dumbledore's "outing" by saying that she had decided his sexuality "from very early on. Probably before the first book was published."
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Dumbledore's sexual orientation
However, since the rumor persists in recurring in the columns of the press, perhaps it is well that I state definitely that I am not considering—nor have I ever considered—running for Congress on the Republican, Democratic, Farm-Labor, Socialist, Independent, or any other ticket.""
Gertrude Weil | Politics
On 1 and 2 August 2006, she read alongside Stephen King and John Irving at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Profits from the event were donated to the Haven Foundation, a charity that aids artists and performers left uninsurable and unable to work, and the medical NGO Médecins Sans Frontières. In May 2007, Rowling pledged a donation reported as over £250,000 to a reward fund started by the tabloid "News of the World" for the safe return of a young British girl, Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in Portugal. Rowling, along with Nelson Mandela, Al Gore, and Alan Greenspan, wrote an introduction to a collection of Gordon Brown's speeches, the proceeds of which were donated to the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory.
J. K. Rowling | Other philanthropic work
Another response to the claim that the books promote the religion of witchcraft, which has been raised as much by Christians critical of the books as those who support them, is that, far from promoting religion, the books do not promote religion in any way. Apart from celebrating Christmas and Easter and a non-denominational clergyman presiding at both Dumbledore's funeral and the Weasleys' wedding, religious practices are largely absent from the books. In her critical editorial on the books, Focus on the Family's Lindy Beam comments, "The spiritual fault of "Harry Potter" is not so much that Rowling is playing to dark supernatural powers, but that she doesn't acknowledge any supernatural powers at all.
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series | Secularism
In the "Scotsman" interview, Rowling described civil rights activist Jessica Mitford as "my most influential writer", saying, "I love the way she never outgrew some of her adolescent traits, remaining true to her politics – she was a self-taught socialist – throughout her life." In a review of "Decca—The letters of Jessica Mitford", she went further saying, "Jessica Mitford has been my heroine since I was 14 years old, when I overheard my formidable great-aunt discussing how Mitford had run away at the age of 19 to fight with the Reds in the Spanish Civil War", and claims what inspired her about Mitford was that she was "incurably and instinctively rebellious, brave, adventurous, funny and irreverent, she liked nothing better than a good fight, preferably against a pompous and hypocritical target."
Harry Potter influences and analogues | Jessica Mitford