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We got Dumbledore!
18 years ago
General
So...at a Q&A session with J.K. Rowling, author of the unprecedentedly successful "Harry Potter" books, someone asked whether Prof. Dumbledore had ever had a girlfriend. J.K. replied that she had always imagined Dumbledore as gay! Even to the point that when a line of dialog in one of the screenplays referred to an old girlfriend in his life, she scratched it out and wrote: "Dumbledore is gay!" in the margin.
Of course, the Right immediately denounced this as further evidence of the depravity of Rowling's "Wizarding World"...but since they didn't like them anyway because magic is too unChristian, no big loss. I WAS, however, annoyed that gay activists chimed in to say that they wished she had made it more obvious and even a plot point in the books. I disagree. I think that this way is perfect!
She has shown that his sexual orientation had NOTHING to do with his motives and actions. She has shown that just because someone is gay, doesn't mean they can't be a "normal" member of their society. After all, if she HAD made it a plot point, people's perceptions of him AT THE TIME would have been colored by the revelation. Now, all the people who loved Dumbledore's character, but would be upset by his sexual orientation have to look at their own motives if they change their minds about him now. They will have to admit themselves hypocrites if they now turn against the series.
People can be gay WITHOUT being, predators, or pedaphiles, or even activists--and by announcing that a beloved character happened to be gay all along, she has shown that gay people can be good and even special without it having to be all about their gayness.
Also, I applaud her for making this statement. With two movies yet to be made and millions of dollars in toy and accessories sales on the line, it was a brave thing to do. She could have just kept it secret.
Of course, the Right immediately denounced this as further evidence of the depravity of Rowling's "Wizarding World"...but since they didn't like them anyway because magic is too unChristian, no big loss. I WAS, however, annoyed that gay activists chimed in to say that they wished she had made it more obvious and even a plot point in the books. I disagree. I think that this way is perfect!
She has shown that his sexual orientation had NOTHING to do with his motives and actions. She has shown that just because someone is gay, doesn't mean they can't be a "normal" member of their society. After all, if she HAD made it a plot point, people's perceptions of him AT THE TIME would have been colored by the revelation. Now, all the people who loved Dumbledore's character, but would be upset by his sexual orientation have to look at their own motives if they change their minds about him now. They will have to admit themselves hypocrites if they now turn against the series.
People can be gay WITHOUT being, predators, or pedaphiles, or even activists--and by announcing that a beloved character happened to be gay all along, she has shown that gay people can be good and even special without it having to be all about their gayness.
Also, I applaud her for making this statement. With two movies yet to be made and millions of dollars in toy and accessories sales on the line, it was a brave thing to do. She could have just kept it secret.
I've never read any of the Harry Potter books, nor seen the movies, but I must say that I have more respect for J.K. than ever!
It's kind of disheartening to think that controversy will mor than likely start...only because everyone know's she's right about gays living as normal citizens.
Once again, WE WIN!!!
it might help with the adulds that have read the book and have used terms like that before... i mean, if they realise that to be gay isn't some shallow and meaningless thing but a likeable character like Aldus Dumbledore, some might think twice before using it.
It won't help adults as much as it will help children because children want to know and learn, where as adults just want to be right. The difference isn't apparent at first, but if you think about it, it fits very well.
throw this one in the face of the world and see how they take it with their pepsi and popcorn!!
So, I believe he was the first choice and turned it down.
WERE FAWKES THE PHOENIX AND THE SORTING HAT GAY TOO?
lol
It's odd I picked up on that while reading the chapters about Dumbledore and Grindelwald
Course it's wonderful that she would come out and reveal that about such a major character.
I've always wondered about the wizarding world in harry potter. I was thinking with the prejudices that existed there between pure bloods and non, humans, part humans, and non humans. would something like a wizard's sexuality be a non issue or would it be something that would mark them as different enough for scorn.
But I agree that people finding out after-the-fact that a beloved character (or person for that matter) was/is gay is a great way of sort of demystifying the subject to those that would otherwise be squeemish and unaccepting.
I thought the book(s) implied it pretty solidly.
And also, yeh, it's great she's said so now - I just hope it doesn't affect anything in the final two movies.
And, who knows, maybe the guy currently playing Dumbledore will refuse to play a gay guy(or change the character to fit some twisted stereotype), and they'll have to replace him with a better actor who actually reads the books.
FICTION!!!
I'm not a fan of the HP series, but I'm not going to go out and rally against it because of that revelation. If I read the books/watch the movies, it's because I choose to look for something entertaining, regardless of one character's orientation.
Because it's fiction.
Fiction is a force to be reconned with!
Damn right!
Moonbases: A moonbase building would require depreciation as 41 1/2 year property under the tax code. Invest a billion bucks today, and you can deduct less than 25 million per year... The US tax code is the greatest enemy of progress on Earth!
Well put. Hopefully she'll inspire other authors to create characters who just happen to be gay, or disabled, or whatever. Its high time that happened.
But Kin just kinda...happened that way, like it is in real life I suppose. I just hope nobody goes and thinks they're going to be "deep and profound" by having a gay guy in their story now.
I personally think Rowling dug her own grave because she sort of hinted at a little sexual tension between Dumbledore and McGonnagul in the first movie =P
I look at Magneto and Gandalf and nowhere in my mind at all is the thought 'that is a gay man' running through my head.
You do GREAT disservice to the man by discounting his acting ability so.
