Jet,

If Rowling's series of books survive the coming tumultuous times, it will be necessary to publish a compendium of additional facts about the characters that were not included in the seven novels and her books about magical animals and quidditch.

Dumbeldore's preference for his own sex would have to be included in this compendium, along with what Harry Potter wound up doing for a living (being an auror) and other details that have emerged and will emerge from readings and lectures given by Ms. Rowling.

Indeed Ruvy, I'd expect it to be a best seller!
...Jet

heyas Jet...good to *see* ya!

for Ruvy...JK is currently working on a compendium of all that kind of stuff, a supplemental to the series

mebbe i should get around to reading these...eventually

for Jet...and anyone else who enjoys a maestro...

Excelsior?

Thanks for contributing Gonzo, it's good to be back (we'll see how long that lasts) ;-)

Jet

All you guitar lovers-follow the link in Gonzo's comment 3-I can't stop playing it!!! Thanks Gonzo!

glad ya liked it , Jet...

try this one out....

heh

Excelsior?

I am in complete agreement with you Jet. I think Rowling handled it just fine. There are always things writers know about their characters that aren't obvious in the books. When she was asked about his love-life, she told the fans what she knew. Dumbledore was a powerful wizard and a kind, protective, strong and ethical man (sure he had faults but he also learned from his mistakes). Good role model for gay and straight alike.

I don't know what the big deal is. Any adult should have figured that out when the book told the history of Dumbledore and Grindelwald. If kids didn't get it, what difference did it make? It didn't have anything to do with the story. For the adult reader, it added a little depth to the character of Dumbledore. I can't believe so many people acting like it was a bit surprise.

Amen Che

Oops, that should have read "big" surprise.

Indeed Sonny.

On a personal note, I was kind of torn as to tell people up front or not.

You get to know someone really well, you get to like each other as friends and the moment they "find out" they're gone like you were some kind of lepper or something.

Now I sort of strike a balance that seems to work.

Thanks for contributing and the encouragement.
Jet

No problem Sonny, I'd read it as "A bit of a surprise"...

Woah, just realized this is my 80th article published on BC!!!

Jet: The "friends" that would disappear weren't really friends you would want to keep anyway, were they?

No indeed Sonny, no indeed. Unfortunately you can't tell who they are unless you bought a program in the lobby before entering the theater.

... but then how fun would that be?

Uh...hello? Dumbledore does not exist. He cannot therefore, be gay.

In the minds of millions of fans Ed, he does exist, therefore...

Jack McFarland on Will and Grace is a fictional character, does that mean he isn't gay either???

Harry Potter, itself, is, kinda, gay.

I'm sure he's glad you think so...

That was meant as a compliment, wasn't it Wee?
{:^P~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If Rowling's series of books survive the coming tumultuous times,"

you must be joking. this series will be around as long as there are books

From your mouth to God's ear EB. I'm pretty sure it'll blow over rather quickly...

...was that a pun?

well, found this Article form Time magazine on the topic...

the author, a gay man, wants Rowling to put Dumbledore back into the closet...somehow disappointed that the venerable olde coot never outed himself

now, here i had Thought that Dumbledore had chosen celibacy for his own Reasons..possibly wizardly...but it was his choice...and as the Headmaster for a children's school, why should the topic of his sexuality ever be a topic at the school?

also, do note than JK has never said other adults didn't know he was gay...we only know that in the environment of the school, it was not a well known subject...

just a Thought and a link to share on the Topic...

Excelsior?

Someone once said that we'll know that homophobia isn't an issue when they start making movies with gay characters instead of about them... the fact that Rowling only brought this up to keep a level of clarity in the film and for her readers is a step towards acceptance.

That's true RC. We look forward to that day. It'd be comparable to when blacks stopped playing maids and limo drivers and became regular people in entertainment back in the 60's. Like when Kinch was the radio operator and second in command on Hogan's Heroes, instead of the "Black" radio operator, or Uhura was just the communications chief.

