The Point of Gay Dumbledore; was Now Rowling's control

[Pippin]

No: HPFGUIDX 180400

> Susan: 
> Third, (and I am obviously NOT in the majority HERE), I think  
> it's great that Professor Dumbledore is gay.


> Sandy:
> I don't share that feeling, but only because it wasn't written that 
way.  Had 
> he been written as gay it wouldn't have bothered me, although I 
can't say I  
> could have seen the point in writing him that way, but absolutely 
nothing gave 
>  me the impression that he was.


Pippin Fowler:
Do we need a point in order to have a gay wizard? I think not. 
Dumbledore being gay does not need to make a point any more than 
Lucius being blond, Lily having memorable green eyes, or the Weasleys 
not using an effective birth control method.

However, here are a variety of possible points, none of which I 
necessarily think were a point of Dumbledore being gay:

- to show that the WW, like the Muggle world, includes gay people
- to give gay readers another connection to a character
- to annoy readers who dislike or hate gay people
- to give some of Dumbledore's fashion choices a stereotype to fit 
into
- to include a positive gay role model (this may not work for 
Slytherin readers)
- to explain why Dumbledore never had a female love interest
- to explain a bit more why several colliding circumstances of 
Dumbledore's youth led to major mistakes (e.g., Albus's family 
relationships would have been different had Grindelwald never 
appeared)
- to help readers identify and question all of their assumptions 
about all of the characters
- to make readers wonder which other characters were gay, lesbian, 
and bisexual (this may not work for readers who 'know' they don't 
know anyone who is gay, lesbian, or bisexual)
- to make readers (unless I'm the only one) wonder about other 
sexuality-related things, such as how odd it might feel to drink 
Polyjuice and temporarily possess body parts of the other sex, or how 
instructive it could be to be one of the other sex for awhile--to 
experience firsthand how being male or female may change others' 
perceptions and behaviour
- to confirm his sexuality, for those readers who were already 
thinking Albus Dumbledore was gay, especially after reading DH
- to draw more publicity for the books or the author
- to make news about the books or the author
- to draw more commentary about the books or the author
- to show that JKR has a mischievous streak
- to promote, by example, not just tolerance of gay wizards, but 
acceptance, honor, and love--similar to the author's other messages 
about acceptance for other 'different' or 'outcast' characters and 
magical beasts

Or as Rebecca Traister at Salon put it:
There's a very cheerful side to Rowling's decision to directly 
address Dumbledore's homosexuality. Throughout the series, she has 
been diligent not only in her narrative exploration of bigotry and 
intolerance, but also in her commitment to the inclusion of 
characters of different races, cultures, classes and degrees of 
physical beauty. It would, in fact, have been a glaring omission had 
none of the inhabitants of her world been homosexual.
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2007/10/23/dumbledore/

Incidentally, this Salon commentary helped me realize something. I 
enjoy hearing additional details from JKR about her characters' 
history, but it annoys me when she tells what her characters' futures 
are. If there is more to tell about the characters, please be still 
and go write another book!

I dare say a major--if not the major--attraction of this group was 
speculating about what might happen next, and JKR has taken away 
something from us (and all readers) by continuing to tell tales 
beyond the conclusion of DH. Let us solve the many remaining 
mysteries and look into the future in our own way.

Pippin Fowler