Of Course Dumbledore is Gay

J.K. Rowling Announces Before A Group of Children and Fans That Harry Potter Character, Albus Dumbledore Is Indeed Gay

Is it any real shock to any of you?  I mean really?  I know that Dumbledore is the Master Wizard and Head master of Hogwarts, but if in anything those parties he throws should have been a major "umm, hello??"  I have been known to throw some pretty amazing fetes in my day, and I am still trying to get candles to suspend from the ceiling like old Albus does.  And come on, aren't we all just a little bit jealous of his guest list.  Only a very sophisticated queen knows to invite a ship full of testosterone exuding hunks from some Slavic country to his party WHILE counter-balancing them with a carriage full of lovely French teases.  That sort of guest planning ranks in par with Capote's Black and White Ball.

And the company he keeps...I mean "really!"  Check out this pic...   

Severus Snape???  Maggie Smith???  And Victor Krum's Dad???!!!!  Throw in Dame Dianna Rigg and Sister Wendy Becket and it would be a dinner at The Reverend Peter J. Gomes' house!

J.K. Rowling made this announcement Friday night before a packed audience after reading briefly from the final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," she took questions from audience members.

She was asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds "true love."

"Dumbledore is gay," the author responded to gasps and applause.

She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. "Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore's feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."

Dumbledore's love, she observed, was his "great tragedy."

What was not a tragedy was the way that Dowling responded to the children (and adults) -- with honesty and compassion and in a way that all were given dignity.  And the audience responded as many of our friends and family do albeit figuratively...first with a "gasp" and then with "applause."  And what a place to be outed--at Carnegie Hall.

I tip my conical hat to you Miss Dumbledore, welcome. 

And to J.K. Rowling...Thank You for understanding humanity.

Tom Lang, Director

Comments

[John]

"Is it any real shock to any of you?"

Well I never gave it a thought, although my daughter did. She said she knew even before his death.

[Lula]

Guys, wasn't Rowling playing with her audience, simply opening the door for dialogue about tolerance and poking fun at reader speculation surrounding her characters?

Playing devil's advocate here.

[John Howard]

I'm surprised people aren't calling her out on her stereotyping. Isn't she being kind of traditionalist implying that no, he never finds true love, because he's gay? Or is she saying that the time period and culture she's portraying are just very traditionalist and oppressive for older gay men like Dumbledore, and put them into the closet? But he's one of the unrepressed wizards, isn't he? He's not a muggle or a working class catholic, so why wouldn't he have been able to express himself like Alan Ginsberg?

[John Howard]

I mean Allen. Everyone should read this.

[Tom Lang]

Interesting points John Howard, but I think the real story here is "how" J.K. Rowling addressed the question when asked. She respected LGBT people enough to be frank and yet she respected her young audience enough to given them the benefit of the doubt--to discuss love in worldly and symbolic terms through the wisdom of her characters and writing.

Let's not forget. That David Parker and The Wirthlins refuse to see that speaking to children about loving relationships in the context of the human condition is acceptable and should be encouraged. That they still feel that the mere mention of the existance of LGBT people is somehow harmful to children. They must be just turning inside out after reading about Dowling.

[Lula]

I find it quite appropriate that Rowling speculated about Dumbledore, given that he is a fierce protector of the children of his school. It seems to be a direct response to the BS speculation that gay men working with children are motivated by pedophilic interests. No stereotype here.

[ryan charisma]

All those children loving a gay character in a wildly popular children's book series.

I LOVE IT!

MassResistance must be gurgling up the pitch and tar they have for innards right now.