The latest from Hogwart's....

[Morrigoon]

I just don't get the point of "outing" a character where it isn't relevant to the story. I suppose she's doing it to make a point, but it's still kinda strange.

I mean, she said she wasn't writing any more books, so it's not like we get to see Dumbledore getting it on with Snape or anything.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

I just don't get the point of "outing" a character where it isn't relevant to the story. I suppose she's doing it to make a point, but it's still kinda strange.

I mean, she said she wasn't writing any more books, so it's not like we get to see Dumbledore getting it on with Snape or anything.

I don't see any problem with it. Especially with the upcoming encyclopedia she's putting together.
I think it's relevant to the story. His love affair with whathisface was a motivating tragedy in his life.

[Chernabog]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

I just don't get the point of "outing" a character where it isn't relevant to the story. I suppose she's doing it to make a point, but it's still kinda strange.

I mean, she said she wasn't writing any more books, so it's not like we get to see Dumbledore getting it on with Snape or anything.

In the article it goes on to explain how (in her mind) he was in love with Grindlewald, and provides a little background for the character.

She DID say she may write another Harry Potter book, but it would be more of the encyclopedia variety, and perhaps this revelation will become "canon" via that book. However, in other Q&A sessions Rowling has answered questions about the fates (or backgrounds) of characters (i.e. who did Luna Lovegood marry?, etc.), and people have taken those answers as "canon" in the past. Nobody asked what the point of that was when it wasn't relevant to the story.

Perhaps it would have been better if she had said that in her INTERPRETATION of the works, Dumbledore was gay, or that's what she had in mind when she was writing, but it is up to the reader to decide. Lots of authors and filmmakers do that when discussing their work (see, for instance "Rebel Without a Cause"). Kids these days like to be spoon fed things, however...

[Strangler Lewis]

I think this allows her to expand on her universe without putting controversial things in her books that might not be appropriate for all ages. At her next lecture she'll tell us that, of course, Harry and Hermione slept together in book seven while Ron was gone and that everyone is miserable in their marriages because Harry and Hermione really loved each other but were too cowardly to do anything about it-he out of fear of poisoning their friendship; she, out of some self-destructive sense of responsibility that Harry had a higher destiny.

But enough of that. I'm not entirely convinced that her description of Dumbledore's gay life is terribly affirming. The one time he gave into love was his great tragedy? Was he celibate since? Did he bugger Tom Riddle? I'm always suspicious when people speak of "tolerance," and I'm as suspicious about this as I am about the obviously Jewish goblins that ran Gringott's.