A Gay Potter Character?

[leslie41]

No: HPFGUIDX 178177

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "David Gunn" <tigerdlg1 at ...> 
wrote:
>
> I, for one, am less than thrilled about Rowling's announcement that
> Dumbledore was gay.  First, she managed to keep him "closeted" for
> seven full books.  Hardly a hint there that he was gay.  Many have
> speculated about it; nevertheless, one had to read between the lines
> to find it.  It's as though it was too shameful for her to write
> openly about it.  

Leslie41:

I don't think so.  Dumbledore is, well, old, and the books are from 
Harry's perspective.  The sex lives of teachers are not something 
that teenagers tend to speculate on.  Dumbledore is not alone in that 
regard.  

Honestly, I don't think Harry's at all interested in which way any of 
the teachers swing, and if he knew anyone was gay I'd say he wouldn't 
care in the slightest.

He might be squicked at the thought of a crumbly old man's dangly 
bits, but the squick wouldn't come from where DD wanted to put them, 
I think.  

David:  
> Further, why do so many gay characters in popular fiction have to be
> so damn tragic, especially in their romances?  "Brokeback Mountain" 
> is a prime example.  There are many others.  Why can't there be a 
>  main character who just happens to be gay?  

Leslie41:
Dumbledore *does* just happen to be gay.  There's no indication that 
his tragedy comes from his gayness.  His tragedy comes from choosing 
the wrong person to love.  His tragedy has nothing to do with being 
gay anymore than Snape's has with being straight.  

David:
> Can you imagine the outrage and outcry if Ron and Harry had had a 
> romatic involvment, instead of Ron and Herminone?  

Leslie41:
Yup. Which is why she avoided that.  It would have been all about 
Harry and Ron, everywhere, all the time, and she didn't want that.

David:  

> I think Rowing is throwing the gay community a bone,
> and then expects us to be grateful for it.

Leslie41:

"Throwing the gay community a bone"?  Snerk!

Hey, I'm not gay, but I think you're being oversensitive.  Would you 
have been less angry if everyone in the books stayed straight?