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Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
Witch, Please: Queer Theory
We have one more week off between seasons of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text! While we're off, we thought we'd share a recent episode from our sister show, the brilliant feminist Harry Potter podcast Witch, Please.
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We have an episode for you that, in our professional opinion, is very gay. And by gay we mean inviting expansively, radically, resistantly queer readings of a text that is trying very very hard to perform heterosexuality and binary gender! We breeze by the obvious details—like Lockhart's character flaws as coded within his failure to correctly perform masculinity or Harry & Draco's flagrant obsession with each other—and into some of this text's more subversive queer potentials.
This episode acknowledges the existence of sex, so use discretion if in the company of young ears! This episode also discusses the continued abuse of Harry by the Dursleys, so take care of yourselves.
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Harry Potter and the Sacred Text: Series Trailer
03:50||Season 9Welcome to Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, a podcast by Not Sorry Productions!Learn more at https://www.harrypottersacredtext.com/
Commitment: The Boy Who Lived (Book 1, Chapter 1)
25:16||Season 1In the premiere episode of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, Casper and Vanessa talk about why they are starting this project and analyze the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone through the theme of commitment.
Loneliness: The Vanishing Glass (Book 1, Chapter 2)
30:11||Season 1Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of loneliness in chapter two of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. They discuss the Dursleys' parenting choices, the significance of numbers, and the birthday blues. A small correction: In this week’s epsiode, Vanessa says that the letters for chai are יה (yud hay), when they are actually חי (chet yud).
Fear: The Letters From No One (Book 1, Chapter 3)
26:09||Season 1Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of fear in chapter three of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. They discuss Vernon Dursley's illusion of control, the psychology of bullies, and climate change.
Generosity: The Keeper of the Keys (Book 1, Chapter 4)
25:43||Season 1Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of generosity in chapter four of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Casper demonstrates his excellent Hagrid impression and Vanessa addresses whether we can or should empathize with the Dursleys.
Being a Stranger: Diagon Alley (Book 1, Chapter 5)
28:50||Season 1Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of "being a stranger" in chapter five of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. They discuss hefty ideas like consumerist culture in the wizarding world, Hagrid's status as an outsider, and mentorship.
Expectations: The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Book 1, Chapter 6)
25:17||Season 1Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of expectations in chapter six of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. They discuss Harry and Ron's budding friendship, the unusual bravery of Scabbers the rat, and how our bodily practices relate to our spiritual experience.
Vulnerability: The Sorting Hat (Book 1, Chapter 7)
26:22||Season 1Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of vulnerability in chapter seven of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. They discuss how Harry’s experience with the sorting hat teaches us to reclaim our own narratives after trauma, and extend blessings both to know-it-all Hermione and know-nothing Neville.*NB: Vanessa’s opening story is about sexual assault. If you want to skip it, the 30-second recap starts about 5 minutes into the episode. *
Promises: The Potions Master (Book 1, Chapter 8)
28:06||Season 1Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of promises in chapter eight of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. They discuss tropes in bad 80s tv shows, Harry's reaction to his own fame, and Hermione's destiny to smash the patriarchy.