[HPforGrownups] Re: Ron's Virtue (was "Dam' Good Auror")/Gay Characters

Alexandra Y. Kwan litalex at yahoo.com
Sat Oct 6 06:36:56 UTC 2001


No: HPFGUIDX 27227

Hello,

At 07:54 PM 10/5/2001, you wrote:
>Harry, I want to be able to relax and enjoy the book. Seeing my
>adolescent self reflected in some confused gay student at Hogwarts
>would just be too real and would seem out of place.

You've been too influenced by the political correctness in American culture 
<g>.

It doesn't have to be that way at all.  We have no idea how the Wizard 
world treats its gay members.  Perhaps they're all perfectly fine with it 
and take it as calmly and casually as people do in...I don't know, Holland 
or something.

The best way to 'properly' introduce a gay character into the mix, imho, 
would be to do it as off-handedly as Cho, with her presumably Chinese 
background, was introduced, as Angelina, with her African-British (?) 
heritage, was introduced, etc.  If having an ethnicity other than the, um, 
majority's isn't a big deal, having a sexual orientation that's not 
mainstream shouldn't be a big deal either.

For example, Ms. Rowling mentioned casually that Malfoy was going with 
Pansy what's her name to the Yule Ball.  She could have as easily mentioned 
that he was going with, um, one of the male Quidditch members on Slytherin 
and Harry giving the aside joke of "Now I know why all the Slytherin are 
always stuck in the practice room.  And if a gay villain isn't a good idea, 
you could have, oh, Seamus Finnigan merrily going with Dean Thomas to the 
Yule Ball.  And Harry could either wink and laugh, or sputter, "But you 
like girls!"  If it's the latter, then you can have Seamus or Dean wink and 
dismiss it easily with some joke (e.g. pinching the other's nose and says 
"But just *look* at how cute he is!  How can I not!")

Trust me, there need not be any "The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy"-styled, 
completely out of proportion angst and sorrow and soul-searching <g>.  Um, 
no offense to the ever popular Ms. Lackey, of course.

little Alex


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