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Does anyone know why the Smith biography is no longer available at the Open Library, or does anyone have a copy? I am quite certain this content was supported by Smith, but I don't know why I can no longer access the book. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 15:30, 11 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]
All right, so I purchased the Kindle book, which means I don't have the same pagination, but there is no doubt that content is supported. I don't know why we've had such a sudden rash of new accounts at this article, but I am planning two funerals for best friends at once, so it would be helpful if others would issue the contentious topic warnings to these new accounts. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 15:51, 11 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Condolences, Sandy. I'd drop the alerts but I don't think it's worth the effort, based on how infrequently that editor is active. Firefangledfeathers (talk / contribs) 17:11, 11 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]
The article currently says "concerns from parents about the books' portrayals of the occult and gender roles." This makes it sound like Smith claims there were concerns by parents about, among other things, gender roles. This is not what he claims. In the book it says '[...] with her enormous American following came some unexpected [...] opposition from concerned parents. [...] The South Carolina Board of Education was told "The books have a serious tone of death[...]."' In this paragraph, gender roles are not mentioned. The next paragraph is about Christian Outreach College and their concerns with the occult (this is not a parents initiative, as the current article incorrectly implies). The third paragraph in that section is indeed about gender roles, but focuses on a the academic work of psychologist Dr Elizabeth Heilman, not 'concerned parents'. As it stands, the article does not correctly reflect the cited source. Oniichansugoi (talk) 22:57, 13 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]
A suggestion for more accurate wording (I don't think the term "gender roles" even does Heilman's claims justice):
According to her biographer Sean Smith, the publicity became effective marketing for Harry Potter, but her journey from living on benefits to wealth brought, along with fame, concerns from different groups about the books' dark tone, its portrayals of the occult and the way girls were portrayed as inferior to boys.Oniichansugoi (talk) 23:08, 13 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for explaining the concern; you are correct that not all concerns expressed were from parents, so I have adjusted the wording to "different groups" as suggested. I have left the occult and gender roles wording as is, as I believe they accurately reflect the source. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 00:07, 14 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]
PS, if anyone else would like to have a go at tweaking the wording, you can purchase the Kindle version for $2.99 on amazon.com, and search on the phrase "public profile rather than damage" to find the relevant section ... so unfortunate we have lost the pagination afforded by archive.org. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 00:14, 14 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Recent changes to transgender people section
So it seems over the last couple of days, some new content has been added to the transgender people section of the article. Specifically two paragraphs have been added, the first for a September 2020 incident of Rowling promoting an online store with transphobic merchandise according to the source, and the other for a March 2024 incident between Rowling and India Willoughby which was later reported to the police as a potential hate crime.
Thoughts on whether we should keep one or both of these additions? On the one hand, it goes back to issues raised during the FAR about content being added piecemeal over time, and an undue emphasis on WP:RECENTISM. On the other, the spate between Rowling and Willoughby does seem to be an escalation of what she's previously been heavily criticised for. I'm somewhat minded to remove the September 2020 incident, as from memory it wasn't remarked on in any of the scholarly sources we reviewed at the FAR. Not so sure about the Willoughby stuff however.
I agree about 2020. I think 2024 should go in, but perhaps without the police report, unless the police show any sign of taking the matter up. Johnbod (talk) 22:25, 7 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]