'Hare' Lip in 2nd Harry Potter book

[Margie]

Hi everyone,


I'm writing regarding the world's latest phenomenon - Harry Potter. I'm nearly 25 but am completely enjoying the stories, which I decided to read after seeing the movie. Last night, however, I was reading the second book (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), and became extremely angry and disappointed when someone with a 'hare' lip was described in less than a flattering way. Let me explain further...


In the story there is a professor at Harry's school called Gilderoy Lockhart. He is totally in love with himself and has won many awards for his looks, particularly his smile. He has also published many books about his experiences as a wizard and has his face on every one of them, and as a consequence is very famous. Towards the end of the book he is talking to Harry Potter who has just discovered that Gilderoy in fact was not responsible for any of the things he wrote about in his books. The offending section follows:


"'You wrote them!' Harry shouted.
'My dear boy,' said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at Harry. 'Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things. No one wants to read about some ugly old Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a hare lip. I mean, come on...'"


I personally find that highly offensive. For one thing, I detest the term 'hare' lip, but I can deal with that. What I really hate is that it is implied that this woman with a cleft lip could never make it onto the cover of a book - it is implied that she is ugly. Is that the sort of thing kids should be reading? Okay, many kids wouldn't even know what it was, but that's not the point. What about those kids out there who *have* a cleft lip, and know that it is also known as a hare lip... Aren't they going to be upset by this? I know I was, and I've been dealing with my cleft for nearly 25 years. These days I'm happy with myself, but back when I was 11, I probably would have been extremely upset by it.


I showed it to my mother just to make sure I wasn't over-reacting, but she was also offended, as was my sister. I am seriously considering writing a letter to J K Rowling asking her to remove or change the statement for any future publications of the story. It doesn't have to be so specific, so discriminating. Why couldn't this witch have dirty hair or rotting teeth? Fangs even? I'm sure the author wouldn't have dared imply a witch with a missing limb or perhaps Down's Syndrome was 'ugly' - that would offend many people, and understandably so! But why should she get away with using cleft lip, even if she has called it hare lip? It's a real problem, affecting real people, and it's not all that rare, as you all know!


I can see that perhaps she saw the association with old wives tales and witches... and perhaps she wasn't aware of what it was. But I think she really should have researched it carefully before using it. I also think it really should be changed.


What I'm asking is would anyone here be prepared to either write to her also, or sign some sort of petition? I'm sure if there is a huge list of names, it's more likely to make a difference than if I just write on my own. I'd like to point out to her that I do in fact think the stories are fantastic, but that is just not acceptable.


Thanks everyone in advance for your help, and thanks also for letting me vent a little.


Margie

[Ros]

I totally agree with you. Any child with a cleft would feel embarrassed and maybe even ashamed if they read this. I do not believe in censorship but I think a children's book author should be very sensitive to his/her readers.

[stephanie]

To read that such stuff as a child that a adult has written.seems almost to make it ok to tease, well its not ok. My daughter is 2 yrs old and was born with a cleft lip. and 4 days later we learned of downn syndrome, she had both,I would be more than happy to sign a petitiom or write this author any type of letter to make her rethink her words. I have been trying to raise mt daughters self esteem ever since she was born! So lets get these words in this book changed nefroe a movie of this is made and portrays this as a cleft lip...

[Nicorbee]

Thank You for pointing that out. My daughter is 18 months old and born with a wide unilateral cleft lip and bilateral cleft palate. I am dreading the time when she goes to school and really starts interacting with other children. I would be glad to sign anything to get this changed.

[Mel uk]

My son is nearly 8 years old and was born with
a bilateral cleft lip and palate, he has just
received all the books for christmas and wants
us to read them at bedtimes i for one will be
skipping this part. I would be willing to sign
a petition to get this part removed from the book

[Anonymous]

Let me start by establishing two points: I have not read the books; I have a son with a repaired cleft who is 11 months old.
Having said that, I am responding because I have a fierce love for my son, and I undeerstand your emotional response to the term "hare lip." Will it be removed from the story? Doubtful. Has it caused a backlash against children with facial differences? I have not heard anything to indicate one way or the other. Can this be a teaching point? Yes!
Thank God kids are excited and reading, are away from their Playstations and X-Boxes. In my circle of people I love I have several little boys, nephews, who enjoy Harry Potter. So far the issue of the hare lip has not been raised. I suspect the term was glanced over and lost among other unfamiliar words and phrases not essential to the plot. I suspect most children will follow suit. If my nephews do question it, my feeling is that their mother will explain how "hare-lip" is an old, ancient way which describes the same boo-boo their cousin had. That it is unkind, and should not EVER be used. That it stems from a time before people and medicine and science understood and explained such things.
Sometimes education is more valuable than eradication. I do not wish to offend. I am merely expressing my belief that everything can be assigned a purpose--in this case, an opportunity to teach.

