Dumbledore kerfluffle

[sparkindarkness]

Dumbledore’s gay. It amuses me muchly, especially since I imagine there are many ultra-religious righties who were already burning the books for witchcraft have now just spontaneously combusted with outrage (and that’s always funny, you have to agree).

Is it a big step forward for gays everywhere? Well, millions of people are apparently reading books with a central gay character, but wouldn’t know about it unless the hear of Rowling’s revelation. Still, it’s a lot of exposure there. Personally, I think it can only be a good thing and certainly does no harm :) When it comes down to it, it's a character. he happens to be gay, there's no need to read anything more into it than that

People have bitched about why he didn’t reveal this in the books. Well, let’s take a step back and look at the books shall we. They’re about Harry Potter (hence the titles) a boy from the age of, what, 10-18? And his battle against Voldemort. The books are written nearly entirely from Harry’s point of view to my memory, less than, what, 5% of the book isn’t from his view point and they usually involve death eaters.

Right, now remember when you were between the ages of 11-18 and your relationship with your teachers. At which point did your headmaster avow his love for cock or pussy to you? What? You mean you headmaster didn’t discuss his love life with you? Damn, how heartless!

I didn’t know if any of my teachers were gay, straight, bi, single, coupled or in happy polygamous groups. The only clue I ever had was some of the women had “mrs” in front of the names. I didn’t even know the first names of some of my teachers. They could have been gay. They could have been straight. They could have been bi. They could have been sexing up their neighbour’s Rotweiler. I don’t think I’m unusual on that score, teachers are usually rather reticent in discussing their sex lives with their pupils, well, except for in one or two rather sensational cases.

So at which point in teaching Harry, advising Harry, guiding Harry and otherwise fighting the evil of Voldemort should Dumbledore have turned round and said “Did I ever mention how much I love hawt mansex?” At which exact point in the books would it have been appropriate, believable or realistic for Albus Dumbledore to explain his sexuality to his student?


(And to everyone saying she just added this after the series finished... well, point 1: You did read Deathly Hollows, right? Because, y'know Dumbledore/Grindelwald? Written in pretty LARGE print, really. Point 2: she said she had to tell a screenwriter that when he had dumbledore mention a past female love - don't you think he'd come forwards and sday "bitch please, that never happened?")


ETA:
Oh and can we have a big WTF to all those who are saying this is some kind of political statement? Hello, various studies have concluded that homosexuals make up between 3%-10% of the population (depending on study - the closet makes it hide to track us) yet the mere EXISTANCE of a gay character is a political statement? That's ridiculous! That's like saying the ethnic diversity shown throughout the Harry Potter novels was a political statement. Acknowledging people exist isn't political correctness or agenda driven or any other stupid clap trap they're spouting. It's simpel acknowledgement of the diversity of the human race.

Comments

[stormcat.livejournal.com]

THANK you.

Of course, you KNOW some complete morons are going to decide that this is the REAL reason Dumbledore was fond of Harry. Couldn't be anything as simple as being a mentor, guardian and friend to a child in deep, deep trouble not of his own making.

(Why yes, I have already heard that theory. I gave the speaker a Blank Stare of the "Aaaannnnndddd your crack dealer operates out of where again?" variety.)

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

I have already seen one comment of how the books are ruined because the reader will always picture Dumbledore perving over Harry, Ron et al. No, just NO.

[polarbee.livejournal.com]

But it's totally obvious that being gay means you like little boys! Everybody knows that!

Good grief.

I totally agree with you. At that age, the sexuality of one's teachers hardly crosses one's mind. Nor do you really want it to, in all honesty.
And if I were a teacher, I certainly wouldn't care to discuss my sex life with my students. It's inappropriate, none of their business, and just plain wrong.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Exactly! It's conventional wisdom wherever these loonies gather

Exactly, teachers don't have sex. Ever. That would be WRONG. I mean some of them are like, so OOOOLD and it'd be NASTY.

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

It's the same with any authority figure. Like thinking about your parents having sex - with each other or with anyone else for that matter.

Unfortunately we also have a habit of sexualizing pretty much anything... Which is why we have Mrs. Robinsons, and fantasies involving our teachers, and even teachers who mistake their boundaries and either seduce or delude themselves into being seduced by their students.

The army has a problem in training (basic training at least) where Drill Seargents get in trouble with the seduce/be seduces bit with trainees.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Supremely yucky most of the time.

