There is No Joy Among the Conservative Muggles
Posted by Adam Graham in : ChristianityJ.K. Rowling drops the bomb:
Answering a question posed to her at tonight’s book reading at Carnegie Hall in New York, Harry Potter author JK Rowling said she “always thought Dumbledore was gay” and that he originally fell in love with the wizard Grindelwald.
Rowling also said she had read through Steve Kloves’ script for the movie adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and corrected a passage in which Dumbledore was reminiscing about past loves by crossing it out and scrawling “Dumbledore is gay” over it.
Upon hearing her response, a hush fell over the audience in attendence and then applause exploded. Rowling remarked that if she had known that would be the response, she would’ve revealed her thoughts on Dumbledore earlier.
One Potter fan is not amused:
It’s not like it was part of the story, even — it’s outside the scope of the books! But she’s the author, so it’s canon! It’s not like she didn’t have hundreds of bizarre slashfic writers exploring the possibilities of gay characters in Harry Potter, why could she not just leave it lie?
It’s her universe, she can do as she pleases with it. But the way she went about this is almost like a bait-and-switch after she’s sold her last Harry Potter book and it’s all downhill from, here. (Bar the last two films, anyway.) It’s manufactured controversy! For the love of all sanity, JK, I thought you wanted a break and to retreat from the spotlight a while? What’s next? Saying in passing that McGonnagal had a magical abortion and isn’t sorry about it, just because you can!?
While you’re at it, JK, why don’t you just call a press conference and declare that you have in fact been attempting to get children to practice witchcraft and worship the devil all this time? *facepalms* WHY?! The truth is J.K. has a lot of fans who were Christians of a somewhat more conservative bent, and she has just pulled the rug out from under us, and practically ruined this thing for us, needlessly.
Doubtless those who aren’t conservative Christians won’t mind, but Rowlings is needlessly throwing the book into the heart of the culture war and making Christians who embraced the series look a tad foolish.
Comment by Christina
I really think the hysteria is uncalled for. It’s not like Dumbledore is recruiting among the students. Read “The Man Without a Face,” which plugged pederasty.
Now, if Rowling had developed a romance between Harry and Sirius Black, then I’d see getting panties in a twist.
Comment by Steltek
“Dumbledore is gay” is a little known spell that hurls all your conservative fans under a bus.
My retort to your post about Harry Potter last week could not have been more ironically timed.
Pumpkin bread will be forthcoming.
Comment by Bubblehead
It certainly puts Snape’s concern about what Dumbledore was doing with Harry up in his office late at night in a new context…
Comment by Adam Graham
Yeah, well, a lot of people are going to go through the book to find hints of Dumbledore’s “gayness.” Not why you want someone going through your book in this situation, IMHO.
Comment by Steltek
I’ve heard more than one person comment that Snape killing Dumbledore in book six is now a “hate crime”.