One reporter reacts to JKR's revelations

[Tonks]

> ***Katie:
> I don't understand why JKR would "know" that there is a whole 
group of people that wouldn't buy the books if there was a gay main 
> character? I didn't know that before there was such an uproar 
about it! I didn't think it was a real big deal, and appartently, 
neither did she, since she mentioned it so casually. 

Tonks:
Rowling is 42 years old and a world traveler. Surely her head is not 
in the sand. She worked for Amenity International. She MUST know. I 
think the editors made sure that she did not put anything like that 
in the books. Scholastic for one is a company that makes Educational 
books for children. They would be aware of the potential backlash. 
If you watch the interview in Canada you can see her hesitate and 
all of her body language says “I am hiding something, someone has 
told me to shut up and I am conflicted about saying what I want to 
say so I will not answer that question directly”. 
> 
> 
Katie said:
> Secondly, I don't know why anyone would think she was "pandering" 
to a particular group of anyone. 

Tonks:
Some might think that she was pandering to the gay community by 
outing DD as she did. And why would they think that? Because it 
seems that being 'gay' is the 'in' thing to be. It is the new way to 
be a rebel, to be fashionable, the new 'black' as they say. (and 
before you all jump on me, I didn't say that I think that, just that 
this may be the view of some.)

 
Katie: 
 I don't think she saw this firestorm coming. 

Tonks:
I agree. I don't think she was thinking when she said what she did. 
It was the end of her U.S. tour, she was probably tired and 
stressed. And the editor wasn't standing over her. Again I think you 
can tell from the interview in Canada a few days later, that someone 
did have a little 'talk' with her. 
 

> Katie: 
> There is absolutely nothing gay about DD in the books, so if you 
> want to ignore what she said, then ignore it and read on. I ignore 
> plenty of what she's said about Snape - (Snip) If I can ignore 
> actual canon in order to enjoy the book, I don't understand why 
> other people can't just ignore her one-off comment about DD and 
keep on reading? 

Tonks:
It would have been better if Rowling had said, as Del suggested "I 
see DD as gay, but the readers are free to view him as they wish".
I see DD as a mentor I once had, a celebate monk, wise man, teacher, 
role model, etc. I like the idea that maybe a little part of DD 
might be attacted to me. I don't share the view that DD is a bad 
person, a puppetmaster, or whatever some people say. I don't know 
why they think that of DD. He is a Saint to me, even now.

Tonks_op