[Calvero]

I replied about this at the Cleft Club but I'll also post it here so others will have a better understanding of this.


When I first heard about this a year or so ago, I was also upset (I don't like the word harelip, especailly in a negative way) until recently when it was talked about again. Then I began to ask myself what kind of character is Gilderoy Lockhart. Since I hadn't read any of the Potter books, I used the description that Margie and some others had used: he's a conceited, vain person who probably would think that anyone who isn't as good looking as him isn't worthy of being put on a book, sees nothing wrong about writing books about adventures he's claimed he's had, but really didn't. Saying the word harelip justs adds one more stupid thing to his list of faults.


So basically, you aren't supposed to like much of anything he says or does.


I see it as the character Lockhart saying that ugly people aren't worthy of being on a book, not Rowling (it's not uncommon for an writer to create a character with opinions that the writer does not agree with). Had it been Harry, the hero of the series, who said those things then it might be different. But with it being said by an unadmirable character, in the full context of the story, it just adds to his already established negative attitude. And most (not all but most)that I've heard from who have read the book (both parents of cleft kids and cleft affected people as well) were not insulted for similar reasons.


Kim,
The Cleft Club,
<a href="http://cleftclub.2ya.com">http://cleftclub.2ya.com</a>

[Jeff Alterman]

It hurts me a little that they should use the term "harelip" the wrong way in the Harry Potter book since I have a very tiny harelip myself in conjunction with a submucous cleft hard palate. In my case the harelip is so tiny the it isn't disfiguring. As a matter of fact if one were to look at my face they would find it quite attractive in spite of the tiny flaw which generally goes unnoticed. Even though I have a tiny imperfection in my face, I'm still quite attractive looking.


Jeff Alterman alterman@bestweb.net

[mot8112@yahoo.com]

I cannot believe in the modern day, that an author would be so callous as to mention a facial deformity like that, not to mention using an old term like 'hare lip'.
I would like to find the address for Rowling, and the producers of the movie and write a letter or sign a petition. Does anyone have this contact information??
My twins (daughter has the cleft) are both finishing reading the first in the series. I will not be letting them read the second.


Thanks,
Sandra

[mot8112@yahoo.com]

Since my email Sat., I have talked to several people
who reside in the UK, and I asked them about the
term harelip. They said it is still commonly used
in the UK, and that's why Rowling did not think
twice about the use. However, when I pointed out
that she should not have even referred to a facial
disfigurement since it implied imperfect features
would not be appropriate on a book cover, they
totally agreed.


Sandra

[howton12909@aol.com]

I was substituting a primary class the other day and we read a book (I forgot the title of the book) that talks about harelip. Apparently, millions of go that rabbits were once large animals and that there was a castropotic accident or genetic mutation that cause these animals to get smaller and develop "harelips." Anyway, its a norse legend but I feel the term belongs with the rabbits. It was a positive book and the term harelip was used in a positive way.

[Kelly]

i agree very strongly with these comments... i am 20 years old..... and i also have a cleft lip... it upsets me every day when i look in the mirror.. even though besides that i am a beautiful young woman.....i am reading "white oleander"righ now.. it also makes a reference to a hare lip....... i was so upset i almost stopped reading the book.......


even though mine is not very noticable.. i know it could upset alot of people and there are many people with it worse off then myself..


anwyays.... just thought i would mention that..


Kel~

[E. Pettus]

I think that the point here is that Gilderoy Lockhart, a terrible villan, is voicing a terrible point of view, just as when the other evil characters espouse evil--his evil has to do with his vanity, so this makes a certain amount of sense--keep in mind, if we quote Hitler (of Voldemort, as the case may be) we are not endorsing the view, the view is illuminating the evil of the character.

[E. Pettus]

I think that the point here is that Gilderoy Lockhart, a terrible villan, is voicing a terrible point of view, just as when the other evil characters espouse evil--his evil has to do with his vanity, so this makes a certain amount of sense--keep in mind, if we quote Hitler (or Voldemort, as the case may be) we are not endorsing the view, the view is illuminating the evil of the character. sorry, there were typos

[Jeff Alterman]

I don't endorse any negative point of view about people who have clefts and the term "harelip" should not be used to describe anyone with a cleft lip. We are living in the 21st century and 17th or 18th century terminology is no longer appropriate.


Jeff Alterman at alterman@bestweb.net