Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s shadow continues to loom over the Hogwarts Legacy video game. Her transphobic views have led to intense discussions surrounding the wizarding RPG. As a result, studio Avalanche Software has attempted to distance itself from the author, but many of her viewpoints are still reflected in her work.
Prospective players might be curious to see if Avalanche has made an effort towards gender inclusivity in its game, whether you see that as genuine attempts at goodwill or desperate pandering. Either way, here’s what you need to know about how Hogwarts legacy’s character creator handles gender.
Related: JK Rowling’s transphobic views and her effect on Hogwarts Legacy – controversy explained
What gender options does Hogwarts Legacy’s character creator offer?
Rather than curator a protagonist for the player to take the role of, Hogwarts Legacy offers a character creator. Your character is your very own, from their appearance to their voice. When creating your character, you will simply be how you want to be referred to and which dormitory to be assigned to, either as a witch or a wizard. That’s the closest the character creator comes in terms of gendered language. Additionally, you can choose either a feminine or masculine voice and adjust the pitch, regardless of which dormitory option you picked.
Does Hogwarts Legacy have any transgender NPCs?
Related: Hogwarts Legacy fans have met Sirona Ryan, and they’re divided on her
Hogwarts Legacy players have noticed the presence of a character implied to be a trans woman, named Sirona Ryan. Sirona Ryan runs a bar called The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. Sirona talks to the player about her friendship with Lodgok, a goblin. Between stories, she recalls that they were good friends before her transition.
She is not only the first trans character in the game but also the first trans character in the Wizarding World fictional universe as a whole. But going back to genuine goodwill versus pandering when it comes to Avalanche Software’s intention, that’s an entirely different discussion altogether.
