Hogwarts Legacy - An upcoming video game based on the 'Harry Potter' universe introduces debuts its first transgender character

In the brand-new video game Hogwarts Legacy, the Harry Potter universe ostensibly debuts its first transgender character. The Three Broomsticks is run by a character named Sirona Ryan, who players assume to be transgender based on a line of dialogue, though it's never made clear in the game, which launches on some platforms this Friday. Sirona reportedly says at one point, according to CNN, "Hadn't seen him in years when he came in a few months ago. But he recognized me instantly, which is more than I can say for some of my own classmates. Took them a second to realize I was actually a witch, not a wizard." Furthermore, the addition of a transgender character follows after J.K. Rowling, the author and creator of the Potter series, came under fire in June 2020 when she seemed to advocate anti-transgender sentiments in a series of tweets. And although she denied having transphobic ideas on feminism, she then published a lengthy post on her website that reaffirmed her divisive opinions. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="776"] Image credit: Indy100[/caption] Additionally, in response to criticism, Rowling, then 57 years old, stated in a letter from June 2020 that she would not "bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode 'woman' as a political and biological class and offering cover to predators like few before it." Also read: ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ will tell the inspiring backstory of the iconic girl gang

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According to the official website of the video game Hogwarts Legacy, Rowling was not involved in its development. "But," the website added, "as creator of the Wizarding World and one of the world's greatest storytellers, her extraordinary body of writing is the foundation of all projects in the Wizarding World. This is not a new story from J.K. Rowling, however, we have collaborated closely with her team on all aspects of the game to ensure it remains in line with the magical experiences fans expect." Moreover, the video game's studio, Portkey Games, a division of Warner Bros. Games, spoke about including LGBTQ characters and purposefully making it more inclusive. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Image credit: Push Square[/caption] According to Portkey Games, "It has been a high priority throughout the development of Hogwarts Legacy to create a game that is representative and diverse, aligning with our wonderful fan community." It added, "The team felt that it was very important to create a game that is representative of the rich and diverse world of Harry Potter as well as the groups of people who play games, which includes the LGBTQIA+ community. We have a diverse cast of characters that players will encounter throughout the game." Lastly, this Friday marks the release of Hogwarts Legacy for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. And on April 4 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and on July 25 for Nintendo Switch.