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With LGBTQ+ rights in the spotlight, Hungary prepares for a political showdown

By  in August 4th 2021   No Comment »
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In July 2020 a Hungarian court found the country’s former ambassador to Peru, Gábor Kaleta, guilty of possession of some 19,000 child porn pictures. He received a one-year suspended prison sentence and a fine. Some details of the case were classified for ten years. Then in November 2020, József Szajer – a Fidesz MEP and party co-founder – was caught trying to flee a gay sex party in Brussels that broke COVID regulations. “We will not forget his 30 years of work, but his actions were not acceptable and cannot be defended,” Orbán said, as Szajer was ejected from the political party he helped found. The following month, Fidesz modified Hungary’s ‘Christian Constitution’, which Szajer had authored and which prohibited gay marriage, to also outlaw adoption by gay couples. The child protection law was then introduced to Parliament in February, and the LGBT-related amendments added in mid-June.

This is all a long way from the 1994 election campaign, when Orbán and Hungary’s other party leaders answered questions from Mások (‘Others’), the country’s first LGBT magazine. Asked whether he supported gay marriage, the leader of Hungary’s liberal Free Democrats, Gábor Kuncze, flippantly replied “not with me.” Orbán, at that time Hungary’s other liberal party leader, meanwhile gave a more considered answer, which ended in the affirmative.

“The level of homophobia, even among the (current) opposition parties was very different in the 2000s, even if they did not openly voice it,” said András Lederer, an LGBTQ+ activist and the former leader of the Free Democrats’ youth wing. “In that sense, Fidesz was a different party 15 years ago. I think they would be quite ashamed of the political statements that many of their lawmakers are making today, and also of this bill itself.” Thanks to the efforts of Lederer and others, registered partnership for same-sex couples was legalised, in 2009, the year before Orbán regained power.

Shifting opinion

Yet as Orbán built his self-proclaimed ‘illiberal democracy’ and the Free Democrats imploded, Hungary’s attitudes to LGBTQ+ issues have shifted in the opposite direction.

“I think the trajectory is still very, very positive,” Lederer said. “One of the main hopes I have in this whole debate is that Fidesz came too late to the party. Years ago, this probably would have seen much weaker resistance from society, but it is no longer 15% of the population that is tolerant towards LGBTQ+ issues – there is actually a majority.

“Fidesz is struggling to connect the LGBTQ+ community with paedophilia, to attempt to tie this to something with which the vast majority absolutely agrees, because in itself it would have been absolutely impossible,” he said.

The ‘child protection’ referendum, to be held in January or February, will ask voters five questions including “Do you support the popularization of sexual gender transformation surgeries for minor age children?” and “Do you support presenting media content showing gender transformation to minor age children?”

Yet by calling this referendum Orbán has also opened up the legal possibility for the six-party opposition alliance to launch its own version.

Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony, a leading hopeful for the opposition alliance’s primary run-off in the autumn, said he would like to see his questions “aimed at saving Hungary from Fidesz” added to the ballot, so that ordinary people can give their opinion with a “five no and five yes” vote.

If authorised, the opposition referendum will ask voters about the planned Chinese Fudan University in Budapest; Fidesz’s recent tender that outsources motorway governance for 35 years; Hungary’s failure to join the European Prosecutor’s Office; free COVID antibody tests for pensioners; and improving conditions for job seekers.

“Orbán clearly needs such a proposal because the opposition has their own big issue for the autumn and that is the primary – the referendum is to avoid autumn being about how the opposition is preparing for the elections against him,” Biró Nagy said.

“If the electoral campaign is about the mismanagement of the COVID crisis, Fudan University, the Eastern opening and the Pegasus surveillance scandal, Orban is in a very delicate position,” said Biró Nagy. “If the political agenda is about identity politics and LGBTQ+ rights, then this is Orbán playing at home.”

Gallery: The best photos from around the world

By  in August 4th 2021   No Comment »
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A crew member checks docking ropes from the inside of Carnival’s Mardi Gras cruise ship, docked in the bay of San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking the first time a cruise ship visits the U.S. territory since the COVID-19 pandemic began.Credit:AP

Warner Bros Games unveils Harry Potter role-playing game ‘Hogwarts: Legacy’

By  in August 3rd 2021   No Comment »
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ATT’s Warner Bros Games unveils Harry Potter role-playing game Sept 16 (Reuters) Reuters Sept 16 (Reuters) – ATT Inc’s Warner Bros Games on Wednesday unveiled a Harry Potter game, “Hogwarts Legacy,” that will let players experience life as a student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the 1800s.

