Albus Dumbledore is gay. No, not the actor who plays the character in the movies. The fictional character himself, author J.K. Rowling revealed late last week while taking questions from fans at Carnegie Hall.
This news doesn't alarm or upset me. It was never mentioned in any of the books -- it was just something Rowling knew "very early on" about this key character in the children's books series.
Writers often know much more of the back story about their stories and characters than ever makes it into the final book. These details help them to understand their characters' motivations. The first hint of the idea for the story about an orphaned boy wizard came to Rowling in 1990, so for the past 17 years Rowling's world has intersected with the world she wrote about.
I think of Dumbledore's being gay like I think of my friends who are gay -- being gay is just one aspect of a person's entire makeup.
Melissa Anelli, Webmaster of the fan site The Leaky Cauldron said this: "Jo Rowling calling any Harry Potter character gay would make wonderful strides in tolerance toward homosexuality. By dubbing someone so respected, so talented and so kind, as someone who just happens to be also homosexual, she's reinforcing the idea that a person's gayness is not something of which they should be ashamed."
I was gay when I was younger.Then the meaning changed and now I'm just happy and carefree. I used to have this cool rainbow sticker on my rear car window and when the sun shone through it cast colors. Got rid of that.Pretty soon being married will have a new meaning.Why don't you call Dumbledore a homosexual instead of gay?Is that too complicated?
It appears from the above post that being gay still has a stigma to some folks. So I guess we still have a way to go.
Big Whoo. Hes'a character in a book and a movie. Who cares what his sexual orientation is? Not me as I don't care about anybody's sexual orientation. To each his own.
I find it interesting that some people think this actually matters or is socially relevant. It would be like Harper Lee making a public statement that Scout from "To Kill A Mockingbird" is homosexual. If it wasn't relevant to the context and issues of the novel during the writing process and at the time of publication, and hense, not mentioned, why bring it up now post-publication?
Why are we so surprised that an author that openly advocates paganism also makes one of her characters a homosexual? They kind of go hand in hand - oops, bad pun!
A 2002 article in the American Prospect addresses Rowling's religious beliefs:
Last month, in our Valley Voices section we published an opinion piece by two Fresno Pacific University professors that explores the prevalent biblical parallels found in the Harry Potter series:
the recurrent theme in the series is; don't trust the establishment, and question authority...it's just like the establishment to distract attention from that fact with a non-issue such as the headmaster's sexual orientation.
I must confess some disappointment with the two Fresno Pacific University profs - from an otherwise well respected evangelical university - who wrote the Bee Op-Ed on the so-called Christian typology found in the Harry Potter series. Many Christians and evangelical theologians would disagree with them.
For what it is worth, a review from a Christian apologetics website - a surprisingly, somewhat, charitable look at the Harry Potter series offering a slightly different perspective can be found at: (http://www.carm.org/features/harry_potter.htm)
T.C., so what? It's a work of fiction, subject to various interpretations. People will read their own meanings into it. If the world presents itself to you as a sinister place full of dark demons, that's the way you'll see the books. If you can see good in the world around you, you may see good in the books, too.
Mike:
I Timothy 4:1 NIV "The (Holy) Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."
Paul also wrote "to the pure, all things are pure." Pick your scripture.
Only the bible is the bible.Biblical principles in Harry Potter?It's fiction- that means not real.The Bible is real. She's not trying to influece or uplift-she's trying to make money.I hope the old homosexual lives happily everafter.
Harry Potter is one type of fiction. The bible is another.
Maybe lessons learnt on morality and tolerance can be found in both?
Maybe the bible is lacking in certain areas concerning true, humanist morality?