This artist is offering to redesign Harry Potter tattoos for free – all while raising money for trans people of colour
One of the cover-up designs by Molly Knox Ostertag. (Twitter/MollyOstertag)
Since JK Rowling’s anti-trans tweets and personal essay, transgender and non-binary Harry Potter fans have faced a conundrum – especially those who’ve used tattoo ink to commemorate their fandom.
Many trans Harry Potter fans now seek to distance themselves from JK Rowling – but tattoos are permanent.
Luckily, a Los Angeles based tattoo artist has the solution: Molly Knox Ostertag is offering to design cover-ups, so that the Harry Potter tattoos can be turned into something else.
In return, she’s asking that people donate to the Trans Women of Colour Collective, a queer and Black-led organisation in the US which “exists to create revolutionary change by uplifting the narratives, leadership, and lived experience of trans people of colour”.
“I’ve spent today drawing cover-ups for Harry Potter tattoos in exchange for donations to the Trans Women of Colour Collective,” Ostertag tweeted on June 9.
“I have a bunch more to do and am not currently taking any more on, but here are some I liked from today!”
I've spent today drawing coverups for Harry Potter tattoos in exchange for donations to https://t.co/YN9pW0qkqW – I have a bunch more to do and am not currently taking any more on, but here are some I liked from today! pic.twitter.com/m18NII8rfA
— Molly Knox Ostertag – Updates (@MollyOstertag) June 9, 2020
The next day, she added: “If you donate $50+ to the Trans Women of Color Collective or a similar organisation, I will help you design a sick cover-up for your Harry Potter tattoo.”
Ostertag also later explained that it’s “totally fine” if people still enjoy their Harry Potter tattoo – but that “some people don’t want that connection”.
A few more, they’re honestly so fun to figure out pic.twitter.com/T6sRnq1ivq
— Molly Knox Ostertag (@MollyOstertag) June 9, 2020
Tattoo artist is here for people ‘feeling the urge’ to get rid of Harry Potter tattoos.
On June 11 – the day after JK Rowling published an essay on her website explaining her views on trans rights – Ostertag added four more designs.
“I’m assuming people more people are feeling the urge to get rid of their HP tats today…” she tweeted.
Her designs feature snakes, flowers and cats. They cover up a range of Harry Potter tattoos that people might have – from Harry’s glasses and forehead scar to the infamous line Professor Umbridge made Rowling’s protagonist carve into the back of his hand: “I must not tell lies”.