The role-playing videogame, developed by Disney Infinity developer Avalanche, will release next year for Microsoft Corp’s Xbox Series S, Series X, and Xbox One consoles, as well as Sony Corp’s PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro, and PC.

Players can “grow their magical abilities by mastering spells, brewing potions and taming fantastic beasts,” Warner Bros Games said. The game will include familiar locations such as the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Village.

 

The game was announced during Sony’s PlayStation 5 live stream event, where the Japan-based firm said that its next-generation console would launch in November priced at $499.99 and $399.99 for a version without a disk drive.

Microsoft had said last week Xbox Series X would go on sale on Nov. 10 priced at $499.99 with the less powerful Xbox Series S priced at $299.99.

The pricing announcements set the stage for a year-end showdown between Xbox and PlayStation, as consumers continue to flock to gaming optimized consoles offering exclusive titles.

24 years ago, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published the first time: How the author’s pandering has shaped its legacy

By  in August 3rd 2021   No Comment »
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24 years ago, on this very day, the first book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling was first published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury. Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone marked the beginning of the boy wizard’s story that would go on to become one of the most widely read fantasy series of all time.

Since then, a lot of water has flown under the bridge and the series which has inspired millions across the world to take up reading as a habit has a mixed legacy as things currently stand. Most of it does not even have to do with the story per se but with the conduct of the author who is still widely respected for her literary genius.

Pandering to the Left

One of the things that left a bitter taste in the mouth of many fans is the incessant pandering to leftist political objectives by J.K. Rowling herself. In her attempt to garner greater social acceptability, she, intentionally, twisted essential parts of the story and intrinsic features of her characters to cater to political demands by snowflakes.

For instance, out of the blue, she declared one day Albus Dumbledore was homosexual and had romantic feelings for dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. There was no rhyme or reason in the declaration, and there was nothing in the books to suggest that Dumbledore is gay.

Even more so, it is not clear how his sexual orientation is relevant to the story. It is not, that is precisely why the story does not discuss his sexual orientation. But in an environment where LGBT groups were building pressure for greater representation, the author conveniently declared after the publication of the last book that the greatest wizard of all time was gay.

That wasn’t all. J.K. Rowling claimed years later that Hermione Granger’s race was not mentioned in the books after a Black actress was cast for the role in a Broadway play. This was despite the fact that there are numerous hints in the books to suggest that Hermione is White and that the movies and the book covers explicitly depict her as a White individual.

The race of the character is irrelevant to the whole story but it marked another occasion when the author was willing to engage in needless political pandering. The gesture is unlikely to have sparked the reaction that it did if Rowling was willing to admit that she imagined the character as White but it was perfectly alright for a Black actress to play the role.

Pandering could take J.K. Rowling only so far…

The incessant pandering, however, was not enough for Rowling to end up in the good books of the Woke Left. She was trolled viciously online when she said recently that biological sex is real and only women can menstruate. Her comments were in response to an opinion piece that spoke about ‘people who menstruate’.

The world might have not caught on yet but in snowflake circles, women are referred to as ‘menstruators’ or ‘vulva owners’ because according to them, these are not derogatory terms for women but more ‘inclusive’. The terms were sparked by the notion that ‘trans men are men’ and since they menstruate, it is not inclusive to suggest that only women can menstruate.

Despite her reasoning being scientifically sound, she was labeled a ‘TERF’ (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist) even though there was nothing radical about her suggestions. As such, it is an inversion of reality. The position that men can also menstruate is the radical stance here, not the other way around.

The legacy of the Harry Potter series

Undeniably, the Harry Potter series is one of the greatest fantasy series to have been written thus far. Of course, it is perhaps not on the same league as A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin and The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien but it remains one of the most loved stories to have been ever written.

Due to the pandering, however, Rowling has become one of the most controversial authors of our times. Some might argue it was unnecessary but as an individual, it is her right to express her political opinions and ultimately, it is she who has to live with the consequences that follow.

Since the publication of the last book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the snowflake community claims almost exclusive ownership of the fanbase since most have either grown out of it naturally or have gained mixed feelings about the saga due to the political stances of the author.

