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Cherry Picking

by AJ Solomon

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about

My feelings about Harry Potter now are far more turbulent than I ever wanted them to be. I can't abide by public engagement with an entity that so blatantly perpetuates and benefits from oppressive and dangerous harms. But I can also never stop loving it, nor can so many others, and I firmly believe that we all deserve a space to lean into that love as much as we can. We spend so much of our time debating, educating, and grappling, but we also need to make room for simple joys in order to heal. This song is an embodiment of my best attempt at defiantly finding those simple joys.

Originally released on Wizrocklopedia Compilation #5: Alphabet Soup: an LGBTQIA+ Comp, in March 2022.

50% of all proceeds for this and my other two songs will be donated to local Black trans orgs.

lyrics

Lyrics:
I'm sick of trying to jam myself into someone's pigeonholes
I'd rather use her magic to take on my REAL goals
She's shown us time and time again how vile she can be
Not just to trans folks either, remember Ilvermorny?
I’m done accepting table scraps so full of bigotry
It’s my oldest special interest and now it belongs to me
So I'm just gonna cherry pick the things that serve me well
And all the other nonsense? Yeah, it can rot in hell! it can rot in hell!

We know stairs can be enchanted to refuse every boy entry
Which like, that’s a separate can of worms I’m NOT here to unpack
But it does imply that magic can be pretty freakin gendery
And I’m inclined to think that that means magic’s got our back
Imagine an enchantment that shuts down or intercepts
Anyone who mis-pronouns, misgenders or rejects
We can’t control their thoughts, I know, but impact beats intent
Plus even allies make mistakes, which this would help prevent

I’m done accepting table scraps so full of bigotry
It’s my oldest special interest and now it belongs to me
So I'm just gonna cherry pick the things that serve me well
And all the other nonsense? Yeah, it can rot in hell!

Now consider the extent of healing magic’s full potential
For modifying bodies, interim or permanent
We’ve seen Madam Pomfrey rebuild bones and heal the accidental
She’s shrinking teeth, Vanishing fur, and never passing judgment
If healers lent their wands to help with gender affirmation
There’d be a monumental impact on the wizard population
Reconstructing muscles, adding organs, moving fat
And a charm won’t hurt your body like a binder or a gaff

I’m done accepting table scraps so full of bigotry
It’s my oldest special interest and now it belongs to me
So I'm just gonna cherry pick the things that serve me well
And all the other nonsense? Yeah, it can rot in hell!

credits

released March 10, 2022
Lyrics, music, etc. by AJ Solomon. Track art also by AJ Solomon.

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about

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AJ Solomon Massachusetts

AJ Solomon is a nonbinary Jewish ADHD Huffleclaw currently calling Massachusetts home. Their music (and art, and life...) focuses on Harry Potter, gender, and intersections of marginalized identities. They are NOT known for their ability to stay on topic, so they're just gonna end this here :) ... more

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