JKR offset donations

[resonant]

Sometimes I still get comments and kudos on Transfigurations and my other Harry Potter stories.

Of course I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, fandom belongs to the fans, and the outpouring of love and work and time that created the fandom was ours and remains ours. On the other hand, I don't like the ongoing link to someone who has traded in a career as an author for one as a full-time pro-hate activist.

I don't want to take the stories down. I don't want to orphan them. I just want to be able to take some pleasure in them again.

So starting with 2026, I'm making donations to https://transgenderlawcenter.org and https://give.thetrevorproject.org in honor of fanreaders. That way when the titles come up in my email, I'll have a nice, warm feeling knowing that they're connected with people who are doing something positive for the lives of trans people.

(Thanks to terminally_underwhelmed for recommending the organizations.)

Comments

[pauraque]

That's a fantastic idea. I've been having a similar inner conflict and haven't been sure what steps to take to resolve it. I'll definitely consider this.

[laurenthemself]

That's a fantastic idea and I'm going to adopt it for whenever I reread Transfigurations, which I still do sometimes because it's just so good.

[lobelia321]

Oh that is a wonderful idea. You were my entry into HP fandom and Transfigurations lives in my head, 'rent free' as the saying goes but it would in fact be good to pay some rent, to wit donations. I will ferret out equivalent organisations here in the UK where JKR is wreaking damage.

Also I have a WIP that goes back to 2004 or so, an epic Dudlay/Draco, and it has stalled especially now. I had resigned myself to never posting but this method of off-setting appeals to me and I am newly inspired to keep going. I got into HP for the fandom and the fanon, not the canon, and this is a really good way to honour that.

Thanks for the inspo! Also, so nice to see you here. /glomps

[princessofgeeks]

What a great idea.

[ride_4ever]

Wonderful "offset" idea!

[fox]

That's an outstanding idea. The whole time I had the side gig in the choir loft, I tithed out of my earnings—10% of what the Catholics paid me, I donated to Planned Parenthood. I feel like this rhymes with that, in a way, but somehow more satisfying at the present moment.

[conuly]

That's a good idea!

[runpunkrun]

That's a lovely idea. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[cereta]

I think that's a wonderful idea.

[rydra_wong]

I will ferret out equivalent organisations here in the UK where JKR is wreaking damage.

I can rec some, if you'd like? I've got a bit of RL knowledge and there are some people and groups doing amazing work right now, and I was meaning to do a links post at some point anyway.

[j00j]

This is lovely.

[lobelia321]

Oh please; I would really appreciate that.

[rydra_wong]

Okay! In no order, and this is in no way intended to be comprehensive, but these are groups who I know are doing good work:

Gendered Intelligence -- support primarily focused on children and young people (up to 25), doing lifesaving work as so many trans kids and teens in the UK are really suffering right now, with the puberty blockers ban and also the overwhelming sense that the entire country hates them: https://genderedintelligence.co.uk/

The Trans Legal Clinic -- new organization providing free legal help for trans people in the UK; I know someone doing third-sector work who's met them and was incredibly impressed by them: https://www.translegalclinic.com

TransActual -- they've been taking the lead on campaigning after the Supreme Court ruling and are extremely on the ball: https://transactual.org.uk/

The Trans Safety Network -- a tiny group of people doing formidable investigative work: https://transsafety.network/

The Trans+ Solidarity Alliance -- impressively-organized political lobbying and briefing of MPs: https://www.transsolidarityalliance.com/

Not trans-led or trans-specific (unlike the others I've linked), but the Good Law Project are fighting a bunch of the key legal cases at the moment: https://goodlawproject.org

[lobelia321]

Thank you. This is really super helpful and saves me reinventing the wheel. I shall research each of these groups and then decide on a charity budget for the one (or two) that speak to me most. I'll add a monthly donation to my existing charity package and will earmark it specially for anything HP fandom related as an offset. Thanks again! I have increasing numbers of trans students in my seminars and it's good to know that my donations may also benefit them.

[rydra_wong]

\o/\o/\o/

FYI, in case it matters for tax-related reasons (Gift Aid etc.) in your budgeting, some of these are legally charities (e.g. Gendered Intelligence) and some aren't because they're too "political" and are thus registered as CICs or suchlike.

They're all awesome so I hope you find one that speaks to you.

Trans+ Solidarity Alliance and TransActual also have good info and advice on emailing your MP (with template letters), if you have the time/spoons free at some point.

[lobelia321]

Thank you again. And especially re the MP templates; I value those.

[lobelia321]

I have looked at all your recommendations and have chosen to donate monthly to Trans Legal Clinic. Thank you so much for your help.

[rydra_wong]

\o/ Delighted I could help!

[musigneus]

*waves from the past*
Transfigurations is still one of my favorite HP stories, both for the story itself and for calligromancy, which I admire as a lovely and inventive branch of magic. I think your donation idea is great (I donated to the Trevor Project last year and will think of you when I do so again) as a way to help counteract the hate in brickspace, but I also think your stories and many other fanfics are important as a way of making space in people's imaginations for how things could be, regardless of JKR's hatred. I'm not sure I expressed that clearly, but I wish you the best!

[resonant]

I can't believe I never replied to this -- I think of it often because it's so funny!