How do they figure that Dumbledore is gay?

Answer 1

When J.K. Rowling first revealed that Dumbledore is gay, I couldn't figure it either, believing that this was never suggested within the storyline and Rowling was merely plopping on more character background that she never got around to using. But on reflection, I do see how this information further explains why Dumbledore reacted to Grindelwald the way he did. His infatuation blinded him to Grindelwald's dark side and then it further explains why Dumbledore was so crushed and destroyed when Grindelwald hit his brother with the Cruciatus curse and the fight broke out that caused Ariana's death. Then, after all that, Dumbledore STILL didn't go after Grindelwald for quite some time. You'd have to figure that Dumbledore was either a coward, or something was holding him back. That something was Dumbledore's remembered love for Grindelwald.

It appears that the tragic consequences of that one summertime fling caused Dumbledore to lead a celibate life for the rest of his adulthood, so people's reactions to this revelation are blown way out of proportion. The information is only meant to shed light on Dumbledore's motivation concerning one particular relationship from his past AND it was meant to keep us in the dark about Dumbledore's motivations until the very end of the series. Had Rowling made Grindelwald be a female character, we might have guessed that there was something more behind the famous ancient battle. This way, by having Dumbledore be gay, we didn't guess that Grindelwald played a bigger role in events.

Answer 2

You could have as easily found out if the book is read very carefully. In the book, Dumbledore is very attracted to Grindelwald for when they were 17, 'right to rule' was their slogan and Dumbledore like Grindelwald for this very particular idea that had occured to him. An d J.K. Rowling mentioned it.

Answer 3

According to the story I read, she had told the writer of the screenplay for HBP that Dumbledore was gay because there was mention of a female love interest in the screenplay and she had to set them right. Having done that, she might as well have made it public, since it would have eventually come out anyway--she could control when and how it was done, and in any case, this story came out because she was directly asked if Dumbledore loved anyone.

Throughout the series, we know Dumbledore as a tireless and seemingly single-minded fighter against Dark Wizards (at least from Harry's perspective; we do have to remember that Albus is also a great teacher, an alchemist, and important theoretical Wizard--remember the tools and instruments he made himself). But how did Albus become that way?

We learn much about this in DH, with Arianna's story, Aberforth's story and the story of the friendship between Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald. In reading DH, it was clear that Grindelwald seduced Dumbledore on a number of levels; intellectually, ideologically, and, by JKR's new revelation, emotionally. We don't know if that seduction was sexual as well, and I'm not sure it is important for us to know.

The revelation completes the picture for us of a man who felt betrayed, injured by one he loved, ashamed at how far he went from rational thought and behavior, how far he really was from what he thought he was.

The up shot is that we now know more completely Dumbledore's motivations for fighting Dark Wizards--his shame at his own tangential contribution to Grindelwald's career, his reluctance to fight him, and, when Voldemort rose, his determination to not to repeat his prior mistake of inaction and to fight Voldemort from the start.

So in summery, It was part of the way JKR viewed Dumbledore and understood him. I don't think it was something that would have come out voluntarily--more likely something that would have made a scholarly article 50 or 60 years from now after she was gone and literary scholar had access to her full notes (assuming she left them to be investigated).

BTW, there is some inkling of this in DH, where Rita Skeeter talks about devoting a chapter in her book about Dumbledore to the Dumbledore/Harry relationship. This is not to say that there was anything improper--but that JKR did put out a hint.

wl

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/10...

Answer 4

There's no actual...way that they can figure out that Dumbledore's gay simply because he doesn't seem like it...but J.K. Rowling announced it, and so...he is.

Answer 5

Jo announced it publically. It's completly irrelevant to the wonderful Harry Potter series and should not affect anyones point of view on the books whatsoever.

Answer 6

J.K. Rowling said Dumbledore is gay. No one figured, she confirmed it.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtidDGQHBqjR9ymp57kwtHmIxQt.;_ylv=3?qid=20071201074815AACQKI4

Answer 7

The Author announced it. Probably makes all of those Slash fan-fic writers really happy.

Answer 8

The author and creator of the character said so.

Answer 9

He is fictional the author can make anything up that she wants to about him.

Answer 10

haha he is... i didnt know that