Just thought of something else I wanted to say. :-) Another thing that bothers me is her comment about the fanfiction. It’s like she knows full well there are going to be all sorts of ‘adult’ stories written about Dumbledore, which we all know full well will often include Harry, Ron, etc. And… she’s good with that? I don’t know… weird.
i dont have a problem with gay people, but this is slightly disturbing to me. gosh no wonder he was always humming. well…i am just going to pretend i never heard this because i always imagined him as being to busy saving the world and being broken to be romanticlly involved with anyone so im just going to pretend i never heard it. im not dissing on homosexuality though so dont hate me anyone. btw i dont think i have ever seen a really old gay man in my life, maybe because it was so hushed up back when old men were young, and the thought is definitely different for me
Shausto-la – You are right, she doesn’t mention (and didn’t need to) it’s just that she has now given the whole series the THOUGHT that there may be gay undertones and that will make it impossible to promote this book to Christian parents. I love the books and did not need this or think it was necessary.
revealing that dumbys gay doesnt change anything about the books: theyre still absolutely amazing. it just adds more depth to the character. so now, when you read it, you know whats happening in his head whenever he sees grindelwald..haha
lol, Elizabeth. true that. but the saddest thing is he wasn’t able to make anyone happy as far as we know.
I am absolutely, positively chuffed about this news! Thank you, Jo! The Albus/Gellert vibe was rather clear to me. And I adore that she wrote a gay character without the usual stereotypes. He is, in fact, the most badass character in the series, aside from Harry. Well done, Jo. Just effing well done!
What the HELL is wrong with you people who think Dumbledore would have come on to Harry just because he’s gay?
UM
CLEARLY THERE IS A BIG FREAKIN AGE DIFFERENCE
Jesus Christ. You people make me sick.
I cant believe he is gay.. not that I have a problem with gay people.. just wow.. didn’t see that one coming… its just wowza my sister started laughing when I told her and then she changed her facebook status to say Dumbledore’s gay!
Kristin: For some reason, people associate gay with pedophile. It’s disgusting, really. The knowledge of him being gay doesn’t change the books at all.
I am surprised at the number of negative comments that this news has received. While I can understand some are upset that J.K. Rowling is being, to quote, “politically correct” in letting characters be gay, what we need to do is apply this knowledge to her series thematically.
Does this alter the story in any way? It doesn’t. Dumbledore is exactly the same person he was before. Society and culture in the United States still struggle with prevalent stereotypes about homosexuals, especially homosexual males, regarding them usually as prissy men with lisps. J.K. Rowling, in revealing this, will actually help build a proper treatment of homosexual individuals. Too often they are stereotyped. Whether or nor you agree with homosexuality does not matter. What she is doing is breaking down the superficial barriers people frequently discuss and the misguided prejudices people carry in their opinion of sexual orientation. By revealing Dumbledore is gay, J.K. Rowling is helping to show that gays are human. That truth is not decided by political views. Social conservatives and liberals can agree on this point.
When reading the book, I thought Dumbledore’s experience epitomized the Christian themes of the story. His struggle with his temptation for power and the Deathly Hallows was ready evidence of his fight against sin. His reformation after the death of Ariana is typical of the rebirth of the common everyman in the Christian religion. Dumbledore’s being gay does not change that. To know that he had to cope with that burden in addition to the rest, only makes him more human and genuine a character, one who had to deal with issues throughout his life. If that isn’t godly, I don’t know what is.
Refusing to allow something deemed sinful into literature isn’t going to “instill” values in anyone. By discussing it a reader can gain them. Dumbledore was a character to which all could aspire – and he still is. This news doesn’t change that. Being gay hasn’t changed him a bit. To pretend that it does only hints at hating the sinner in addition to the sin – which is a value no one should exercise regardless of their religion or sexual orientation.
That explains SO much. Sincerely, I feel like I’ve got some closure on Dumbledore. JK saying he’s gay officially put that final puzzlepiece of DD’s character into place. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before… I ought to have seen it in Philosopher’s Stone when he shows up on Privet Drive, but alas. Bravo JK.
Kristin, because Harry is a big freaking gorgeous hunk! That’s why! Your mind is too dirty!
I think this is the only thing JKR has ever revealed about any of the characters that I wish she hadn’t. It just has nothing to do with the story, so what is the point of adding that after the books are done.
And I don’t want to know about any of the other staff either. We needed to know that Snape loved Lily and alway did as that was crucial to the plot. But Dumbledore? Totally not necessary, and it really spoils the character for me. Sorry, I don’t mean to offend, but what someone does privately is not something I need or want to know.
:-(