Three Cauldrons was Re: Rowling says Dumbledore is gay

[lizzyben04]

Carol:
> And I'm wondering what others think of her latest remark concerning
> the revelation about DD's sexual orientation:
> 
> "He is what he is and I have the right to say what I say about him."
> 
> Who said that she didn't have that right? All that we (some of us,
> including me) said is that it isn't in the books and we (or I, anyway)
> wish she'd allow us to interpret the books for ourselves without
> telling us what to think.

lizzyben:

The question actually was how shouldn't she worry about what other
countries will think about this? Your books are sold in other
countries that aren't as enlightened as us, aren't you concerned about
their reaction? (The "what will Iran think?" question). And she's
right - she does have the right to say what he is; she created him.

Carol:
> Her position now is that DD's relationship with GG was an
> "infatuation," whether reciprocal or one-sided, she didn't say. Not
> quite the same as being "in love." is it? Or should we even worry
> about what she says outside the books.
> 
> Anyone remember her reaction to the reader who asked if Lily had ever
> been a Death Eater, "How dare you?" Despite her millions (or is it
> billions), she strikes me as remarkably insecure.
> 
> Carol, still liking the books but not fond of JKR as a person at the
> moment (but with no grudge against anyone who still thinks she's
> wonderful)
>

lizzyben:

I don't understand why the backlash on this particular question would
be worse than the others. The questioner was a woman who asked her if
DD had fallen in love - she said he had. In the news conference, she
said that DD's back-story is related to the theme of love in the
novels. As I see it, it's no different than other information that
she's offered - for example, that James tormented Snape partially
becaused he suspected that Snape was in love with Lily. It helps
illuminate the character's motivations. And I've no doubt that DD was
always gay in her own mind. I'm not too happy with a lot of the things
she's said about Snape, but she is responding to questions from fans,
& offering her own opinions on the characters. We're all free to
disagree. 

At first, I was underwhelmed by this revelation - mostly because I
felt like she ducked out of putting it in the novels, although it was
heavily implied in DH. But judging by the anger this has engendered, I
understand why she didn't include that information. Some Christian
fans are literally talking about burning the books now. People are
saying that it's not appropriate for children now - as opposed to how
violence & torture is appropriate for children? And I also don't
understand how this single fact suddenly transforms the entire series
into a work about the "gay lifestyle" or sexuality. It's just totally
overblown, IMO. Dumbledore is the same Dumbledore he always was:
manipulative bastard or idealistic visionary. 


lizzyben