Harry and Women (WAS Logic and Math of Sexism )

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 41386

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., kelly broughton <kellybroughton at y...> 
 
> There has been discussion not too long ago about the issue of 
sexuality in the stories, and I am hoping that Harry will come to 
understand that females are not just one or the other 
[virgins/whores]... when he finally does get around to becoming 
curious about the opposite sex. I do wonder if it's simply bc Harry 
(and Ron, by having so many brothers) just really has not been exposed 
to many different types of women while growing up, and bc of his 
preadolescence, it wouldn't occur to him to wonder now. But surely the 
day will come, if it hasn't already, when he realises that he will 
need to give the girls/women in his life a closer look, and see what 
they have to teach him.>

I'm not sure I follow you at all here.  Do you think that as of the 
end of GoF, Harry *isn't* curious about girls?  He had a physical 
reaction to Cho in PoA and developed quite a crush on her from then 
on.  There are plenty of other examples that show us that Harry is 
very much aware of girls as sexual: the description of Madame Rosmerta 
as "curvy" in PoA, his reaction to the Veela, his reaction to Hermione 
at the Yule Ball...

There is also no evidence that Harry sees any women as either virgins 
or whores at this point.  One of the many things I love about Harry is 
his respect for nearly everyone around him.  He accepts Hermione's 
help whenever she offers it, Molly's love when she gives it, 
McGonagall's discipline, and Fleur's change of attitude and gratitude.  
Harry will learn from anyone who wants to teach him, whether the 
teacher is male or female (except maybe for Trelawney).  I believe we 
will see more of this as Harry learns more about his mother in 
upcoming books.  In fact, it was his mother who told him what to do in 
order to get away from Voldemort at the graveyard in GoF, and boy, did 
he listen to and follow that advice!

--jenny from ravenclaw ********************