ProtegoCast Episode 3: Elfish Welfare

May 26, 2020

Hello all you witches, wizards, and magical people! For Episode 3 of ProtegoCast, Emma, Jordan, and Tylor dive into the subject of elfish welfare and try to imagine a better world for House-Elves in the future of the wizarding world. Also in this episode: 

1. Why are House-Elves not included in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? What do we know about House-Elves?
2. Is the name House-Elf speciesist?  Tylor shares an important term relevant to animal rights and social justice movements.
3. Tylor also shares a way to rephrase the term “House-Elves” to remove the focus on their usefulness to wizardkind: “Elves used in houses.” 
4. What can we learn from the difference of opinions we see in Elves used in houses: Dobby is delighted to be free, however, Winky and Kreacher have very different opinions? 
5. Hagrid argues that it’s “kinder” to let Elves work - how is this hindering the progress of Elfish Welfare? What sort of parallels can we draw between these arguments and discussions we see when advocating for animal rights? 
6. What should the end-goal be for House-Elf activists? 

We also answer a brilliant question from one of our listeners regarding last week’s Merpeople episode and discuss the practices we think Sea World would have to change to become a more ethical, animal rights friendly organization.

We’ll return soon for another episode exploring animal rights in the Wizarding World, but in the meantime, be sure to send us your thoughts: will you be using “Elves used in houses” from now on? What are your opinions on improving Elfish rights? What other exploitation-first language examples can you think of? 

Don’t forget to leave a review, join our Patreon for perks and bonus content, and - on behalf of all magical creatures - Protego Maxima!

Resources: 

• House-Elves:
• • “What Dobby’s story means to real creatures”: http://www.protegofoundation.org/news/what-dobbys-story-means-to-real-creatures  
  • https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/heroic-house-elves-of-the-wizarding-world 
• Language & exploitation: 
• • https://www.peta.org/blog/23-euphemisms-animal-abusers/ 
  • https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/nature/2018/09/animal-cruelty-part-our-day-day-language-we-can-change-it 
• Animal-friendly idioms: https://www.peta.org/teachkind/lesson-plans-activities/animal-friendly-idioms/ 
• Seaside Sanctuaries: 
• • https://awionline.org/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/ML-Rose-Seaside-Sanctuaries-DFE.pdf
  • https://www.seaworldofhurt.com/sea-sanctuaries-sure-thing-get-program-seaworld/ 
• Blackfish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G93beiYiE74
• ‘The Dolphin’s Smile’: 
• • “Behind the Dolphin’s Smile”: https://www.dolphinproject.com/behind-the-dolphin-smile/ 

 

Links:

Visit our NEW ProtegoCast website, and subscribe to the ProtegoCast Patreon over at Patreon.com/protegocast.

Follow the Protego Foundation: 

• Twitter: @ProtegoFDN
• Instagram: @protegofoundation
• Facebook: @TheProtegoFoundation

Tylor Starr: 

• Twitter: @tylorstarr
• Instagram: @tylorstarr
• The Chickpeeps

Jordan Page: 

• Facebook: @PagingAdventure 
• Instagram: @JordanSheaPage

Emma Pocock:

• Twitter: @emmapocock96
• Instagram: @emma.pocock 
• Web: The Leaky Cauldron / Forbes