The Dark Furie

I've been wanting to write about this story for a week or two now but kept getting distracted by other things. First I'll give you the story as reported by BBC News and we'll go from there.

Originally posted by BBC News:

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has revealed that one of her characters, Hogwarts school headmaster Albus Dumbledore, is gay.
She made her revelation to a packed house in New York's Carnegie Hall on Friday, as part of her US book tour.

She took audience questions and was asked if Dumbledore found "true love".

"Dumbledore is gay," she said, adding he was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, who he beat in a battle between good and bad wizards long ago.

The audience gasped, then applauded. "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy," she said.

"Falling in love can blind us to an extent," she added, saying Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down" and his love for Grindelwald was his "great tragedy".

"Oh, my god," Rowling, 42, concluded with a laugh, "the fan fiction".


Rowling said her books are a "prolonged argument for tolerance"

Fan sites have long speculated on Dumbledore's sexuality as he was known for having a mysterious, troubled past.

Rowling told the audience that while working on the planned sixth Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she saw the script carried a reference to a girl who was once of interest to Dumbledore.

She said she ensured director David Yates was made aware of the truth about her character.

[http://www.portfolio.com/images/feeds/blogs/PEOPLE_dumbledore_ImGay.jpg]

Well, personally I've got no problem with that. In fact I'm glad that the NUT have obviously won their case against unfair treatment of gay teachers. But the announcement didn't ended there unfortunately. Here's the rest of the report...

Originally posted by BBC News:

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell welcomed the news about Dumbledore and said: "It's good that children's literature includes the reality of gay people, since we exist in every society.

"But I am disappointed that she did not make Dumbledore's sexuality explicit in the Harry Potter book. Making it obvious would have sent a much more powerful message of understanding and acceptance."

And a spokesman for gay rights group Stonewall added: "It's great that JK has said this. It shows that there's no limit to what gay and lesbian people can do, even being a wizard headmaster."

Rowling also did a brief reading from the seventh book in her best-selling series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as part of her Open Book Tour of the US - her first there for seven years.

She said she regarded her novels as a "prolonged argument for tolerance" and urged her fans to "question authority".

But she added that not everyone likes her work. Christian groups have alleged the books promote witchcraft. The author said her revelation about Dumbledore would give them one more reason.

So let me get this straight. Of the two gay rights organisations that commented, one of them wants a gay character's sexuality to be more "explicit" in a childrens book and the other believes in wizards...

Okay lets look at it another way. Peter Tatchell thinks that it'd make a better statement for gay rights if Dumbledore was obviously gay. Surely by having it so you can't actually tell what the character's sexual preference is, it makes a better statement about the reality of gay people than to have an obviously gay character who fits all the stereotypes?

And then there's the unnamed Stonewall spokesman who needs a fictional book to show him that there's no limit to what gay people can do.

Is it my imagination or don't these spokespeople have any idea about the reality of gay people in modern times? In fact, the attitudes they seem to be displaying towards this revelation can be far more damaging to the propogation of gay rights than anything else.

Perhaps I spoke to soon. The Christian Coalition of America has branded this as "very disappointing" and "not a good example for our children". The interview with Roberta Combs, the president of the two million CCA members had this to say.

Originally posted by Roberta Combs:

It's very disappointing that the author would have to make one of the characters gay. It's not a good example for our children, who really like the books and the movies. I think it encourages homosexuality.

I would never allow my own children or grandchildren to read the books or watch the movies, and other parents should do so too.

When such a hero uses evil as a problem solving tool, we need to be warned. Over time the child can become adapted to the dark world of witchcraft and not even know that it is dangerous.

As a cult researcher for many years, I have seen contemporary witchcraft packaged in many seductive forms, and Harry Potter is the best. Potter makes spiritualism and witchcraft look wonderful.

It's so nice to see religious leaders running their mouths off in fear yet again. Fear makes people believe anything they're told about something they have no knowledge of.

Maybe there's some hope for the children who read the books in the end though. After all, it's their reaction that means the most, so I'll leave you with this line from the BBC report again.

Originally posted by BBC News:

The audience gasped, then applauded. "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy," she said.