Editing Quidditch (section)

==Reception==
According to David K. Steege, the books "follow very closely the school story tradition of making games and sports central to the boarding school experience; some of the most vivid and popular scenes in the series take place on the playing field."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Steege|first1=David K.|editor1-last=Whited|editor1-first=Lana A.|title=The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon|date=2004|publisher=University of Missouri Press|page=148|chapter=Harry Potter, Tom Brown, and the British School Story}}</ref>
However, some critics have claimed that Rowling's presentation of Quidditch reinforces gender inequality. For example, Heilman and Donaldson argue that the female players ultimately have little impact on the outcome of the game,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Heilman|first1=Elizabeth E.|last2=Donaldson|first2=Trevor|editor1-last=Heilman|editor1-first=Elizabeth E.|title=Critical Perspectives on Harry Potter|date=2009|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|page=142|edition=2nd|chapter=From Sexist to (sort-of) Feminist: Representations of Gender in the Harry Potter Series}}</ref> and it has also been noted that the female players on the Gryffindor Quidditch team have very few lines.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Doughty|first1=Terri|editor1-last=Whited|editor1-first=Lana A.|title=The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon|date=2004|publisher=University of Missouri Press|page=243|chapter=Locating Harry Potter in the "Boys' Book" Market}}</ref> This view has been disputed by Mimi R. Gladstein, who points to the presence of female players on the victorious Irish team at the Quidditch World Cup. She argues: "The inclusion of female Quidditch players at the highest level of the sport is done without a trace of self-consciousness and their inclusion isn't an issue within the minds of the characters."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gladstein|first1=Mimi R.|editor1-last=Baggett|editor1-first=David|editor2-last=Klein|editor2-first=Shawn|title=Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts|url=https://archive.org/details/harrypotterphilo00bagg|url-access=registration|date=2004|publisher=Open Court Publishing|chapter=Feminism and Equal Opportunity: Hermione and the Women of Hogwarts.|isbn=9780812694550}}</ref> On the other hand, D. Bruno Starrs notes Quidditch's rarity as a sport in which males and females compete against each other, and describes it as "levelling" the genders.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Starrs|first1=D.Bruno|editor1-last=Mead|editor1-first=David|editor2-last=Frelik|editor2-first=Pawel|title=Playing the Universe: Games and Gaming in Science Fiction|date=2007|publisher=Maria Curie-Sklodowska University|pages=77–85|chapter=Quidditch: J. K. Rowling's Leveller}}</ref>

Quidditch has been criticised for its emphasis on catching the Snitch.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Manfred|first1=Tony|title=Sorry Harry Potter Fans, Quidditch Is The Dumbest Sport Ever|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/harry-potter-quidditch-2011-7?IR=T|website=Business Insider|access-date=10 September 2017}}</ref> Rowling claims that Quidditch is a sport that "infuriates" men in particular, who are bothered by the unrealistic scoring system.<ref name="telegraph"/> Because of the emphasis on the Snitch, legal scholar [[William Baude]] called Quidditch "a really stupid game".<ref>{{cite news |first=Will |last=Baude |author-link=William Baude |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/05/14/more-thoughts-on-the-rules-of-quidditch/ |title=The Volokh Conspiracy: More thoughts on the rules of Quidditch |newspaper=The Washington Post |type=Opinion |date=14 May 2014 |access-date=3 July 2021 }}</ref>