- Posted Sept 1st, 2022. This article will remain on the front page until all collaborations have been ended.
- The release of Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed items means the American Girl Wiki feels it right to address the bigoted views by the Harry Potter creator regarding trans and nonbinary people. The partnership between American Girl and Warner Bros/the creator is not something that the AG Wiki can control, but it is something we can openly address. For the head Admin here, addressing the situation is very direct and simple.
- The American Girl Wiki believes in equality, diversity, and inclusion of all and support full rights for all people of the LGBTQ+/queer community, including trans people. We are disturbed by the many anti-gay and anti-trans bills that have been proposed and passed in the United States in the past several years in backlash to their visibility. Trans and nonbinary people are real and valid. They are part of the American Girl community, our society, and our world. There is no space here to support anyone—creators included—who actively denigrates and oppresses trans people. Trans people have the right to be allowed to exist in peace as who they are and no social minority—regardless of race, gender, or ability—should be bullied or hurt. Trans rights are human rights.
- This is not a debatable situation. There’s nothing to be debated. Every person, at every age, has the right to live as who they are no matter where or whom they are on the gender spectrum. This includes trans and nonbinary youth as well as adults. There is nothing wrong with children, from any age, to know that trans people and LGBTQ+ and queer people exist. We and they always have, even if society has historically suppressed this information in bigoted ways. Trans people are a real, truthful, honest part of our world. Children have the right to know not only about trans people, but about themselves.
- Furthermore, American Girl has shown support for trans youth in two recently released books: A Smart Girl’s Guide: Body Image and A Smart Girl’s Guide: Tough Stuff, both of which include discussions of and support for trans youth and are aimed at the same target audience as this collaboration.
- We encourage all visitors to the American Girl Wiki to find truthful, valid information that supports trans voices and to make themselves aware of the Harry Potter creator’s continued bigoted statements against trans people, the fandom’s and other creators’ responses, and the ongoing conversation surrounding this topic.
- Here are selected online resources on trans people’s support and rights:
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- About Transgender People – National Center for Transgender Equality
- Transgender Resources – GLAAD
- A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth – The Trevor Project
- Mermaids UK
- Transgender Law Center
- If you wish to personally address the issue with American Girl, we encourage you to send both e-mail contacts and direct mail to the company.
- Regarding the collaboration, the American Girl Wiki will, as our task requires, document any and all items that are released. This means that there is the potential that visitors will wish to purchase these Harry Potter items, and thus that the creator will receive some small degree of profits from these sales. This means that we bear some degree of responsibility.
- Every page discussing the items released for the collaboration will be headed with the following template:
- The views expressed by the creator of Harry Potter do not align with that of the American Girl Wiki. Trans rights are human rights. Please see our stance here.
- This is also stated policy under Trans Rights And Inclusiveness.
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- ETA, 9/4/22: Any editor caught removing any of the templates used to warn other users will be removed from the project under vandalism. As was stated, this is not a topic that is up for debate.
- Nethilia, The Admin (She and Zie)
