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Hogwarts: Don't Ask, Don't Spell
Oct. 21st, 2007 07:35 pmAt a book-signing, Rowling reveals that Dumbledore was gay. You can read more about it at:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2196020,00.html
I have to say I'm quite disappointed to hear this news. Never in the books did Dumbledore's sexuality play into the storyline, so why say anything about his sexuality at all? Am I supposed to feel different about the characters to find out later that McGonagal's closets are filled with yarn because she has a knitting fetish? That Hagrid is secretly unnerved by the sight of pumpkins? Or that Filch once took an interpretive dance class, but had to drop out due to weak ankles?
So supposedly, Dumbledore was blindly in love with his childhood friend Grindelweld, which made their final battle so tragic. Why couldn't they have just been best friends? Why couldn't they just be two men who loved each other for who they were, because y'know, men do that have capacity. Two men can love each other deeply and meaningfully without their sexual orientation playing into it at all. Believing otherwise means that men cannot possibly have the capacity to care about important things without wishing to consume them with their ever-raging sexual drive.
Hogwash.
Having Dumbledore be gay does nothing for the storyline, so I don't know why Rowling, as the writer, put this element into his character at all. It changes nothing about the story, about Dumbledore's relationship with Harry, or with any of the other characters in the book. What clues should we have been looking for to learn this about him? Was the fact that he's never shown any interest in women make him gay? Does this make McGonagal a lesbian? What does it matter?
The only reason I can find is that Rowling is looking to generate more publicity for her books and her franchise. To this, all I can say is that this is a very slippery slope and she may not like what's waiting for her at the bottom. If she's not already satisfied, blessed, and amazed at the attention her work has received already that she need to pull a stunt like this, the celebrity that has come with her writing career threatens to consume itself and her talent.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2196020,00.html
I have to say I'm quite disappointed to hear this news. Never in the books did Dumbledore's sexuality play into the storyline, so why say anything about his sexuality at all? Am I supposed to feel different about the characters to find out later that McGonagal's closets are filled with yarn because she has a knitting fetish? That Hagrid is secretly unnerved by the sight of pumpkins? Or that Filch once took an interpretive dance class, but had to drop out due to weak ankles?
So supposedly, Dumbledore was blindly in love with his childhood friend Grindelweld, which made their final battle so tragic. Why couldn't they have just been best friends? Why couldn't they just be two men who loved each other for who they were, because y'know, men do that have capacity. Two men can love each other deeply and meaningfully without their sexual orientation playing into it at all. Believing otherwise means that men cannot possibly have the capacity to care about important things without wishing to consume them with their ever-raging sexual drive.
Hogwash.
Having Dumbledore be gay does nothing for the storyline, so I don't know why Rowling, as the writer, put this element into his character at all. It changes nothing about the story, about Dumbledore's relationship with Harry, or with any of the other characters in the book. What clues should we have been looking for to learn this about him? Was the fact that he's never shown any interest in women make him gay? Does this make McGonagal a lesbian? What does it matter?
The only reason I can find is that Rowling is looking to generate more publicity for her books and her franchise. To this, all I can say is that this is a very slippery slope and she may not like what's waiting for her at the bottom. If she's not already satisfied, blessed, and amazed at the attention her work has received already that she need to pull a stunt like this, the celebrity that has come with her writing career threatens to consume itself and her talent.
