Dumbledore is gay. That’s the headline I was just sent via email. So I read the CNN story and Rowling’s thoughts on the issue. Obviously, it is her character – he is her creation – so he can be whatever she creates him to be. Personally, issues of his sexuality really never entered the story – at least to my recollection, and I don’t imagine this “shocking revelation” changing any perceptions that I might have imagined about him while reading the series. Some will see this as a bold, refreshing move. “How progressive and open minded Rowling is. She will become our new champion.” Others will more than likely say “See, I told you so, Harry Potter is from hell, and now there’s a gay in it!”
Sometimes I think, “Can we not just have a great story without all the sexual politics? Can we not just have a fantastical adventure – full of flying hippogriffs and time-turners and quidditch games without political correctness? Can our kids just grow up without having to be beat over the head with social issues day in and day out and just let their imaginations take them where it goes… Or are those days lost?” I suppose this is a naive post – wishing for days of innocence when they probably never existed. But I recall the days of my own youthful reading, and I never considered the sexuality of a character, nor did I really care to. To kids, I don’t think it will really matter. It’s the adults who get all bent out of shape over this stuff.
So in the end… does it matter that a fictional character is “outed” by it’s creator? I don’t think it does, but in the end, I don’t understand what purpose it served. I think her “outing” him after the series was done is pretty lame. What, does she need more publicity or something? Why not just be upfront with it and write him that way. Either way, Dumbledore is a great character, and was portrayed as a man with great character. That is how the readers will remember him.
i am so disgusted with every form of media and advertisement. Nothing is without tainting in any way. There is always a subliminal message or a posture of defiance in everything. We are a deeply sinful world in need of a savior… 🙂
Well, I have to agree with you there Josh. Those thoughts wouldn’t cross a young persons mind who is just interested in reading a story. An announcement in the post-production of a story is pretty lame. This isn’t “Ellen.” It’s nothing more than a publicity stunt to gain more attention to the series. If anything will come of it, it will polarize the opinions of “Harry Potter” leaving no one in the middle.
I’m not commenting on this post I might get in trouble.
mert – all the more reason for christians to have a presence in the medium of … media.
david – our culture seems to thrive on polarization. why is that?
kevin – go for it, i would like to hear your take on this.
I just think that Rowling kind of copped out, if it was her intention in her writing in the first place to make Dumbledore gay in the first place is one thing but to come out and say it at the end is a cop out. It would be a positive thing if she had been upfront in the beginning and really not that much a big deal with the rest of the stories. To give a positive influence instead of a negative influence is always a good thing.
Kevin – I totally agree with you. She totally copped out. After the fact, after she made all her money, she throws out this little “oh by the way…” LAME. Like you said… Just be upfront.