National quidditch organizations of the US are set to change the name of the fictional sport that is based on the Harry Potter books in order to distance themselves from author JK Rowling.
The sport, which first appeared in Rowling’s 1997 novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was adapted to real life in 2005 by Xander Manshel and Alex Benepe at Middlebury College in Vermont. As in the books, real-life quidditch is notable for being a gender-neutral sport. The only rule in this regard is that a team can have no more than four players who identify as the same gender. Thanks to this, quidditch is considered one of the most progressive sports in the world in terms of gender equality and inclusivity.
Given this reputation, organisations like US Quidditch (USQ) and Major League Quidditch (MLQ), which regulate the sport, have now decided to distance themselves from the creator of quidditch, Rowling, who has “increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years.”
Rowling’s problematic idea of gender came to the forefront after she tweeted an opinion piece on menstrual hygiene in June 2020 and took a dig at the use of the inclusive phrase “people who menstruate.” In a subsequent tweet, she then went on to say, “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.” Her statements drew flak from several quarters and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) organisation termed them “anti-trans” comments. A self-proclaimed Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF), someone who believes trans women should not be categorised as women, Rowling has since continued to express opinions against trans people, despite backlash on social media platforms.
In addition to the trans row, the quidditch organisations have also chosen to rename the sport since the name is currently trademarked by Warner Bros, which owns the rights to the Harry Potter movie franchise. They feel this has “limited the sport’s expansion, including but not limited to sponsorship and broadcast opportunities.” Renaming the sport would open up revenue opportunities and help expand the sport further, they believe.
“Through joint ownership of this new trademark, USQ and MLQ will be able to pursue sponsorships, broadcasting on major TV networks and other projects that’ll address some of the biggest barriers to playing the sport, like access to equipment,” said USQ Executive Director Mary Kimball.
Universities like Cambridge, UC Berkeley, Bristol, Washington, and others are actively engaged in the sport with their own home teams.
Recommended
According to the statement released by USQ and MLQ, a series of surveys will be conducted over the next few months to guide the decision regarding a new name. Potential names include Quickball, Quicker, Quidstrike and Quadraball, as per a BBC report.