Tim Hortons’ Harry Potter deal stirs backlash over author’s views on trans rights
Tim Hortons is facing backlash from LGBTQ rights advocates and some of its own employees after announcing a collaboration marking the 25th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film.
The collaboration will feature themed drinks, collectible packaging, merchandise, trivia nights and a contest to win a trip to London. The company described the partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products as a way to “sprinkle some magic” into customers' daily routines.
LGBTQ rights activists have called the partnership problematic because of author J.K. Rowling's public statements and actions concerning transgender people. The reaction has intensified in recent days after Rowling posted upskirt photographs of a transgender woman online without her explicit consent; an invasive act critics have asserted is consistent with what they call a pattern of dehumanizing rhetoric.
On July 28, Canadian advocacy organization Egale Canada condemned the partnership. The group said a brand closely tied to Canada's identity should reflect values of diversity and inclusion, and argued that the collaboration promotes “a brand associated with a person whose public advocacy has contributed to anti-trans narratives and the rollback of trans rights around the world.”
Author and human rights advocate, Rowan Jetté Knox, offered a similar view on Threads, describing the campaign as “about as un-Canadian as it gets” and noting that Rowling has become as well known for her views on transgender people as for the books that made her famous.
Some Tim Hortons employees have also spoken out,
“I'm an employee of Tim Hortons. I'm also transgender. You are actively hurting many of your employees including myself. Screw you. I will not be purchasing anything from Tim Hortons for the duration of this promotion,” wrote one user on Threads.
Other users expressed disappointment and called for a boycott. One wrote, “Trans lives over timbits every single time.”
“Deeply disgusted by the corporate bullshit that @timhortons is pulling. After monetizing Pride with some low effort tokens, they're now heavily monetizing an IP whose owner has openly stated that she uses that money to fund anti-trans initiatives. These actions kill vulnerable children. I will not be returning to Tim Hortons,” wrote another user.
The debate has also touched on the company’s national identity, particularly because its parent company is based in Brazil and the United States. One commenter wrote that the move was “just a reminder that they're an American company prioritizing profits over people to begin with,” adding a call to “Buy Canadian” and boycott Tim Hortons.
Another user pointed to Rowling's statements about her finances, saying the partnership means customers are “literally helping fund anti-trans efforts” and that there is “ZERO possibility you weren't aware of this.”
Long-time customers have also voiced concerns. One regular patron said they would start making tea at home and buying snacks elsewhere, writing that supporting “this Terf is not something I want my Canada to be known for.”
Rowling has long rejected the accusation that she is anti-trans. She has maintained that she is "defending women's rights based on biological sex," has repeatedly stated that "transgender women are not women," and has used her personal wealth to support legal and advocacy efforts focused on so-called "sex-based rights." Her recent posting of the photographs has intensified calls for companies to reconsider their ties to her work.
Tim Hortons did not immediately respond to a request from the Provincial Times for comment on the criticism, and it is unclear whether Tim Hortons will adjust its plans ahead of the Aug. 12 launch as online reaction continues.
