US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch said they will change their name over author J.K. Rowling’s views on transgender people.
“The leagues are hoping a name change can help them continue to distance themselves from the works of J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series, who has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years. Our sport has developed a reputation as one of the most progressive sports in the world on gender equality and inclusivity, in part thanks to its gender maximum rule, which stipulates that a team may not have more than four players of the same gender on the field at a time. Both organizations feel it is imperative to live up to this reputation in all aspects of their operations and believe this move is a step in that direction.” a joint statement issued by the organisations reads.
The date when a new name will be revealed "is pending conversations with our legal teams", the statement added.
Quidditch is a fictional sport which was invented by Rowling for her fantasy book series Harry Potter in 1997. It is a sport played by witches and wizards riding flying broomsticks. Real-life quidditch was adapted from the book in 2005 at Middlebury College in Vermont by Xander Manshel and Alex Benepe. According to the leagues' statement, Benepe is a proponent of a name change.
Rowling, 56, has repeatedly found herself in hot water following her remarks about transgender people and their rights. It first started last year when she sarcastically commented on an article headlined: “Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.” Since then, she has been trying to put her point across, facing backlash but at the same time earning enough support from people with conservative views.