Hogwarts Legacy criticised over name of series' first trans character

If you’re a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S or PC owner and you’ve pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition of Hogwarts Legacy, you’ll likely be diving into the early access period today which means you may soon meet the Wizarding World’s first trans character Sirona Ryan.

It’s impossible to examine Hogwarts Legacy without taking into account the context surrounding this release. In recent years, JK Rowling has made a number of transphobic comments leading many fans to boycott the franchise - including Hogwarts Legacy. Rowling was not directly involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy but she will, of course, profit from the game’s sales. Considering this topical backdrop, it’s notable then that the team at Avalanche have introduced the franchise’s first trans character.

Tour Hogwarts Legacy’s four house common rooms below.

As reported by IGN, Sirona Ryan - a transgender woman - runs the Three Broomsticks tavern and is encountered by players in the second main story quest. The inclusion of the character was kept out of any pre-release marketing materials and instead, Avalanche opted to let players discover this character for themselves. A representative of Portkey Games told IGN that “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.”

They continued, “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.”

Many have already criticised the character’s name though, pointing out that including both ‘Sir’ and ‘Ryan’ - both of which hold masculine connotations - in the name of a transgender woman is tone deaf. Some compared the name to Cho Chang and Kingsley Shacklebolt’s which are also considered to be thoughtless by many fans.