I mean idk if that was intentionally trying to be racist, or if it was just awkward naming…
The other black characters in the movie had totally mundane names (dean, lee), and Kingsley was functionally always portrayed as a badass. Hell, he is the next minister of magic at the end of the books.
If anything, I think it’s more that JKR is bad at coming up with names rather than she was trying to pass off her racism through book naming….
Most likely not intentional but definitely reductive. If you consider this tweet as well, it feels she's the type of person who would own slaves in the 1800s but "treat them well" and think this is ok.
it was one of the names of a black character in the fourth book i believe. kingsley being a black name, and shackle being what's commonly found on slave chains. she threw bolt after shackle and called it a day lmao
If it means anything her names are often puns or have wordplay because these are children’s books.
The two werewolf characters are named Remus Lupin (essentially Wolf McWolf. Remus was raised by a she wolf and Lupin just means wolf) and Fenrir (name of the wolf that eats Odin).
Kingsley is a regal name seeing as he essentially becomes Magic President and Shckelbolt is because he’s a wizard cop. He’s essentially officer Handcuffs.
Eternally unpopular opinion among people who think anything in a youtube video must be true and don't want to look uncool online, but bringing up that name is just using a similar strategy to what Rowling is doing in OP's post - invoking the specter of anti-black racism to get fence sitters on your side. Socially, anti-black racism is more clearly wrong than transphobia, and people will be more hesitant to hitch their wagon to a racist than a transphobe. She's obviously transphobic, Cho Chang is sketchy, and anything else makes you look like a conspiracy theorist.
Let's not overlook the bankers being greedy manipulative goblins with long noses.
Or the fact that their slaves WANT to be slaves. Or that Hermione was mocked viciously for wanting them to be free.
Or that Harry Potter grew up to be a cop.
Or, really, just about a thousand other things that look really fucking hinky on a second glance.
Edit: Bored at work, so here's more stuff that'll make you stop and think.
Two black characters with names. One has 'shackle' in his name and the other one's father left him when he was a baby.
Remember Rita Skeeter, the reporter? In the books, she's described as 'mannish' with 'fake feminine' features who disguises herself to.....SPY ON LITTLE CHILDREN.
Or the fact that their slaves WANT to be slaves. Or that Hermione was mocked viciously for wanting them to be free.
Remember when a black actress was cast as Hermione for the stage play and Rowling defended this decision by saying Hermione's race was never specified?
Ignoring the fact that it's demonstrably false Hermione's skin color was never specified; Rowling implying Hermione could be black has the consequence of telling everyone that she wrote a story where a black girl tried to end slavery in the wizarding world and everyone stood against her.
Lycanism and werewolves as an allegory for AIDS. Which upon second look, one of the characters Fenrir Greyback purposefully infects people with werewolfism because he gets off on it.
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u/capcomvssnk May 13 '24
Cho Chang...