Gays would just play regular characters who just happened to be gay, but it was never really spoken or explained. Someone would just go home in the story line and kiss their lover hello, and go on like straight couples do, and their whole existince in the plot had nothing to do with if they were homosexual or not.

sigh...

You know, a true test of if your a homophobe would be to have someone point out a perfect stranger to you and say "He's Gay!" and you suddenly "see" all of the stereotypes in him of a "fag". Then you're told he wasn't and you feel dumb for letting your prejudices color your opinion without meeting them first.

Kind of like someone in Germany saying person they didn't like was a Jew, even if they weren't, and everyone seeing the stereotypes.

I'm starting to babble aren't I?
alas....

Excuse that last, I didn't mean to go on and on...

Anyone know why it takes so long for a posted comment to appear?

So is Dumbledore a medium or a large?

While I'm sure that's a very good question my friend, I doubt that he's into size queens...

While I have nothing against the gay or lesbian community I do have an issue with Mrs. Rowling's choice of timing to announce such a prestigious development of such an influential character.

I thought waiting until her publicity had died down (with the seventh book being published last July) to announce such an obviously controversial factoid was in the least tacky if not a bit avaricious.

Also, I felt it was unfair to so obviously limit the demography of her wondrous novels. (Some people will be offended and hoping to preserve and protect the morality of their children will limit their children from the pleasure and learning experience of these novels.)

If only Mrs. Rowling had simply wrote this in her novels there would be less of a scandalous air around our poor headmaster and wider acceptance of his sexuality. Those people that disagreed with such knowledge could simply put the book down and those that could accept it could continue to read in peace. But now that Mrs. Rowling has waited to expose Dumbledore's "preferences" lovers of the novels are forced into turmoil of internal moral conflict.

I was introduced to the first Harry Potter novel when I was but a mere third-grader and have continued to read them all the way up to the seventh book as a junior in high school. That's over half of my childhood!!! Now I find that I am questioning everything about it: Is Sirious a pedophile? Is Minerva a lesbian? And was Dumbledore's reason for trust and his frustrating passion of keeping Severous Snape around due to a secret affair? I am afraid that I won't be able to relay as much faith in a book's characters ever again, for I love, trusted and looked up to Professor Dumbledore only to find out he seemingly lead an entire life out of the lime-light that I was completely unaware of. This saddens me a great deal that I will never be able to think of Dumbledore the same again along with any other fatherly figure or major role model.

However, I'm sure Mrs. Rowling had a perfectly acceptable reason for announce such news in the fashion she chose. I can only hope this does not limit to many children's learning experience or growing fondness of literature.

My dear Samantha, I'd only to read your first sentence, to know that it and you to be a liar, and was proven right.

You are obviously the kind that minds everyone's business but her own, and takes great joy and pompousness in considering yourself the community "moral yardstick", pronouncing what is "acceptable" of all you survey.

I hope your proud of yourself, but please be careful you don't get a sunburn from having your nose so far up in the air...

While I did love the article, I'm really over the freakin' MOON that you're back, Jet.

:)

As long as my eyes and heart hold out anyway. Thanks much Mike. I'm on coumadin therapy for congestive heart failure, and I was bored trapped here in my penthouse...

Dear Fresh Comments freaks: There's no need to reprint your comments 3-8 times. The delay is the spam filter keeping out unwanted spammers.

Wait about 30 seconds. It'll print out...


Really!

I found an interesting survey that discusses Rowling outing Dumbledore, its definitely worth a look.

Jensen, in the end it doesn't matter one way or the other what a survey says. Rowling created the character and can dub him anything she wants, regardless of public opinion, be it gay, left-handed or a reformed druid...

Rowling's tardy claim reveals her implicit contempt for homosexuals.

Hmmm, I see the heterophobes are "out" tonight - name calling as usual.

Dear, Dear, the is a reason by they call it rough trade you know!