Simultaneously, the snowflake community itself has developed mixed feelings regarding the book and significant sections of it have virtually ‘cancelled’ it because J.K. Rowling is apparently a ‘TERF’. Nevertheless, it is one of the most popular books that are spotted at snowflake and Leftist protests.

Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone

Regardless of the controversies surrounding the author, the book series remains a great story and one that children should be ideally told to read. At the core of it, the story is of an orphaned boy who overcomes all odds with help from his teachers and friends to defeat his one great enemy and ultimately finds family.

It is a story of good versus evil but most importantly, it is also the tale of a mother’s love and how the world is a terrible place but still, there are things in this world worth fighting for, struggling for. All of this makes the story a good platform to teach children the morals of life.

The first and last lines of 31 ‘Harry Potter’ characters, and how they changed from the books

By  in August 3rd 2021   No Comment »
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A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour reopens with new interactive ‘Friends,’ ‘Harry Potter’ and DC Universe sets

By  in August 2nd 2021   No Comment »
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Ready for some movie magic?

Following a year-and-a-half closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Warner Brothers Studio Tour officially reopened to the public on June 26, and it has undergone a drastic overhaul.

The Burbank movie studio’s tour has long offered a behind-the-scenes look at a working studio lot and some of the production, but the latest additions fully immerse guests into the DC Universe, the TV show “Friends” and the “Harry Potter” and Fantastic Beasts” franchises.

The tour starts with the all-new Welcome Center and the expanded Warner Brothers Studio Store. Guests are ushered into the new Storytelling Showcase that touches on the history of the studio, its innovations, movies and television shows. There are several props throughout the room, and video screens play classic movies like “Casablanca” and sitcoms like “The Big Bang Theory.” The floor is actually an aerial photograph of the Warner Brothers lot, and there are scaled-down replicas of the iconic water tower and a few of the more famous sound stages.

Expand

During a media preview last week, actress Maggie Wheeler, who memorably portrayed Chandler Bing’s foghorn-voiced girlfriend Janice Litman-Goralnik, walked attendees through the expanded Central Perk Café and “Friends” boutique inside the tour.

Visitors can order off the New York deli-inspired menu, and then enjoy the food and drinks in sets recreated from the show. These include Joey and Chandler’s apartment, where you can sit at their Foosball table or kick back in their recliners. There is also seating in Monica and Rachel’s apartment, either at the dining table or on the sofa in the replica living room. The entire setup is Instagram-worthy and provides countless photo ops.

“I don’t know how you’re going to get people to leave,” Wheeler said as she stood in Monica’s kitchen. “It feels like the show, it feels like memory lane and I think people are going to be really excited to walk through and spend time here.”

Though the final episode of “Friends” aired 17 years ago, the sitcom has found new audiences through various streaming platforms and a long-awaited reunion with the core cast — Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), Courtney Cox (Monica), Matthew Perry (Chandler), David Schwimmer (Ross), Matt LeBlanc (Joey) and Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe) — aired on HBO Max in May.

“The show has changed my life in so many different ways,” Wheeler said. “My life has been much richer for my experience on ‘Friends.’”

There is a massive “Friends” boutique with exclusive merchandise including kitchen and dining ware and a variety of other home goods, souvenirs, gifts and memorabilia.

As you leave the “Friends” gang behind, you’ll enter the Action and Magic Made Here section of the tour. Guests are able to do things like pose with Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth, Aquaman’s trident or Clark Kent’s desk at The Daily Planet. There’s a full Batcave with several vehicles from various Caped Crusader films, an interactive video table that gives information on all the DC Universe superheroes and an array of costumes from “Suicide Squad,” “Batman vs. Superman,” “Shazam!” and more.

“Wonder Woman” and “Wonder Woman 1984” director Patty Jenkins, who was also on the tour, said she was impressed by the amount of “Wonder Woman” memorabilia within the space that came directly from the sets of her Blockbuster films, particularly the massive pair of metal wings that were used in “Wonder Woman 1984.” Jenkins noted that the wings could have easily been created using computer-generated imagery, but the mood and moment called for something more tangible.

“Each of those objects means something so different to me,” she said. “So many of those objects are such beautiful things that the people I worked with ended up creating, so they all bring back great memories.”

Jenkins, who has worked on the Warner Brothers lot plenty, said she still gets goosebumps when she thinks about the history of the place.

