Potter fans, Dumbledore is gay?

Question

If you haven't heard here is a link:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071021/ap_en_ot/books_potter_dumbledore

What do you guys think? How do you now view Dumbledore and perhaps some significant events in the series? I am not looking for politically correct answers, I just want to hear everyone's HONEST opinion.

I appreciate all the feedback. Perhaps I was not specific enough but I was looking for more in depth answers than I am getting. Though I think a couple of you touched on it lightly, how is Dumbledore's homosexuality reflected in his relationship with Grindelwald? Harry? It never crossed my mind to imagine him as a homosexual character and if Rowling already visualized him as homosexual I applaud her for not making him flagrant and reinforcing gay stereotypes. Any more answers or edits please?

Answer 1

For me personally, it fills in a lot of holes in the Grindelwald relationship. I pointed out the evidence I had come across over there *http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApifvSeYt7X4sVU9lFsTZAvwBwx.;_ylv=3?qid=20071022213521AAnetOT* and as I said then "People were being attacked, losing loved ones and dying themselves because of Grindelwald, and Dumbledore, one of the most empathetic and selfless of Rowling's characters, hesitates for five years? It definitely suggests that Dumbledore has strong feelings for Grindelwald". I always wondered why Dumbledore hesitated, allowing so many people to die, so him loving Grindelwald makes a lot of sense to me. As for her choice to not include it in the books but reveal it afterwards, as I mentioned over there, it was likely the safer if not smarter way to go. I think that one of the reasons why all of us are so shocked by this (besides the fact that homosexuality is still just a red topic and viewed so differently than heterosexuality in our society) is that perhaps none of us ever thought of Dumbledore in sexual terms, just like we would be suprised and probably grossed out to be told by our grandparents at dinner that Viagra was helping to make their weekends a lot better than they used to be ={

Answer 2

That it didn't cross your mind (or mine either) does not mean that is not authentic. Jk seems to realize that gay people do not have to fit prescribed patterns.
I've seen complaints that this ruins the series for people. I do not understand what such intolerant people got out of the series in the first place.
I've seen complaints that there is no evidence that he is gay. This just means, "Dumbledore does not fit my stereotype of a gay man."
I've seen the complaint that this is not appropriate for children. Well, everyone gets to raise their own, and I will teach mine to respect character. I will teach them that bigotry is wrong and small-minded. I've already started trying to instill these beliefs in my dogs, for practice. :)
I've seen the complaint that Dumbledore should be asexual. Well, I sort of saw him that way, too, but I met him when he was quite old, and single. I think the asexual Dumbledore/"like finding out your parents have relations" may apply to some people, but should not be used to explain the overall reaction. There would not have been this level of outrage if we heard that he had loved and lost Minerva, instead.
I didn't care at all about the announcement JK made. It didn't make me happy or upset. I have been very sad by people's responses, though. I had believed that homophobia had become a minority viewpoint. I seem to disagree with the majority of people posting.

Answer 3

I don't like Michael Gambon as Dumbledore, I loved Richard Harris and thought the perfect replacement for him would have been Ian McKellan and now I think it even more, not because Ian McKellan is gay, but because the flamboyance of Gambons Dumbledore is obviously Hetro, whereas thinking of Richard Harris's Dumbledore it was obscure. asexual in a way, a quality Ian McKellan captured perfectly in Lord of the Rings. Grandfatherly, with a perfect asexual love towards the hobbits he was backing and the same is what Dumbledore did for Harry, right through to the end.
Ian McKellan would have been the perfect replacement for Richard Harris.
Dumbledore being gay doesn't change one iota, what I think of the charecter, though I did have a eureka moment when I read it. (Kind of like when my sister came out. I never thought it myself, but when it was pointed out to me it did explain a lot.)

Answer 4

It doesnt change a thing about my thoughts of Dumbledore. his character was always a caring one so it actually fits for him to be gay. but remember, JK Rowling didnt just come out and say DUMBLEDORES GAY!! she said she always 'thought' of Dumbledore as the gay sort of person.

Answer 5

Perhaps that's why he liked Snape so much! Just kidding.

I don't care if Dumbledore is gay. In the book, he was a great man, and that's all that matters.

Answer 6

Personally I find it irrelevant to the story line and the importance of the story. I mean why say it. It doesn't make Dumbledore a better or worse person or even add anything to the story. It makes me wonder whether J.K. Rowling just threw it out there to be trendy.

Answer 7

This will certainly affect the movie goers because maybe less people will watch it now on. JK Rowling unleashed some irrelevant information. Who cares about Dumbledore being gay? JK Rowling just revealed information that can impact the future movies.

Answer 8

Having read the whole series, and with 20-20 hindsight: it actually makes perfect sense. Totally explains the relationship with Grindewald and the regret afterward.

EDIT: That TOTALLY did not come out right. I meant the regret towards the brainstorming and its eventual results, not the relationship/infatuation in general. oy.

Answer 9

I view him exactly the same, I loved him in the books and the movie. Finding out that he's gay doesn't change a thing

Answer 10

even if Rowling says he is, it is really irrelevant to the stories, if you ask me. it makes no difference to me if some of the characters are heterosexual, so it certainly makes no difference if they are homosexual. isn't it just natural, in a story full of loads of people, that some of them should be gay? It's just mathematics.