>=3
If you think that requires being gay, well. . .
I look at it as only a subset of human societies require males to supress emotions... clearly Tolkien's wasn't.
Shoot, Aragorn composes and recites poetry on the spot to express the depth of his feelings at... well, several times. Don't get me started on Legolas.
Heh, fun topics, though!
Hmmm...Legolas...climbing a giant elephant's back leg...an obviously MALE elephant's back leg. No undertones there XD
you've pointed out one major flaw about a lot of queer literature... almost every character or person in something that's "Gay" is pretty much about being gay. beyond that, there's little character or substance (one of the reasons why i can't stand "queer as folk" or "will and grace" i mean, can someone be gay without having to wear skintight rainbow tanktops? without being into drag? what about all the "normal" people that just happen to be homosexual?)
http://ggxlol.highervoltage.net/venom/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU-cZ_EnUQ8
Yeah, he has a weird weapon, but in a fighting game where pretty much everyone has a weird weapon (May uses a boat anchor, Faust uses a gigantic staff-sized scalpel, Millia Rage uses her own hair,) the billiard gimmick isn't really all that out of place.
Storyline wise, he's the new head of the Assassin's Guild. The old head, Zato-1 personally intervened when Venom was about to be executed, which started total (but sadly unrequited) infatuation, which translated itself to utter devotion; after Zato disappeared and then died, Venom vowed to increase the scope of the Guild in his name and turn it into a sort of monument to him.
Venom is evil, but not because gays are evil or anything--he's evil because he's the head of a worldwide criminal organization and has tried to increase its power and scope, has arranged for murders, etc. When the good characters go after him, they only discuss his actions, and his sexuality is never mentioned--for example, Ky, the pure-hearted police officer, wants to arrest him solely because the Assassin's Guild is, in fact, an insidious criminal organization, and therefore, Venom is a criminal. Example dialogue from one of the story mode paths:
Ky: You over there.... Stop where you are.
Venom: Mmm?
Ky: You're Venom of the Assassins' Guild, correct? You're under arrest for first-degree murder.
Venom: You're all alone, are you not? Keep yapping, if you like. You'll regret it later.
Ky: Justice isn't about numbers. And numbers do not equal power. Allow me to show you why.
(fight begins)
When taking his sexuality into account, he becomes a rather complex villain, and one can't really just dismiss him as "evil" in the Emperor Palpatine way. Even when he tries to expand the Guild to the point of more or less global domination, his goal is to make the Guild a sort of shrine to Zato.
I get so sick and tired of people putting evil motives on Homosexuals, calling them immoral or diseased, or needing to be cured. SEXUALITY IS NOT A DISEASE PEOPLE! If it were, and if you could "Cure" a gay person into being Sraight, then obviously the reverse is true: you can Cure a Straight person into being Gay. HELLO! Wake up and grow a brain people...
A very close friend of mine who was Gay absolutely adored children, and he was very much the maternal type. You even threaten harm to a child and he'd take your head off, nevermind his view of child molesters. I trusted him implicitly with my son, and I trust a dam few people that far. Hell, I don't even trust my mother alone with my son. That's how protective I am of my son, and shows just how much my friend proved to me I could trust him. Has nothing to do with his sexuality, but him as a person. Unfortunately he died March of 2005 from Stomach Cancer. I miss him dearly... He was part of my family.
*Hugs you*
Sometimes when he would meet someone cute or interesting, he would say "Oh, I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers." then offer his hand and say "Hi, my name is Crackers." *chuckles*
Another one he would do is when someone would say "I'm not sure if you know him or not..." when they're about to introduce someone to him, he would go "Wait!", get down on his knees, hold his hands up about shoulder width apart by his face, look up at the person and smile, "Nope, haven't met him yet."
He was one of those people you just couldn't help but love because he had so much he offered everyone around him, and had a great sense of humor too.
*Hugs you!*
I remember one time at Norwescon a few years ago, he got woken up at 5am because someone pulled the fire alarm in the wing where his room was, so he came down to the lounge to hang out and chat with us nocturnal freaks. *smirks*
As he was getting ready to head back to his room after two hours of chatting with us, he was giving a round of hugs (there was about a dozen of us).
When he got to me, he gives me a hug, and of course my natural reaction is to hug them, and scritch the person's back. He moaned softly and I asked if he minded me going under his shirt and he told me to go ahead. So, I slip my paws under his shirt and start giving his back good long scritches and he moaned a bit louder. At that point his head sort of lolled forwards, exposing the back of his neck. I just could NOT resist the target and so I lightly brushed his hair asside and gave the back of his neck a good noming on. He let out this gutteral growlymoan and wrapped his arms around my waist rather tightly, then suddenly stood bolt upright and says, "I gotta go!" and took off down the hall.
Apparently, I found out later that I was about 2 seconds from getting seriously ravaged by him at that point. *laughs* He decided I was at least Demi-Goddess level for that one. *snickers*
Ah the wonderfull fond memories...
though it's situations like this that show how annoying gay activists are, i think they're being a little overzealous on helping us
You have me completely bewildered as to what one would have to do with the other.
I wish you luck in finding the way through to understanding it for yourself.
What I agree with you on, though, is:
'No, he didn't hide himself...'
'For it matters not...'
Now, turn those around and look at them BOTH ways, and maybe you'll see.
Either way, I consider it just another facet of Albus's character, and am glad it wasn't made a big deal in the books.