“Warner Brothers has always been sitting upon such a treasure trove of legendary history,” she said. “When I get to walk around the lot and realize, ‘Oh, I’m shooting at the stage where ‘Casablanca’ was shot’ or we’re shooting where ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ was shot. So many movies that we all worship … people made it happened here. I think it’s incredible that people get to come in and look at those photographs, props and look at, like Warner’s address book, because what our entire city is based on is this film industry and what a major anchor Warner Brothers has been to building that industry. So, of course, there should be a great museum to celebrate all of that.”

“Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” fans can also let their imaginations run wild as they concoct potions, learn wand choreography and walk through elaborate and interactive sets from the films that are filled with props and costumes.

At Stage 48, guests can learn about methods of production and try their hand at movie making and scoring pieces of music to moments on film. While there, you can also experience the Central Perk set from “Friends” and Sheldon’s apartment from “The Big Bang Theory.”

The tour wraps up with the Celebration of Awards Season room, which is filled with iconic props like the trombone from “The Music Man” and the jersey worn by the late Chadwick Boseman in “42,” as well as a collection of Oscar and Emmy awards.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour

When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sundays only through July 11; From July 15, the tour will be open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursdays-Mondays.

Where: Warner Brothers Studios, 3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank

Tickets: $69 for ages 11 and up; $59 for children ages 5-10 at wbstudiotour.com. Advance reservations and face masks are required regardless of vaccination status. Guests that arrive without a face mask will be provided one.

‘Harry Potter: The Exhibition’ opening at the Franklin Institute

By  in August 2nd 2021   No Comment »
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Harry Potter fans in the Philadelphia area and beyond should start getting excited, because “Harry Potter: The Exhibition” will make its world premiere at the Franklin Institute sometime in early 2022.

The brand-new exhibit will include moments, characters, settings and beasts seen in the films and stories of Harry Potter and the Wizarding World.

RELATED: Giant, inflatable waterslides coming this summer to Lehigh County mountain | Joint ticket offers savings on two Philly museums this summer

Visitors will get an up-close look at authentic props and original costumes from the films.

“From the mysteries of Hogwarts castle to the antics of its mischievous yet brilliant students; from daring duels to dragons and Dark Arts; from glittering Gringotts to the magnificent Ministry of Magic — the exhibition will bring magic to life, connect visitors with the larger global community of fans of the Wizarding World and reveal the artistry and craftsmanship behind the Blockbuster films,” states a description of “Harry Potter: The Exhibition.”

No exact opening date has been announced just yet.

Hogwarts Legacy Fan Might Have Uncovered The Antagonist

By  in August 2nd 2021   No Comment »
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Hogwarts Legacy is quite the anticipated video game. While initially slated to release this year, the developers have since delayed the title. Now we’re looking to see this game hit the marketplace in 2022. Unfortunately, details are still a bit scarce. We don’t know a ton about the game and its narrative. As a result, there’s been plenty of speculation online about what we can expect. One of the speculation pieces that surfaced is the potential antagonist of this game.

We don’t know who the main enemy we’re going to be battling with. However, one fan decided to deep dive into the lore of Harry Potter. One name that sticks out for potential antagonists is Loxias. Loxias was present around the eighteenth century who had an allegiance to the Dark Arts. However, the main reason for his notable fame is being an owner of the Elder Wand, one of the Deathly Hollows.

Loxias – Harry Potter Fandom

The wand’s history is a lengthy one after it was first crafted up in the 13th century. Over the years the wand has fallen into countless hands, most of which were nefarious. Loxias was just one of the individuals who had claimed the wand after killing the previous owner, Barnabas Deverill. According to the lore, Loxias was defeated and the wand continued to find new owners.

The legend goes that a few notable individuals laid claim that they defeated Loxias. For instance, the three notable individuals are Loxias’ own mother and two other wizards named Arcus and Livius. Again, it’s uncertain who was responsible, but this timeline goes along with the Hogwarts Legacy setting. Perhaps we’ll see Loxias and get the official story when we play through this game. But, again, this is purely speculation and a notable name that just happens to line up with the game. Currently, Hogwarts Legacy is not slated to release until sometime in 2022 for the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S platforms.

