Tim Hortons’ Harry Potter menu doesn’t reflect Canadian values

Like many others who grew up in the 2000s, I was obsessed with Harry Potter. I spent the better part of my childhood reading the books, rewatching the movies and picturing myself in a world of magic. 

I was inspired that J.K. Rowling, the author of the book series, was a woman in a male-dominated field.

That fantasy quickly faded away when I learned about her beliefs. 

Rowling has been openly transphobic on her social media since 2019 and has consistently used her platform to fearmonger and spread hate towards trans women. 

Scrolling through her X account, I found many posts where she goes on angry rants about how “wanting to be viewed or described as female doesn’t make a man a woman.”

Still, Harry Potter is a generation-defining franchise with millions of fans. 

Tim Hortons released an exclusive menu with baked goods, drinks and merchandise to celebrate 25 years since the release of the franchise’s first movie, 

Reactions to this collaboration have been mixed. Some people online are excited to relive an important piece of their childhood. One user shared on X, “As a Potterhead I couldn’t resist.” Meanwhile, others are not so excited. Another user posted, “If you buy the Tim Hortons Harry Potter donuts, you support someone who has been hurting the [trans] community for years.”

The main issue with supporting the Harry Potter franchise is that Rowling is actively using her money against trans people. In 2025, she created the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund, which offers legal funding “to retain women’s and girls’ sex-based rights in all aspects of life including the workplace, sports and clubs, and protected single-sex spaces.”

This is not just a crazy woman fighting with random people who make negative comments about her on X. Rowling is spending millions of dollars to stop trans women from using their preferred bathroom. 

Rowling has reportedly donated 70,000 pounds (over C$130,000) to For Women Scotland, a group working to challenge new changes to Scotland’s Gender Recognition Act, which allows trans people to change their gender legally.

When it comes to Harry Potter, separating the art from the artist is not an option. You can love the story and all of your childhood memories that are attached to it, but by contributing financially to Rowling’s success, you’re supporting the persecution of the trans community. 

Despite this, I do understand the appeal of Harry Potter. For many kids, the franchise served as escapism where they could imagine themselves in a magical world where being different made you special. 

For me, it was a gateway into a passion for reading that led me to become a journalist. I cherish all of the memories that I have from the series, but I care more about the well-being of others than getting a cheap plastic stir wand.

Truthfully, I don’t think spending $2.79 on a mediocre doughnut is going to make any significant financial change. Rowling already has enough money to create or support as many anti-trans groups as she wants. However, I do believe in putting your money where your mouth is, even if it doesn’t make a distinct difference in the grand scheme of things.

It doesn’t matter if it’s only a couple of dollars. The fact that you are choosing to support a woman who is so determined to take away the rights of people because she believes they’re not “real women” is harmful to the individuals in your own community. It then becomes not just a financial support issue but also an allyship issue. 

Calling yourself an ally is more than boycotting the collab. Being an ally means understanding the struggles that the community faces and confronting internal biases even when it’s uncomfortable. You can’t only be an ally when it benefits you. 

But this performative allyship is exactly what Tim Hortons is doing. The company participated in the 2025 Toronto Pride parade, and in 2019 they stated that “Tim Hortons is proud to support everyone, including guests, corporate employees, franchisees and team members, by celebrating Pride and love this month.”

For a company that says it’s “Proudly Canadian,” Tim Hortons doesn’t represent the values Canadians pride themselves on. Canada is supposed to celebrate diversity and be a place that offers equality to everyone, including the trans community. 

For me, this showcases that Tim Hortons doesn’t care how many people are complaining about their Harry Potter menu as long as they profit from the collaboration. 

With violence against trans people rising around the world, it’s more important than ever to reinforce your support at all times, even if it means skipping on a Gryffindor strawberry-cheesecake doughnut.