Invisibility takes many forms

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 20918

Ender wrote:

> I agree with Wanda, but I personally think that JKR is going to 
>avoid homosexuality not because of controversy issues, but just 
>because it probably isn't essential to the plot.  We've had four 
>books so far and we have yet to see any major indications of 
>heterosexuality (outside of schoolkid crushes), much less 
>homosexuality.  

That parenthesis packs a wallop, though.  There is heterosexuality all 
over the books, whether in crushes, dating, dancing or marriages:

-James and Lily
-Lucius and Narcissa
-Molly and Arthur
-Vernon and Petunia
-Harry and Cho
-Cho and Cedric
-Viktor and Hermione
-Ron and Hermione
-Ginny and Harry
-Hagrid and Maxime
-all the dancing couples at the Yule Ball

In real life, all of these things have homosexual counterparts, though 
admittedly they are often closeted.  In HP, as in most books (and the 
overwhelming proportion of books for young people), homosexuality is 
totally nonexistent.

Many people don't sort out their sexual orientation 'til they're past 
the age of Hogwarts students, but many do.  I know plenty of GLBT 
folks who, given safe circumstances, could've identified their 
orientation at age 5.

>As a writer, I have no problem with themes of homosexuality, 
>heterosexuality or 
>bisexuality, if they're important to the plot or to a character's 
>development.  

Is Dean's being black important to his development or to the plot?  So 
far, no, and I doubt it will be.  I venture to say that he is black 
because there are black people in Britain, and leaving them out of a 
story entirely would be a very odd thing to do.  However, society has 
not progressed to taking that view of gay and bi characters.  Somehow 
it is deemed worthy of comment when a gay or bi character shows up, 
when what is really odd is when everyone in a novel is hetero.  I 
believe that one day we'll look back at the books of today and say 
"Where are all the GLBT folks?," just as we now look at picture books 
of the 40's and say, "Where are all the people of color?"  I look 
forward to that day.

BTW, I don't expect or want JKR to deal with homosexuality as a 
"theme."  She is very interested in prejudice, but she deals with it 
via the wizard/Muggle/Squib hierarchies, the house elf issue, the 
prejudice against giants and werewolves, etc.  That's terrific.

Amy Z

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 If only the hat had mentioned a house 
 for people who felt a bit queasy, 
 that would have been the one for him.
     --HP and the Philosopher's Stone
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