Source

JK Rowling has always been tone-deaf. Just look at the Harry Potter Universe

By  in August 1st 2021   No Comment »
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A file image of J.K. Rowling | Commons
A file image of J.K. Rowling | Commons

JK Rowling’s latest transphobic tweets have once again highlighted her exclusionary behaviour and put her in a spot. This isn’t exactly shocking because Rowling has faced ire for propagating transphobic and trans-exclusionary radical feminist opinions earlier as well. One look at the Harry Potter series can tell you how embarrassingly undiverse it is — afterthought, postscript revelations on Twitter about her characters do not count.

Declaring Dumbledore as queer and endorsing a Black Hermoine are the most prominent examples of Rowling retrospectively trying to add diversity in the otherwise white hetronormative wizarding world she first created.

Also read: ‘Feel like more of a woman when you punch down?’ — JK Rowling faces ire for anti-trans tweets

 

Queer Baiting

The Harry Potter series has been constantly accused of queerbaiting— a marketing ploy used to lure an LGBTQ+ fan base by teasing the possibility of non-heterosexual characters, without the intention of ever developing it into an actual element of the story.

Here’s a classic instance of queerbaiting. Before Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — the play that tells the story of Harry Potter 19 years later — was even published, there was a tonne of fanfiction ‘shipping’ (when fans wish for two characters to be romantically linked) Draco Malfoy’s son Scorpius with Harry Potter’s younger son Albus. When the play finally came out, the bonhomie between the duo was far more intense than the relationship between Harry and his best friend, Ron, ever was.

Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin, two characters from the series who were thought to be queer by fans, were married out of the blue and made to settle down as as a typical hetronormative family. Tonks, a Metamorphmagus — a witch who can change her appearance at will, was considered to be gender fluid. Lupin’s struggles as a werewolf were seen as deliberately framed to highlight the plight of HIV/AIDS patients. But even these prominently queer characteristics pointed out by Potter fans, weren’t enough for Rowling to properly assert and develop these traits in later books.

It’s not fair for Rowling to keep adding queer elements the Harry Potter fans root for after the books have been published in ways that suit her interest, but fail to actually bring diversity and inclusivity to her writing.

Let’s wait and watch what she does with Dumbledore and Grindelwald in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts films, where she has the opportunity to explore their sexual relationship.

Also read: Daniel Radcliffe, Eddie Redmayne, Beckham bring Hogwarts home with Harry Potter readings

 

Culturally tone-deaf wizard world

The wizarding world first created by Rowling is of, for and by White people. I don’t think there’s much to argue there.

The few non-White characters she does introduce in the books are underdeveloped lazy additions that highlight her prejudice.

Take for instance the Patil sisters. Remember their agonising outfits at the Yule Ball in the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire — dull, unflattering lehengas, which seemed like a mockery of Indian culture. A lot of us are still and will always be unforgiving of that travesty.

Then comes Cho Chang. In a world full of fantastical names like Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Dolores Umbridge, Nymphadora Tonks, Luna Lovegood and so on, Rowling settled on mixing two Korean surnames to portray the only visible Asian character. Rowling may as well have introduced another Karen or Susan type character instead of creating a token Asian character she clearly put no thought into.

Many defend Rowling by begging critics to judge the series according to the time period it was written in — the first book was released in 1997.

But the late 90s weren’t exactly the Victorian era. Besides, the last Harry Potter book was published as recently as 2007. Proving that time was never really the issue, Rowling was also accused of racism in her 2016 Pottermore essays about the History of Magic in North America. She was slammed for the way she wrote about ‘Native American wizards’, and was attacked for “using an ancient culture as a convenient prop”. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, her ongoing series, also lacks diversity. Casting a South Korean woman as Nagini — Voldemort’s pet snake, and her subsequent defense of the choice, served as another example of her blatant ignorance of the issue of cultural appropriation.

For a book that highlights class struggles, centres on the battle against a Fascist megalomaniac and constantly takes on prejudice and discrimination in the wizarding world , the lack-of-diversity and cultural appropriation problems are disheartening.

J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tweets don’t make me question my love for Harry Potter one bit, like Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe fears. Potterverse has been shaped as much by fan fiction as it has been by the books. So, in this case, I have no qualms separating the art from the artist. Rowling may have given us the boy who lived, but we were the ones who made him immortal.

Views are personal.

Also read: J.K. Rowling releases first two chapters of her new book ‘The Ickabog’ online for free

 

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