Firstly, a lot of people have come out with some awful narrowminded and plain horrible views about homosexuality. Secondly they have completely taken things out of context.
The fact that a character in a book is gay shouldn't matter in this day and age, and if you have a problem with homosexuality that's your problem and you should realise that not everyone shares such negative views.
And people are saying this is a publicity stunt from JK Rowling - this is ridiculous - she was asked a question and she gave an answer. And I certainly don't think that she would be as disrespectful to anyone to tack on a gay subtext just for the sake of it.
2007-10-22 04:17:48 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
It is interesting, isn't it? Maybe people making those comments would have been happier if it were Voldemort who was gay, because that would have 'confirmed his evil', or some such nonsense.
You gotta wonder about people sometimes - or a lot of the time, swear to God.
2007-10-22 04:40:56 · answer #1 · answered by irish1 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
At least in J.K. Rowling's mind, this is not a book series of seven books: this is an entire fantasty world she created, and not every single idea she had made it into a book. She could probably tell you about Dumbledore from the day he was born until the day he died - every intricate detail about his life, his loves, his family, everything. Was this a publicity stunt? Absolutely not. This is an idea she had for her story which she chose not to print, and she shared it only because someone asked a question related to it.
Homophobic individuals will use this as yet another excuse to get the books out of libraries: ooh, a gay character, our children will turn into homosexuals! But there's nothing in the books that directly says Dumbledore is gay so it's really a non-issue.
There is some speculation that Shakespeare's sonnets were written to his male lover - does that make them less worthy of our reading? Socrates, Plato, and some of the great philosophers had young boy lovers - homosexuality and pedophilia wrapped into one. Does that mean we shouldn't study their texts?
Take it for what it was - a great book series that, for the first time in a very long time, got people of all ages READING. Children and adults alike could talk about something together and learn something from each other. Why can't we focus on how it made third graders read 800 pages books? Why does everything have to be viewed negatively just because you don't agree on the subject matter?
I'm not surprised so many comments have been made about it, and I actually think it's kind of amusing. People lose sight of what really matters.
2007-10-22 05:26:39 · answer #2 · answered by xK 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I totally agree.
I don't think it's a publicity stunt at all- anyone who has read the books (I've read them all at least 3 times each) would probably agree with me that Dumbledore's sexuality fits in with the storyline. That's part of the reason he didn;t want to face Grindelwald.
I think JK Rowling is an extremely talented author to be able to have the knowledge, imagination and sheer skill to write the Harry Potter series and so do many others- why else would they have bought her books??? I think she deserves the money she makes.
Dumbledore was the most talented, knowledgable character, and I think that by introducing him as gay, JK Rowling has made the gay community feel a whole lot better.
2007-10-22 06:18:48 · answer #3 · answered by Daydreamer 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think that she waited for everyone to be totally in love with Dumbledore's character, and then say he was gay, so that they wouldn't use his homosexuality as a reason to hate him, and they'd realise that whether he's gay or not, he's just as wise, lovable, kind, intelligent, talented etcetera etcetera. maybe she was trying to teach the younger section of society(and maybe sum adults as wel) that a gay or a lesbian is no less of a person than someone who's straight. They can be just as smart(or smrter) and the way they swing shouldn decde if people like them or not. Also, case in point, he's fictional. I know people grew to love him a LOT, but really, he wasnt a real man, and b) it doesnt matter whether he was gay or not. No-one knew all this while, and I dn't think it crossed many people's minds either... I think a lot of people are merely overreacting at JK's announcemnt.
2007-10-22 04:41:38 · answer #4 · answered by eatdungumbridge 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have to say I wondered about Dumbledore, as there was never any mention of a romantic interest, and the story of his friendship with Grimwald did leave room for speculation.
But ultimately, so what? If JKR has managed to work a gay character into a children's book, good for her, she has not done it in a sexually explicit way that could have given anyone cause for concern. If people are complaining, it can only be because they object to the basic idea of a gay being portrayed as a positive, inspirational figure, and that is just homophobia, and wrong!
And to chip in my three sickles worth, those saying it was a publicity stunt.... Why??? If there was ever a book series that needed no promotion whatsoever, it's Harry Potter!
2007-10-22 04:28:56 · answer #5 · answered by Avondrow 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I didn't find it offensive,I think Peter Tatchell is a complete idiot who ruins peoples lives by trying to out them,but dumbledore being gay doesn't mean my son can't read the books.Manda Scott who wrote the Boudica series of books is gay and in her books it does have a lot of references to gay love,but who cares,it still makes a rivetting read so carry on writing and even if a character is gay,so what ,the spartans had male lovers from a very young age so it's not exactly new is it,though I would not agree with the age they started.....
2007-10-22 08:05:52 · answer #6 · answered by SkinAnInk 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Appalled? No, not really - I don't normally give a rat's a r s e what anybody else thinks.
Surprised? Definitely not - you will always find people who want to be confrontational, or homophobic, or just plain nasty - nothing's new.
Cynical - No. JK probably didn't think too much about this comment and came up with a logical response to a plot query, and I can't say that I suddenly expect sales to rocket because of this "revelation". Will the gay community suddenly buy it in droves? No.
2007-10-22 04:23:54 · answer #7 · answered by the_lipsiot 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
I applaud the fact JK Rowlings kept this low key until millions loved Dumbledore. This was a bold statement that sexual preference doesn't have to fit into a stereotype kind of person. In the age we live in, our children need to know that sexual preference has nothing to do with a persons character, intelligence, or credibility.
What is horrible is the bigots and nay sayers that are looking for yet another reason to yell for no reason.
I don't think she lost any following over this. Anyone who looks at this disapprovingly was probably one that was disapproving beforehand.
Am I appalled? Yes
A I surprised? No
2007-10-22 04:25:47 · answer #8 · answered by m d 1 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I haven't read much shows "shock" that any character in the HP books should be gay. I've been pretty surprised, actually, that people have been as steady about that as they have been... and I think that's just terrific! Finally, huh?
But I do think it's a publicity stunt. My old grandmother used to say 'if it looks like a pigeon and walks like a pigeon it is a pigeon.' This one has 'publicity' all over it. There wouldn't even be any 'net action on it at all if it weren't for the fact that, for the sake of action, the words fell out of JK's mouth as they did.
2007-10-22 04:29:18 · answer #9 · answered by LK 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
What appalls me is the extent of misunderstanding, from Rowling down, about the relationship between an author and his/her characters. You share in this misunderstanding.
A character is all on the page. If enough readers spot something there, it's there. If not, not. Either way, whatever the author says after publication is irrelevant.
2007-10-22 21:03:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