DD Gay? or just in JKR's head?

[klmf1]

No: HPFGUIDX 178395

If we got back to the original quote that started all this trouble, JKR stated she had always 
"thought of DD as gay". That does not actually MAKE him gay, only how JKR* thought* of 
him. Don't we all know folks who we tend to think of as gay, even ones who are apparently 
or turn out to be *not*? The reverse is also true.

Like another poster stated, the hints are there if you *want* to find them. Yah, I picked up 
on a lot of sexual innuendo all along the series, but I guess I must be naive as I chose to 
take them, instead, at face value, as if I was, well, viewing it from Harry's POV.

I can't believe I'm the only person on the planet who looked upon DD's character as 
something akin to a Jedi? In fact, he always struck me as something like a wizarding Obi 
Wan Kenobi. Jedis are supposed to live like a sort of warrior monk...fight for good, but 
avoid social entanglements, and remain celibate. We are never told or even implied who 
amongst the Jedi are straight and who are gay. It wouldn't have mattered in that plot line, 
and it doesn't in this one, either.

My original impression of DD was that something tragic happened to him some time in his 
life, likely the death of a loved one, to push him in this Jedi-like direction---to fight for 
good and to keep people at arm's length lest he endanger them (or he suffer another loss). 
He was asexual in *my* mind, celibate by choice, and he remains so. His sexual 
orientation to me doesn't change any of that.

It's not far-fetched for a young man to have *no* apparent love interest at 17, in any era. I 
only ever saw his relationship with GG to be one of intellectual solidarity, as was described 
in the text, nothing more, and I still do (and I would even if GG was female---platonic 
relationships do exist, after all. Just look at Harry and Hermione). No one else knew 
anything more, why should we? The death of his sister and the way she died only 
confirmed my suspicions of DD having suffered a great loss at some point although I 
envisioned it much later than that. Never once did DD sexual orientation come into my 
thoughts other than my wondering about the nature of his and MacGonagall's relationship. 
His sexual orientation was not important to the plot. His relationship with MacGonagall 
may well have been, *whatever* it was, but JKR never elaborated on that, either. For that 
matter, we still know very little about the past of most of the teachers at Hogwarts--we 
know *nothing* about MacGonagall's past and her private life, and she was a prominent 
character. They may all be gay. None of them are, as far as we know, married, after all. If 
someone wants to envision them all as gay, well, they may do that. If they want to believe 
them all straight, they may do that. If they see some as possibly gay, and some possibly 
not, that would be fine, too! Does any of it *really* matter to the story?

While I can appreciate gay readers wanting a character they can relate to in the series, or 
have a more representative balance of gays and straights in the story, but to have an 
openly gay character in a book likely to be read by children would be simply too 
distracting and add nothing to the plot. It would be just another point for the anti-HP 
crowd to grab on to, for instance. There is *ample* room in the series for people to read in 
*their own* conclusions. We are free to envision that Crab and Goyle were an item, or that 
Bellatrix and Voldemort were into the rough stuff. Knowing it in canon would have no 
bearing on Harry or the plot line and only serve to distract. Yes, there is pairing off in the 
story, but only as it relates to Harry either directly or indirectly. Everything was written in 
Harry's POV.

As for gay relationships "always" being so tragic, tragic romances are a plotline mainstay 
regardless of sexual orientation. What's more, few people can ever say for the entirety of 
their lives that they never suffered any kind of tragedy. Gays do not own tragedy, not even 
in Hollywood. Tragedies are turning points in people's lives and make for good stories. It 
doesn't matter what a person's orientation is, or that sex even has to come into play for 
there to be tragedy. Heck, Harry's life was loaded with tragedy that had nothing to do with 
sex or romance. His first and biggest tragedy began with the prophecy. And, IMO, there 
was nothing particularly tragic about DD wrt his sexual orientation.  He was an admirable 
person and sacrificed himself for the benefit of all.  What does his implied sexual 
orientation have to do with that?

As for my own feeling about JKR's thoughts, I do wish nothing was said about DD's 
possible sexual orientation, and regret very much the way JKR's statement has been blow 
out of proportion by all sides. On the other hand, it must have been very hard to keep 
these details secret for over 10 years. JKR is probably just so relieved to be able to speak 
about characters and backstories that it's frankly hard for her to NOT talk about it. I will 
forgive her her indescretions however much I may regret hearing them. I also can't fault 
her for changing her mind on backstory. As an artist there is very little work *I* have 
finished that I can't see things that I wish I'd have done differently. I continue to play out 
alternate directions in my mind long, long after the work is "finished". Everything can be 
tweaked and re-tweaked, even until it's but a shadow of it's former self, if such a thing is 
allowed.

I am only a lurker most of the time---but I would like to say let's please allow and forgive 
JKR's being a flawed human being (like the rest of us!) who created a fantastically popular 
work, stop assuming to know what she's thinking, and let this matter rest!

Karen F