Of course teenaged hormones aren't entirely sensible. This is why authority figures also have a duty of responsibility

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Which is why I used the words delude themselves into "being seduced" by their students, because the teacher should know better and have better boundaries than that.

Kids having crushes on their teachers is inevitable psychologically, and it should definitely be part of teacher training to make sure that, as authority figures, they realize this and learn how to deal with it. Easiest way is to never acknowledge it and never allow a situation to arise where they try and actually tell you how they are feeling as it concerns you, the teacher.

I wonder what it is that makes kids turn their attention toward teachers in that manner? To sexualize an authority figure that is usually considered sexless by most has to have some sort of reason.

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

What is it, do you think, that drives a student to sexualize their teacher?

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Well, if memory serves a teenager can quite easily sexualise ANYTHING

I think most of the time we tend put teachers in the same "neuter" box as parents. Sex and teachers don't mix, they don't share the same headspace. In the same way we all kinda believe our parents are virgins even if we KNOW they're not because parents and sex just DON'T share the same box. EVER!

Of course, if a teacher - because they're attractive or young or friendly or for whatever hormone crazed reason - steps out of the box then suddenly you've got an older, wiser, authority figure who pays attention to you and looks hot and sophisticated (and not pimply, voice cracking, clumsy and angst ridden)...

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, and when he was straight everybody thought about him perving over Hermione. *rolls eyes*

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

There are people who can read sexual subtext into sharing the same room for more than 3 seconds. It amazes me. I think they need to get laid

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

They also need to be resocialized because these are the types who rape someone, thinking that this other person has come on to them when all they ever did was pass them on the street... or share the same room with them for three seconds.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Aye, the weird people who think that someone being polite is a come on... they look so desperately for sexual cues that everything becomes a sexual cue to them

[solid-squid.livejournal.com]

As opposed to Hermione et al?

[dontkickmycane.livejournal.com]

Well of COURSE! because everyone knows being gay is practically the same thing as being attracted to little boys. /sarcasm.

I too have heard that asinine theory. And I want off the crack train.

I think Mercedes Lackey beat that horse to death already. Maybe that's another reason jKR decided not to bring it up. Besides the very obvious reason, as Sparky pointed out, it just really doesn't matter, and isn't something a teenage boy would even notice unless maybe he was struggling with his own identity issues, and then the story would be about something else completely and we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

[amynnah.livejournal.com]

I still love Vanyel. <3

[dontkickmycane.livejournal.com]

Me too. I just thought she belaboured the point a little too much. Vanyel will always be one of my favorite heroes. But it's a well known fact I'm an angst junkie, so how could I not like the poor boy?

[xarra.livejournal.com]

To be fair, Van's issue with whats-his-name was only 'cause he looked like 'Lendel... And Stefen was an adult... :) Just young-looking to Van 'cause of the age gap...

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

I wonder if dontkickmycane was referring to Van's father's constant concern that Van was a danger to the young boys on the steading?

[(Anonymous)]

To be fair, Van's issue with whats-his-name was only 'cause he looked like 'Lendel... And Stefen was an adult... :) Just young-looking to Van 'cause of the age gap...

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Yep, apparently. Or so thye think, I've gotten past any attempt to try and correct them, I just give them a "bitch please" look.

Not read her books, reviews seem to range from "yay amazing" to "arrrrgh, get this off my shelves!" I think the common thread is much like the Anita books - started great then went wobbly

[dontkickmycane.livejournal.com]

Well, Lackey's books: I liked them a lot and will read them again, partly because I'm made that way and like to revisit things. But they are not without flaws, like anything else. I've talked to people who like them and people who hate them and tend to drop my own opinion into the "forgivable flaws" pot because I like me my angst, and they have that in spades.

[thisdaydreamer.livejournal.com]

Luckily, all I have seen of that theory is from people calling it idiotic. I am sure, however, that a customer will spill that nonsense on me very soon. I have certainly heard about how the books promote Wicca and Satanism, much to my pagan heart's bitter amusement.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

And it's so annoying that in a retail situation you can't ask for their little children for virgin sacrifices :)

Of course it wouldn't stop me if they pulled that stupid satanism crap, but I R crazy

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Of course I'd also pick up any length of dowel to hand and yell "Stupidus exitus!" and if they stayed I'd cry "why isn't it working?!" if they did leave I'd yell "fear mah powah!"