The 'Other' in the HP books (was: Harry's Sexual Preference

[phoenixmum]

No: HPFGUIDX 81134

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Mev532" <mev532 at y...> wrote:
> This debate has been going on about using characters for political 
> action and including homosexual characters in the HP books.
> 
> I feel I have to chime in on this debate because it seems like an 
> important point is being overlooked. This point explains why I feel 
> there shouldn't be stated homosexual characters or sexual activity 
> in the Harry Potter books. People have often said that these books 
> discuss themes of slavery, death, violence, evil, torture, etc. and 
> that sexual themes are no more adult so should not be shied away 
> from. 
> 
> The crucial different, however, is that the former themes are 
> factors that will force themselves on a child or young teenager 
> reguardless of age or parental involvement. Many of us lose people 
> close to us when we are very young, or have to deal with 
> intolerance 
> and hatred at school or with peers. Sexual issues, however, do not 
> have to be dealt with until a certain age (at least until after 
> puberty). This seperates it from the other themes, no matter how 
> adult they are.
> 
> An twelve year old child understands cruelty, good vs evil, and 
> death, even if their understanding is not sophisticated. They have 
> encountered these things in their own life. This is why it is 
> appropriate (I feel, some adults may not) for the book to discuss 
> actions like murder, but not topics such as oral sex or homosexual 
> relationships. Children should not be learning about these things 
> from Harry Potter books, especially when such topics are beside the 
> central story of the book.  Sure, Harry will be sixteen in the next 
> book, when many young people (not most) will be sexual active, but 
> that does not mean this should be covered.

Reply:
Thanks for an excuse to include something I just read on the Leaky 
Cauldron website (in their archive of JKR interviews).  JKR
said:
"Now, if I get the tone right, I do believe that your 9 year old will 
still be interested in a 14 year old Harry. Obviously, it is 
inappropriate in books like these, it would be totally alien to the
tone of these books if I got into too brutally realistic of an area --
-- you know, we''re not going to be looking at teenage pregnancy 
here, we''re not going to be looking at drug taking here, you
know. 
This would be totally alien to the spirit of these books. However, I 
do want Harry to grow up in a realistic way."plus
"I don't think its going to be faithful to the tone of the books if 
Hermione goes off and finds herself pregnant at age 13. No. Because 
they're not that kind of books. Frankly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione 
have quite enough to deal with without starting to dabble with 
illegal substances."
the-leaky-cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/2000/0700-cbc-solomon.html
the-leaky-cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/199/1099-
connectiontransc.html

I think sexual orientation and sexuality will not be addressed 
because this issue is similar to the issues of teen pregnancy and 
drug abuse: too complex, too "real world," and probably too 
controversial for JKR,given that she says she wants to maintain a 
certain tone in the books.There is an acknowledgement in her 
interviews that, while she wants Harry to grow up over the course of 
the books, she seems interested in keeping the books accessible to 
the younger end of her audience.

Phoenix
>