Jesus. Fuck her so much.
Her literary work came up recently again with some....acquaintances. Someone was very quick to bring up separating the art from artist argument when I said some shit about her. You know what pisses me off about this? I feel like it's said by people who want to avoid actually discussing the vile shit she has said and done so they can quickly get back to praising her great work. But if you are going to try and tell me we should separate, I expect you to understand why we've even gotten here. They seem to have a very surface level understanding, and even that is being generous. Their understanding is "people are upset at Rowling." Have you attempted to find out why? Once you've educated yourself, and looked with your own eyeballs at the terrible, hate-filled shit she has said, THEN you can can talk to me about separating the art from artist. I probably won't agree with, but I dunno. Half the time it feels so disingenous.
Ya, I mean, I don't have any great issue with people continuing to enjoy things they've long enjoyed. The art we consume does become a part of us in many ways. Orson Scott Card is a horrendous human being, but I'd have killed myself in middle school if I hadn't read Ender's Game. Roman Polanski and Woody Allen are horrendous human beings but Chinatown and The Purple Rose of Cairo are still works I love. I do think movies are a bit different in that they're far less the work of one person than books are, but I still own and occasionally read Enders Game so I can't be too cross with those who love the wizard books and movies, have for decades, and aren't burning their copies.
But part of separating the art from the artist is understanding and reckoning with the reasons that is necessary, understanding why the artist themselves needs that separation, and considering how the person they are may have impacted the art they created, even if you love it.
Even then, I have a lot easier time accepting others beliefs on this if they aren't actively giving money to the terrible person. For a lot of years I refused to listen to Michael Jackson's music on streaming because I didn't want him to get any money. I've eased up on that since he died, I love much of his music and he certainly can't enjoy the money anymore, but that was a line for me. If I ever needed another copy of Enders Game, I'd buy it used. That's not a perfect solution, one less used copy in circulation might mean someone else in the future can't buy used and gets a new one, but at least its making an attempt. Nothing is perfect in this world, but try. Make an effort. At least think about the impact of consuming the art and what that puts into the world. If you're not doing so you aren't separating the art from the artist, you're ignoring the artist's problems so you don't have to reckon with them.
