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[stella713]

"Rowlings use of obesity as a shorthand for "bad person" does NOTHING 
to help prevent that kind of bigotry, and, in fact, reinforces the 
stereotypes. So now, these kids are going to be reading this book 
which, in so many ways, attempt to teach kids that prejudging others 
or hating someone because they're different (as in the mudbloods v. 
purebloods struggles), and then turns around and treats one class of 
people stereotypically, consistently negatively and seemingly sending 
the message that it's "OK" to make such judgements and hold such 
attitudes aobut people if they're fat."

Very good point Kriselda - and I would like to make another.
Have you noticed how Rowling describes the girls of Slytherin - they 
are almost all ugly - and it is perfectly fine (for a Gryffindor) to 
make fun of their appearance. As someone who is "different not 
pretty" I found that quite disturbing. Incidentially I hold not much 
hope in Harry Potter teaching children to be nonjudgemental....my 
best example would be the sorting song in book 5, calling for unity 
of hogwards. Three houses uniting against the fourth - not exactly 
what I had in mind.

Greetings from
Asta who returns back to lurkdom