J.K. Rowling’s revelation that Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore is gay has prompted widespread comment, most of it from people who were happy that she’d done it.
There are not enough gay characters in literature, the argument runs, especially in children’s books, which reinforces the view that being gay is unusual and not normal.
Rowling herself has said the Harry Potter books are a prolonged argument for tolerance and an end to bigotry.
Back in the 1980s the portrayal of gay parenthood in the children’s book “Jenny lives with Eric and Martin” caused an uproar in Britain and played a major part in the Conservative government’s decision to pass legislation which prohibited the “promotion” of homosexuality by local government in schools, libraries and other public places (known as Clause 28). In the U.S. “Heather has two mommies” became a similarly publicised book.
More than 20 years later Clause 28 has long gone and gays and lesbians enjoy a much more open lifestyle in many countries. So why is the revelation that a character in popular children’s book is gay still such big news? Do we need more gay characters in children’s literature? What do you think?
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Passive,
- Posted by Ryan AThe kids asked if Dumbledore ever fell in love, not if he was gay. Most authors would speak hypothetically in response to a question like that, not try to add something to canon that was never there.
On a different note, my compliments go to iowagirl and Gay Intellectual for keeping the convesation at points of fact instead of opinion.
- Posted by John G.And P.S. … The kids at the reading *asked* J.K. if Dumbledore was gay. She didn’t volunteer the information, so the “this is a publicity stunt” argument doesn’t exactly hold water. If you look at her site, there are all kinds of things that she as an author knows about the characters, things that weren’t necessary for the story. One of those things happened to be this thing, and this thing was one of the questions she was asked.
- Posted by PassiveWhether Dumbledore was gay or not makes no difference. If Rowling decided that, it was a bit too late, but it’s an interesting side note, albeit one with little or no signifigance. And just because he’s gay doesn’t mean he goes around Hogwarts trying to seduce people! Harry’s straight, but we are given no evidence as to whether he’s a virgin or not. In fact, it just seems like he had crushes on a couple people over the course of the books. I myself had imagined Dumbledore as asexual, but what does it matter? We are given no evidence in the movies where he seems to be getting in the mood or some crap. Likewise with the book. It seems like awful timing, but it’s something to keep us thinking. Besides, when you consider that there’s (SPOILERS) torture, murder, and stuff (End of SPOILERS) one gay guy hardly seems to matter. It’s not like Rowling is rewriting the book to be filled with innuendos.
- Posted by John G.Poor sad people. Could anybody care less??
- Posted by Mike TQuick correction … “June” refers to a title by newly minted Nobel Prize laureate Doris Lessing as “The Summer After the Dark”. It’s actually “The Summer Before the Dark”.
- Posted by PassiveThis is actually more accurate to real life than most people know. People of homosexual orientation appear quite normal when you know them as they are- a person. Your local librarian, the old lady at church who bakes the best cookies, the burly gas station attendant, and yes, the wise, fair, and just professor. Most gay people are not the ones who go to gay bars and wear thongs in gay pride parades. They are respectable, intelligent, average people who while not flaunting their sexual oreintation to everyone, are productive memebers of our society, who happen to be gay. Congratulations to the author, and to those skeptics, please keep in mind that this is like real life. The best of people you know might very well be gay, and that is a wonderful thing.
- Posted by Gay IntellectualTo me, the chapters in book 7 where Dumbledore’s story with Grindelwald is thoroughly revealed make several things quite clear. a) Dumbledore is infatuated by the brilliance of Grindelwald, and they feed each other’s intellectual genius and wizarding energies, not always to the good. b) Dumbledore’s typically sound judgment about people’s motivations was clouded by various levels of infatuation, leading to disastrous consequences for him and his family. It’s a sad story, not a pro-gay story. More to the point - it’s at base a very human story. After all, it’s not uncommon for people to make horrid choices in love without realizing it until their world is seriously upended.
It doesn’t need the ‘gay’ undertone to be a meaningful story. Infatuation is an eternal fact, and a dangerous whirlwind - whether intellectual, emotional, physical, or all of those. From Dante on to today, writers have been cautioning us about its power and peril. It’s fairly clear Dumbledore’s entire life after these events was an attempt to make amends for the things he lost sight of during that time.
