One reporter reacts to JKR's revelations

[kkersey_austin]

Del wrote: 
> Well then, apparently, the way she wanted her 
> books to be was WITHOUT homosexuality. If that's 
> what she wanted back when she actually WROTE
> them, then why change her mind so soon after she 
> finished writing them?

Elisabet points out:

Changed her mind after she wrote the books? Really? Here's what JKR
has to say about that:

Q: At what stage in the [unintelligible] in writing the Harry Potter
books did you conceive the notion of Dumbledore's [unintelligible]
sexuality

JKR: Ummm, really, early on. I would say... all of the characters... I
was writing for 7 years before the first book was published. The
characters became, almost came, more and more into focus as I worked
and... I can't honestly say there was a moment when I decided that,
that was just something I knew or I came to know... so, umm, from very
early on. Probably before the first book was published.

http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2007/1022-torontopressconf.html

Elisabet continues:
But I want to be fair. You were responding to Katie's comment about
JKR writing the books the way she wanted to. But it seems clear from
comments that JKR said in the Toronto press conference that she
expects some readers (e.g. children) to be oblivious to hints that DD
was gay while some others (e.g. sensitive adults) "may well
understand" that DD was infatuated with GW; she goes on to say that
she herself "knew" it to be an infatuation. Sounds to me like she did
write it the way she wanted to: consistent with her own conception of
DD, but not requiring the reader to hold the same idea in order to
understand the story on at least a basic level.

Note, BTW, how she answered the question about Aberforth and the goats
at Carnegie Hall:
Q: In the Goblet of Fire Dumbledore said his brother was prosecuted
for practicing inappropriate charms [JKR buries her head, to laughter]
on a goat; what were the inappropriate charms he was practicing on
that goat?

JKR: How old are you?

Eight.

JKR: I think that he was trying to make a goat that was easy to keep
clean [laughter], curly horns. That's a joke that works on a couple of
levels. I really like Aberforth and his goats. But you know Aberforth
having this strange fondness for goats if you've read book seven, came
in really useful to Harry, later on, because a goat, a stag, you know.
If you're a stupid Death Eater, what's the difference. So, that is my
answer to YOU. 

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/10/20/j-k-rowling-at-carnegie-hall-reveals-dumbledore-is-gay-neville-marries-hannah-abbott-and-scores-more

Elisbaet again:
With this answer she clearly is saying that there is an innocent
reading appropriate for eight year olds ("...that is my answer to
YOU") and at the same time, yes, but that she intended more mature
readers to interpret it, well, somewhat differently.