One reporter reacts to JKR's revelations

[susanmcgee48176]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "sistermagpie" 
<sistermagpie at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> churchmouse:
> However, as a fan I feel
> > betrayed because she started the series to get YOUNG children,to 
> read,
> > especially boys.  Even the choice bothers me; I could have seen
> > Gildaroy Lockheart as gay even Hoarse Slug horn But Dumbledore, 
> What
> > purpose did that serve?  
> 
> Magpie:
> She said he was infatuated with Grindelwald. That's the only thing 
> it really affected. It didn't seem to have a purpose other than 
this 
> is the way Dumbledore's character was in her head. There's no 
> purpose in Myrtle being a lech but that's the way she is.
> 
> Do I want to know why you'd be okay with Slughorn or Lockhart being 
> gay somehow more than Dumbledore? Why are those the two "you could 
> see" but there's a problem with Dumbledore? Because Lockhart's a 
> vain pompous guy obsessed with appearance and Slughorn's a prissy 
> glutton? Why is there more of a problem with Dumbledore? He doesn't 
> seem any less believable than those two to me.
> 

Yes, Magpie, good point...it's okay if a cowardly, prissy, pompous, 
unethical Lockhart is gay...or if a old fat admirer of Riddle 
Slytherin is gay....THAT jives with people's stereotypical view of 
gay men...but for the bravest and best wizard in the world to be gay? 
Now THAT's a problem! If one MUST include gay characters, it's 
critical that they be portrayed as doomed, suicidal, unhappy, or 
flawed...

That's SUGGESTING that brave and brilliant men might love other men!

What purpose did it serve? I doubt very much that JKR had a "purpose" 
in mind...I think that she imagined these characters and they all had 
a background and a back story..given that she's not a bigot, she had 
no problem in imagining some of her characters being gay...

Susan