I think the story line - not her revelation - adds depth and complexity to the story of Dumbledore and the Hallows - one of the most important aspects in wrapping up the Potter saga! We belittle the book by talking about it as though she’s advocating anything. She’s just telling a story, and we all loved the story, so keep loving the story and settle down!
- Posted by iowagirlRowling wrote some very entertaining books which made her very wealthy and famous. I think she was losing some of the fuss over her and wanted the spotlight again. I notice she didn’t write any love interests for Dumbledore into the books when it could have affected her sales. When this dies down it’ll be Sirius Black next or maybe a 3-way. She needs to let it go and move on.
- Posted by Rowling is an Attention WhoreSee Ryan A
- Posted by KimHe has put into words my sediments exactly. Cheap Shot J.K
How the hell is he “openly gay” when Rowling made thedeclaration after her last book in the series. I mean how the hell is this even a point of discussion? She could just as well go back and say all the characters were gay at this point. She’s just trying to drum up more business and keep her name in the headlines now that she’s pretty much finished as an author. It just means that Ian McKellum (sp) should have gotten the role as Dumbledore in the first place.
- Posted by Dodgeboy27I always thought that Dumbledore was a rather asexual character.
But regardless, there is nothing in the books that anyone would consider untoward at any level in regards to sexuality. Its all rather benign young love moments (holding hands, first kisses and hugs) between the main characters.
So why all the fuss?
- Posted by JimTo ‘Brendan’
Again, this has to do with choice…
I find it amusing that so many people are saying things like “I had no idea he was gay from reading the books, but had I known, I would not have read them!” If you couldn’t even figure it out from the books, then what would you have avoided by not reading them? Giving unintentional support to the non-explicit sexuality of a fictional character?
Your point is moot, considering that the author HAS come out and stated Dumbledore was gay. Now the books must be read in that light. It is her intent. Now to go further into reading, discussion and watching the movies requires you to rethink it. Rediscuss it in this new light. So again Brendan, I have a choice not to want to make these books and movies a connecting point for my child and myself. I have no interest in discussing the sexual preferences of fictional characters with my son. With Ron and Hermione it was not a focal point, Rowling has made Dumbledore’s sexual preference a focal point now, especially in the manner in which she chose to do so. This was a bombshell.
- Posted by Kimfirstly, the Lessing title is “The Summer Before the Dark,” highly recommend it. the idea that dumbledore is gay is fine…as long as children are allowed to love the harry potter series and not be labeled gay if they do.
- Posted by kjYou ever notice that Horton heard a Who but didn’t have a wife..hmmmmm… and there’s the Childrens classic “Chet and Mark have lost their Cat” can you help them find Mr. Binky? Published by NAMBLA.
- Posted by arbiterTo ‘Mark’
- Posted by KimI never said I wished I hadn’t read the books based on this fact. I said had Rowling been OPEN and HONEST about this from the beginning I would have had a choice. My choice would most likely have been not to read them had she been forthright in the beginning. I think as readers we all have choices. I don’t watch porn either. My choice.
How irresponsible of JK. This, however, gives me another reason to flag her books as harmful to the spirit and soul of mankind. If you want an answer to why so much has gone wrong in this world, you need look no further than JKs books for one example. She puts poop in the brownies. Just enough mind you that after consuming enough, you begin to become sick. However, the sickness that promoting a gay agenda causes is determinant to the soul.
The “tolerance” people are fine with everyone’s view - unless it differs from their own. How ironic, don’t you think?
Shame on you JK.
- Posted by JohnNothing in the books ever indicated to me that Dumbledore was gay. Nor did anything in the books ever indicate to me whether any of the other Hogwarts teachers were gay or straight (except maybe Snape, since I suspected all along that he’d been in love with Lily). There are all sorts of characters for whom we are not given any kind of romantic storyline, so there is no reason to assume anything about their orientation.
OK, he’s gay. It doesn’t change anything about any of the storylines on which the books focused.
- Posted by ImTheMamaGet a life, encourage children to read literature
- Posted by Janienot witchcraft stories
In our culture there are so many imaginative childrens books past & present It will help their English in the long run
I am largely ambivalent towards the revelation that Dumbledore is gay. As noted above it is hardly explicit in the books.
- Posted by SkyolaWhat is more interesting is J.K.Rowling’s motive in all of this. Could she be planning to release a book about Dumbledore as a teen and explore his sexuality?