‘The Struggle isn’t Over’: While Fans Blast J.K. Rowling as Transphobic, 81 Years Old Harry Potter Actor Miriam Margoyles aka ‘Pomona Sprout’ Sets Example By Joining 1st Pride Parade
While the author of the Harry Potter series, J. K. Rowling is perpetually at netizen’s gunpoint for her discriminative stance on trans and non-binary folks, a queer cast member of the same series recently shared her coming-out story. Miriam Margoyles, famous as Professor Pomona Sprout, the head of the Hufflepuff house and the Herbology department at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, took part in her first Pride parade at the ripe age of 81, and it’s nothing short of inspiring.
“I’m proud to march – or roll rather”: Miriam Margoyles at her first Pride Parade
The British-Australian actress recently featured in a new docuseries, Australia Unmasked discussing the struggle and the historic journey of the Australian LGBTQ+ community. According to PINK News, the docuseries showed Margoyles attending her first Pride parade in Hobart, Tasmania, holding many rainbow flags while sitting in a wheelchair.
Miriam Margoyles jovially shared the abject transformation that the place has gone through during the episode. She said,
“The bigoted state that so many of my new friends grew up in has all but vanished … Tassie now boasts the most progressive LGBTQI laws in Australia. Although the struggle isn’t over, I’m proud to march — or roll rather — right along with them.”
The dark history of the LGBTQ Community in Tasmania
Tasmania becoming one of the most progressive states for queer folks is a fairly big thing, taking into account what Tasmanian LGBTQ activist, Rodney Croome said during the episode. Croome shared that one of the last places to decriminalize homosexuality in Australia happens to be Tasmania, which took the impactful step in 1997. Croome said:
“When we were trying to decriminalize homosexuality, there were large anti-gay rallies in Uvelstone. Hundreds of people came from all over in the civic center to protest against LGBTQI people in the late 80s. … The speakers were inciting the crowds to even higher levels of hatred. The crowds were shouting, ‘Kill them! Kill them!’ “
Although, the island state has now come a long way since those dark days and has seen beautiful progress and now has many laws in place for the protection of the LGBTQ community, as per PINK News. In 2019, the mandate on transgender folks going through compulsory surgeries to have their legal gender recognized was removed as well.
Croome was greatly obliged for the opportunity to meet Miriam Margoyles and she expressed the same on Twitter after the docuseries episode had aired.
It was privilege to have Miriam Margolyes highlight how Tasmania has gone from worst to best on LGBTIQA+ human rights. #RainbowIsle https://t.co/GhVo0KmmnJ
— Rodney Croome AM (@RodneyCroome) July 22, 2022
Miriam Margoyles’ coming-out story
Margoyles also shared a personal anecdote, the story of her coming out to her parents. She shared that her mother was heartbroken when she came out as a lesbian. She revealed,
“I told my mother, and she was utterly devastated. My Parents were Jewish. My father was a doctor, so you’d think he would be a bit clued up. But no, not when it was his daughter. It wasn’t possible.”
