The problems with DD being gay

[susanmcgee48176]

No: HPFGUIDX 178304

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "delwynmarch" <delwynmarch at ...>
wrote:
>
> > J.K. Rowling stated that Albus Dumbledore fell in love with GG.
> > They were both the same or around the same age. It was an equal
> > relationship with someone of the same age (if in fact they had a
> > relationship, we don't know).
>
>snip>
> See, if GG had been a grown man when DD fell in love with him, then
> the case would be closed. But he wasn't. He was a youth.
>
>
Oh, okay, so if a 17 year old boy fell in love with a 17 year old
girl -- and we don't KNOW that he had adult relationships later, then
we might think ah ha! He's going to be a child sexual abuser (any
adult who has sexual contact with a child or youth up to age 18!).

17 and 18 year olds tend to fall in love with other 17 or 18 year
olds. Period.

DD was having a totally appropriate experience for a 17 or 18 year
old boy who was gay - he fell in love with someone his own age.

Another point -- there seems to be a rule created by some on this
list that what JKR says in interviews is not canon. Others believe it
is canon (and we can all respectfully disagree about it.)
And she says DD
is gay. Not that he is a pervert who yearns after young good looking
boys. Even if it is NOT canon, I would suggest that the author's
statement should be considered evidence.

I also see NO evidence that DD is a pervert. DD is totally
appropriate in his conduct with all the children.

Vis a vis the distinction between pedophilia and ephebeophilia...
It is correct that the DSM-IV says that pedophila is a disorder that
some people have that they are attracted to children under 13. They
lump that attraction in with things like bestiality, non-consent and
pain as similar types of disorders. The term ephebeophila is a recent
term - not used by many researchers - to differentiate attraction to
children from attraction to teenagers. Many of us in the professional
field of child sexual abuse would not make that distinction.
(The page on wikipedia about it rightly has notations that there are
problems with research and objectivity). The term was used by Mark
Foley's attorney to try to excuse his actions (i.e. Foley is not a
pedophile; he's a ephebeophile!) It's not an established part of the
science of sexuality, psychology, psychiatrity, etc.

Susan McGee