Lupin

[Kelsey Dangelo]

No: HPFGUIDX 118027

Susan said:
<<I stand by my prediction (btw) that Lupin and Sirius
were lovers and/or  partners.....this theory has been
buttressed by the film portrayal of Lupin as a  gay
man (complete with appropriate music during the
boggart scene)  -- the  gay sub plot was really fun
(this relates to canon since JKR reviews the film 
ahead of time)...when Lupin says "the owls will be
arriving by tomorrow  morning...parents will not like
someone like me teaching their children" and  again
"people like me are used to losing their jobs and
moving"..this is clearly  a reference to the plight of
closeted gay men in the not so distant past. Also, 
the scene where Lupin turns into a werewolf and he is
crying out "Padfoot!  Padfoot" and the scene where
Snape says "quarrelling like an old married  couple?"
to Lupin and Sirius....again it was said that JKR
approves changes from  canon and this was clearly a
change...
 Please..before someone gets bent out of shape and
says that JKR will never  include a same gender couple
because she doesn't deal with controversial issues 
like abortion, drug use, pregnancy, and
homosexuality...I agree..we'll never see  anyone
having explicit sex, or talking about safe sex, or
condom use, or using  drugs...but same gender
relationships that are like Molly and Arthur's or
Cedric  and Cho's are equivalent to mixed gender
relationships....>>

Kelsey here:
Hi.

I agree. I would be really interesting if Lupin and
Sirius were the next Gabby and Xena (subtextual
same-sex romance). It would really bring the idea of
same-sex love into the mainstream and bring more
tolerance and understanding. Plus, it would be so
sweet! And you're absolutely right!; it doesn't have
to be explicit, but simply a romantic same-sex
relationship.

But, why is the music in the boggart scene
"appropriate" for a gay Lupin? Why does calling
Padfoot's name when he's turning into a werewolf mean
romantic love? I personally don't see the film
portrayal of Lupin as necessarily gay. I see him as a
very sad, sickly, not-necessarily overtly-masculine
teacher. That's Lupin's natural character, and I don't
see that as meaning that he's gay (not even in the
stereotypical sense).

I'm going to read someone's suggested essay on the
possible relationship between Lupin and Black, but at
the moment, I'm going to invoke an argument used back
in my college says while discussing Xena and Gabby. Of
course they call to each other, hug, and act close,
they're best friends. They've gone through a lot, and
they care deeply about each other. To make it into a
romance would almost degrade the relationship
(personal experience is talking, as I remember being
put off by the thought of dating one of my male
friends, because he was a friend, and I had never
thought of him like that). They hugged like brothers,
and that's I guess the way I'll always see them, like
brothers, perhaps more than brotherly-friendship love.

To bring this out of "shipping", I'll add this. I like
your idea that Lupin's condition is allegorical for
being gay (considering his being forced to resign
because people won't want him teaching). That is
heart-breakingly true. I've always felt that it was
allegorical for AIDS or some other disease. First of
all, there is a very real danger being a werewolf or
contracting AIDS as they both make you weak, sick, and
near-death. Second, you are a danger to others, as the
disease is contagious. Therefore, one is often alone
or treated poorly by the ignorant (being fired or
avoided). One is afraid to be close to others, others
are afraid to be close to you. Third, with
easily-taken precautions (wolfsbane, hiding during a
full moon, safe sex, careful with spilt blood), one
can live a nearly-normal life and be close to people.
Fourth, (not to sound callous or cruel), it can be
possibly prevented through safe and careful behavior
(Lupin says something like, "when I was foolhardy"). 

I like the idea that Lupin is allegorical for someone
with AIDS or another disease/handicap, as it is often
a very real, very confusing and not-often discussed
prejudice. Some people, as with Lupin, feel justified
for having the prejudice against people with AIDS
("they deserve it", or "they could harm society"). But
I also like the idea that he might be gay, because he
is such a wonderfully effective, good, and caring
teacher/person that we see him as a person, not a
sexual-preference.

Kelsey, who wonders if the real reason that she
doesn't like the idea of Black/Lupin love is the same
reason they tell rock stars not to tell they fan-girls
that they have wives and girlfriends. 


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