So Dumbledore is gay, but was he always gay?

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Topic started by Jason - SnoBoardr Of OUT (snoboardr)

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A topic from Literature: Harry Potter

snoboardrSun 21/10/07 05:26

Dumbledore's sexuality has always been a talking point and rumours among fans have been rife, particularly on the internet.

According to one report, when her audience clapped and cheered JK Rowling said "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy."

Do you buy that she just casually dropped it into the conversation genuinely not realising it would cause a storm, that she just didn't realise she should perhaps have revealed it earlier? Why do you think JK Rowling waited so long to reveal that the character Dumbledore in her Harry Potter novels is gay?

Some have said that Dumbledore was the easy one so far as all 'gay options' for characters went. Perhaps a more interesting twist would have been one of the younger characters actually falling in gay love with another character, rather than someone we have to feel sorry for because he never found true love.

Peter Tatchell commented "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."

I have to agree.

Do you think it was just a business decision at the end of the day - keep the sexuality of Dumbledore as an 'option' and then make a canny move when the time is definitely right and the profits of the final book of the series are secured? Or do you believe Dumbledore was 'always' going to be gay and that it was simply a matter of time before it was officially revealed.

Why do you think it wasn't made explicit in *any* of the books? Purely as a mystery and a conversation piece, or to protect the commercial interests of the Harry Potter empire?

I'm interested in what people think. I'm naturally cynical and, for sure, JK Rowling is a great publicist and knows how to court media attention, but equally perhaps just dropping it into something like her US Book Tour is a way to say that being gay is no big deal and she didn't want to make a big issue out of it?

I know there are other topics around about this, but I'm interested in the specific question of timing and your opinions on the intention ;)

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