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Harry Potter is one of the most well known franchises in the world and is still one of the most popular.
Each Universal theme park has a version of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and the books are still some of the highest selling, despite the controversy surrounding its creator. J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter novel in 1997 and became one of the first female billionaires due to the success of her series. However, within the last decade she’s come under fire for anti-LGBTQ+ views, Tweets, and supporting various organizations that are anti-trans. She’s had her fair share of mixed support over her views, with some saying she deserves to have her own opinions and others saying it’s disrespectful to a large group of Harry Potter fans. Even with divisiveness, the newest Harry Potter video game, Hogwarts Legacy, has become Warner Bros. Games’ biggest video game launch and has broken several Twitch streaming records, proving that the fandom is still strong.
I am delighted to share that I am officially the Guinness World Record holder for fastest half marathon dressed as a witch.
Inspired by @jk_rowling , I ran with a special message wrapped around my broomstick. #ThisWitchDoesntBurn#IStandWithJKRowling pic.twitter.com/fzu48W7yEL
— Emily (@EKaht) March 19, 2023
However, it seems as though one woman wanted to make her support of J.K. Rowling loud and clear. Twitter user @EKaht has gone viral on Twitter for sharing that she now holds a Guinness World Record for the “fastest half marathon time while dressed as a witch.” Her broomstick even had a message of support for the author, saying “this witch doesn’t burn.” In a follow up post, she says that the reason she ran is “in protest of witch hunts and in honor of those, past and present, who have been victims of them. After all these centuries, ‘witch’ is still the epithet hurled at women who have the audacity to stand up for themselves.”
Reactions to her accomplishment have been largely negative, criticizing everything from her time to her support. One user asked if J.K. Rowling was her friend now, with another stating “So you paid $10K USD to immortalize running super slow while being a bigot. Love that for you.” Several other comments called her “embarrassing” and saying it was “sad and pathetic.” Several pointed out that it does in fact cost $10,000 to create a Guinness World Record, and that she could have donated that money or “do literally any single thing that has a real, positive impact on women’s lives.”
While it is an impressive feat that she was able to complete a half marathon, it is disappointing that she chose to spend such a high amount of money to create a record instead of using it to donate or benefit an organization of her choice. While Harry Potter has meant so much to so many, it’s unfortunate that it has become surrounded by so much controversy.
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily representative of Inside the Magic.