What A “Racebent” Hermione Granger Really Represents
The beauty of the Harry Potter character as a woman of color.
Growing up, the discovery of Harry Potter was nothing short of a revelation.
Warner Bros. / Via essentialtomyhappiness.tumblr.com
It revolutionized the way I thought about the world, humanity, and myself.
Warner Bros.
And like many young girls at the time, I found myself relating quite a lot to the series’ most prominent female character.
Hermione wouldn't and couldn't deny her intellect; she was bossy, she had big bushy hair, and she had best friends who loved her even when she was a pain in the ass — and who frequently needed her to save their asses.
She was also a Muggle-born, navigating a world that looked down on her for the situation of her very biology and culture.
Warner Bros.
As a biracial girl growing up in a very white city, I found myself especially attaching to the allegory of Harry Potter‘s blood politics.
In middle school, when I was confronting that there were people out there who'd call me “n****r,” I thought back to Hermione being called “mudblood” and harassed by teacher and students alike.
Warner Bros.
