Dumbledore's gay!

[WhiteCrow]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7053982.stm

JK Rowling outs Dumbledore as gay
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has revealed that one of her characters, Hogwarts school headmaster Albus Dumbledore, is gay.

She made her revelation to a packed house in New York's Carnegie Hall on Friday, as part of her US book tour.

She took audience questions and was asked if Dumbledore found "true love".

"Dumbledore is gay," she said, adding he was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, who he beat in a battle between good and bad wizards long ago.

The audience gasped, then applauded. "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy," she said.

"Falling in love can blind us to an extent," she added, saying Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down" and his love for Grindelwald was his "great tragedy".

"Oh, my god," Rowling, 42, concluded with a laugh, "the fan fiction".

Fan sites have long speculated on Dumbledore's sexuality as he was known for having a mysterious, troubled past.

Rowling told the audience that while working on the planned sixth Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she saw the script carried a reference to a girl who was once of interest to Dumbledore.

She said she ensured director David Yates was made aware of the truth about her character.

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell welcomed the news about Dumbledore and said: "It's good that children's literature includes the reality of gay people, since we exist in every society.

"But I am disappointed that she did not make Dumbledore's sexuality explicit in the Harry Potter book. Making it obvious would have sent a much more powerful message of understanding and acceptance."

And a spokesman for gay rights group Stonewall added: "It's great that JK has said this. It shows that there's no limit to what gay and lesbian people can do, even being a wizard headmaster."

Rowling also did a brief reading from the seventh book in her best-selling series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as part of her Open Book Tour of the US - her first there for seven years.

She said she regarded her novels as a "prolonged argument for tolerance" and urged her fans to "question authority".

But she added that not everyone likes her work. Christian groups have alleged the books promote witchcraft. The author said her revelation about Dumbledore would give them one more reason.

The seventh Potter book broke sales records on both sides of the Atlantic when it was published in July, selling 11 million copies in 24 hours.

The fifth film adaptation of the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released this summer. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is due for release late next year.

[Dirk Gently]

It's interesting news but hardly a surprise to be honest.

[Rob McCow]

I find that quite pleasing, even if Dumbledore isn't exactly Dishydore.

And a spokesman for gay rights group Stonewall added: "It's great that JK has said this. It shows that there's no limit to what gay and lesbian people can do, even being a wizard headmaster."

This must have been immediately after a journalist threw a microphone into his face and told him to say the first thing that came into his head. Is there anyone on this board hoping to be a wizard headmaster?

[WhiteCrow]

Wasn't she also kind of saying that the dark wizard Grindelwald was also gay? Yay you can be a Dark Lord of Evil and not worry about your sexuality ...

[Andrew Curnow]

I was just going to start this very thread, but I see Whitecrow's got here before me.

Is there anyone on this board hoping to be a wizard headmaster?

I also liked this from the article:

Fan sites have long speculated on Dumbledore's sexuality

As if Doctor Who fans would be daft enough to wonder about that sort of thing. Tt.

Anyway, Mike Yates, what do we think...

[Pip Madeley]

JK's got a gay agenda? WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.

[WhiteCrow]

I was just going to start this very thread, but I see Whitecrow's got here before me.

I read it yesterday and waited 24 hours to allow someone else to post it. But no-one did.

By the way it's WhiteCrowUK -> WCUK. Just WhiteCrow and I feel you're makind a convenience of me!

I don't know what to make of Dumbledores outing to be honest. I guess in a way it's good that his sexuality wasn't an issue in the books at all, but it feels like a kind of tagged on piece.

Mind you I read the Watchmen regularly, and never noticed two of the Minutemen in that are gay and seeing each other. Once I reread that knowing it, I did indeed notice it.

[WhiteCrow]

JK's got a gay agenda? WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.

"Mummy I want to be a gay wizzard just like Dumbledore!"

[Andrew Curnow]

By the way it's WhiteCrowUK -> WCUK. Just WhiteCrow and I feel you're makind a convenience of me!

Oops, sorry (I think it's about the third time I've called you WC so apologies cubed).

I'm curious now to know whether Harry Potter fans spend time discussing the sexual preferences of ALL the characters.

[Pip Madeley]

Is WCUK anything like FCUK?

[Logo Polish]

Did you have a different name on the old PS (and if so, what was it?)? I've never been quite sure if you were there or not.

[Andrew Curnow]

When Peter Tatchell says "I am disappointed that she did not make Dumbledore's sexuality explicit in the Harry Potter book" I have to assume he's forgetting that it's a children's book. I don't think it would be quite the same with sex scenes in it.

[Dave Lewis]

Isn't it about time that Peter Tatchell was pensioned off? He's been making comments on 'gay' matters or about a hundred years, it seems.

[Lissa]

This strikes me as a gutless piece of publicity. If she really believed that Dumbledore being gay was an important statement she would've mentioned it in one of the books.

When Peter Tatchell says "I am disappointed that she did not make Dumbledore's sexuality explicit in the Harry Potter book" I have to assume he's forgetting that it's a children's book. I don't think it would be quite the same with sex scenes in it.

That's to mistake sexuality for sex. Harry is allowed to have a girlfriend without there being sex scenes in it.

JK Rowling simply didn't want to jeopardise sales of her books by making it clear that Dumbledore's lost love was male. She knew that ignorant parents would refuse to buy her books and merchandise if it was mentioned in one of the books. That's not a positive statement about what gay people can achieve - that is confirming the old belief that gay people can only achieve if they hide their sexuality.

If Dumbledore really was gay and she didn't just pluck an internet rumour out of the air to get herself in the papers just as the latest Harry Potter DVD is due out, then she squandered an incredible platform to give children a positive gay role model.

She doesn't deserve and praise or credit for this revolting display of self interest.

[WhiteCrow]

When Peter Tatchell says "I am disappointed that she did not make Dumbledore's sexuality explicit in the Harry Potter book" I have to assume he's forgetting that it's a children's book. I don't think it would be quite the same with sex scenes in it.

You know my son is 9 years old, and is aware that some of the people we know are gay. But that doesn't mean we've sat down and told him the explicit details about gay and lesbian sex.

Heck no. And by that I mean I'm going to leave the whole discussion about sex until a long time distant. I think the wife can handle that on.

When it comes to having "a bit of a chat" with Cameron, I'll be following the Pete and Dud route ... http://www.epicure.demon.co.uk/abitofachat.html

[Andrew Curnow]

You're both right, I've misinterpreted what that guy said.

[Captain Tancredi]

If Rowling had had the time to think about what she was going to say, she would probably have said that she'd written the character as gay without making it crucial to the plot. Ultimately the fact that she was writing children's books (of which I still haven't read a single one) will have determined how far she could go, particularly ten years ago when she started. And even today the idea of an openly gay older man mentoring a teenage boy would probably make enough parents uncomfortable for her publishers to veto it.

[Andrew Curnow]

I'm still not sure what to make of it all, really. On the one hand, you could say it's a good 'role model' (bad choice of words, but you know what I mean) for gay people - on the other hand, surely the fact that it shouldn't really matter what he is would be even more laudable. Isn't it actually making his sexuality an issue where it shouldn't be? I don't particularly like the idea of him being labelled 'gay' as if that's all the character is, when in fact it really doesn't matter.

[Lissa]

You're right - it doesn't matter. But if you're going to make a point about his sexuality, do it where it might do some good rather than as an aside after the fact. Because that's how you stop the next generation of parents from being closed minded enough to think that a gay man mentoring a teenage boy is a natural recipe for abuse.