[HPforGrownups] open letter to JKR

[rebecca]

No: HPFGUIDX 155548

>>Susan wrote:
>
>>(snip)
>>There really needs to be a lesbian and/or gay male character in the Harry
>>Potter series. And.as everyone in the whole world knows, there's only
>>one more
>>book to go. It's possible that your original visualization of the HP
>>universe did not include any giblet characters. I don't know.
>>Perhaps there is no out lesbian and gay character because you wrote the
>>books from Harry's point of view, AND he is just discovering his own
>>sexual
>>orientation and feelings, and does not see or perceive any same gender
>>pairings,
>>so there are none in the book.

>Jazmyn:

<snip>

>While yes, there needs to be books with gay/lesbian characters, it
>should be with a NEW series, NOT using an existing popular series as a
>political soap box for gays/lesbians.  Maybe you are not trying to make
>it a gay/lesbian soapbox, but thats exactly what the book would become
>if the media focused on added gay/lesbian characters.

<snip>

Rebecca now:

Jazmyn's point is well stated, and personally, I am confused by what purpose 
is in having a gay or lesbian character in the series. What exactly would 
that really do to forward the plot? Why focus on a character's sexuality 
when there's Lord Voldemort to defeat? Furthermore, JKR does a pretty good 
job of communicating bigotry in the world she's created (that's a general 
definition of bigotry in *any* form), and pointing out sexual orientation as 
suggested by this petition and letter may actually backfire with some 
against the very concepts she's been able to portray thus far.

The *story* is about Harry (again, Harry and the <insert book name here>) 
and his maturation and efforts to thwart Lord Voldemort.  I think, as 
Jazmyn, it's too late for special characters in Book 7 as it has quite 
enough in order to wrap up the series. According to JKR's interviews, she 
has no intention to add more "characters" in the final book. Since she's 
said that, this effort may be a very mute point and such desires to change 
the thinking of sections of the world's beliefs about sexual orientation 
could be handled via much more effective avenues than a work of fiction.

Rebecca