I didn't really read it that way. I saw the Mudblood/Pureblood/Blood Traitor thing as clearly analogous to racial and ethnic issues, but not the different species. Because they are, well, different species. (I think the only part-wizard part-other we ever met was Fleur, and her family. And veelas in mythology were originally human anyway.) (Oh. Just remembered Hagrid and Madam Olympique. Hmm.)

And it also depends on how you're defining "intelligent species," I think. Just the ability to talk?

And it also depends on how you're defining "intelligent species," I think. Just the ability to talk?

At some point they actually list them, don't they? Umbridge maybe? The "non human magical creatures" act? They're not subject to certain rules or whatever?

And it also depends on how you're defining "intelligent species," I think. Just the ability to talk?

I would think that it should be the ability to communicate and work together for a common goal.

I would think that it should be the ability to communicate and work together for a common goal.

Hmm. By that definition, though, I think the gargoyles would qualify.

Looks like the Ministry divides the magical creatures into Beasts, Beings, and Spirits. Specifically mentioned as Beasts are centuars, hippogriffs, dragons, and werewolves. Specifically mentioned as beings are house elves, goblines, and werewolves. (At the Ministry, the Werewolf Registry and the Werewolf Capture Unit are in the Beast division, but the Werewolf Support Services are in the Being division.)

Hmm. By that definition, though, I think the gargoyles would qualify.

By that definition, mole rats qualify.

humans get to be generalists; bad or good is to be determined, but for other species it's in the genes.

Hm, and I was thinking that all the magical species having specific flaws (which in at least the cases I can think of off the top of my head some individuals manage to transcend) implied that humanity also has a specific flaw we just can't see it, since we all pretty much have it.

Get your gay Dumbledore shirt today! [link]

Reading some comments on Dumbledore's outing and laughed my ass off at this one:

And give me a break with this “it traumatizes my kids” nonsense. If you dont want you kids to hear about “deviant” sexual behavior, stop electing republicans to congress.

BWAH!

OK, that's worth a second BWAH! here.

There are times when it's obvious an author is modelling real world racial/ethnic stereotypes for propagandistic purposes, and other times when it's clearly unconscious, or else they're aiming to be enlightened, but missing the target by a mile. Writing is sometimes harder than it looks.