Dumbledore is Gay.

[A-1 (imported)]

Is Dumbledore Gay?

JK Rowling says Dumbledore is Gay. (http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/Bo ... cle/269817)

Dumbledore Gay from the Start?

Here for authors' fest, J.K. Rowling answers questions about wizard's `tragic infatuation'

Oct 24, 2007 04:30 AM

Philip Marchand

Books Columnist

The ghost of the wizard Albus Dumbledore, wandering the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, may be relieved that his secret is finally out but – judging from yesterday's news conference at the Winter Garden Theatre – his creator, J. K. Rowling, still has some explaining to do.

Rowling, here for the International Festival of Authors, was asked why she chose to announce last week that Dumbledore was gay – and that he had a mad, ill-fated, boyhood passion for his fellow wizard Gellert Grindelwald – instead of making it explicit in her series of Harry Potter novels.

"Because I really think that's self-evident," the 42-year-old British author replied. According to Rowling, the subsequent conflict between the two wizards laid the foundation for the final showdown of the series. "The plot is what it is and (Dumbledore) did have, as I say, this rather tragic infatuation," said Rowling.

"That was a key part of the ending of the story. So there it is. Why put the key part of the ending of my story in book one? If you're an author you might understand that when you write the ending, it comes at the end."

Later, she repeated that, "It is in the book. It's very clear in the book."

Preceding yesterday's news conference, Rowling received the Order of the Forest from Markets Initiative, a Vancouver environmental group. Executive director Nicole Rycroft called the final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, "the greenest book in publishing history," because of its printing on "ancient forest friendly paper," a decision that "saved close to 200,000 trees and 8,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases."

Political good intentions remained a theme of the news conference. Asked about the "political ramifications" of her Dumbledore announcement, Rowling replied, "It certainly wouldn't be news to me that a brave and brilliant man could love another man ..."

She also said the notion of Dumbledore as gay came to her "very early on" in the course of writing her novels, "probably before the first book was published."

Rowling did not rule out further work on Harry Potter in different media and different genres, again mentioning the possibility of a Harry Potter encyclopedia. "I have said, and I stand by it, that the proceeds would go to charity," she said, adding that such a project would not be undertaken merely "to milk the phenomenon."

"I would like to take a little time from Harry," she allowed. "I miss him. I really miss that world, but it's healthier, like in a marriage break-up, not to see each other for a while."

In response to a question about advice for young writers, Rowling said, "They should read a lot, which is not me trying to sell more books, but it's the only way to enlarge their vocabularies and to decide what makes good writing and what makes bad writing.... They need to resign themselves to wasting a lot of trees – but make sure their books are always printed on ancient forest-friendly paper."

Asked about her protagonists' favourite books, Rowling suggested Margaret Atwood for Hermione. As for Harry, she said, "Let's be honest, Harry didn't do a lot of reading except what he had to."

Of the "universal appeal" of her books, Rowling said, "I've been asked that question a lot. I've always found it very difficult to answer. I feel there's an expectation that I should know what the magical formula was, but in truth I wrote what I liked reading.

"I wrote about characters I was deeply interested in."

So, what connotations does this hold, fictionwise?

...elaborate...

[IbPervert (imported)]

It was nice of her to make one character gay, but telling us after the fact is an insult. I think it would have been better if she had at least dropped some clues along the way.

A better element would have been one of the kids sacrificing his/her life, or even settling down with someone of the same sex at the end of the last book.

[Batman (imported)]

It was nice of her to make one character gay, but telling us after the fact is an insult. I think it would have been better if she had at least dropped some clues along the way.

A better element would have been one of the kids sacrificing his/her life, or even settling down with someone of the same sex at the end of the last book.

I get that she was answering the question honestly, and she knew the characters in her mind...but yeah, what IS the point of bringing that up months after the final book...it will cause controversy among the idiots, and certainly won't elevate book sales.

Batman

[Dave (imported)]

I write short stories. Some I post on my website and some I send to magazines. There are a couple attempts at novels.

One thing you learn as a author: Authors know more about their characters than ever reaches print. It's not the author's job to reveal everything. It's the author's job to tell a story.

[myballsR4U (imported)]

I read the series and thought from the beginning that Dumbledore exhibited father-son/daddy-boy tendencies. He always took on the boy underling, as in Tom/Voldemort. Then Harry, and who knows who was in between or preceded -- well, other than Grindewald. I thought it seemed evident enough to act as an emotional motivation for the character without the necessity of calling attention to it as an item of interest -- which it would not be in that society or to us as readers, in my opinion. It seemed to me that the author took a very natural approach to this gay character, and i really am opposed to the idea that she is being reproached for not making it an issue. WE of all people should understand that!

[Paolo]

Oh, the fanfiction that WILL be written...

[jemagirl (imported)]

Well..... Dumbledore is not really my type, but then again I hear he can be pretty enchanting with his wand LOL

[genderless (imported)]

I must say that I agree with what Dave had to say about authors, they don't always tell everything.

[Paolo]

Could be a brilliant future in "official" adult Harry Potter stories for Rowling now.

I was so thrilled with the news that I went right out and bought myself a new pair of leather boots.

[kristoff]

Could be a brilliant future in "official" adult Harry Potter stories for Rowling now.

I was so thrilled with the news that I went right out and bought myself a new pair of leather boots.

With Dumbledore embossed on the front, beard flowing to the toes, no doubt.