This summer, after a much anticipated wait, the 7th Harry Potter novel was finally released – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” Fans of the novels, written by J.K. Rowling, have followed Harry from his adolescence to his final face off against the evil Lord Voldemort.
Though the primary audience for the novels may be children or youth, even young adults and adults take interest in the stories. Even those who may not read the novels may have seen the Harry Potter movies that have come out. It’s hard to miss the reign of Harry Potter.
Those invested in the books are likewise invested in the characters in the books. They crave information regarding the details of the lives of Harry, Ron, Snape, and so on. That’s why when J.K. Rowling announced this week that master wizard Dumbledore is gay, people were shocked and surprised.
For many, the character of Dumbledore has a special place in their hearts. He is wise, kindhearted, and genuine. He provided guidance for Harry and his schoolmates as well as other wizards in the face of a wizarding war.
Rowling’s announcement was met with a mixture of criticism and support. However, many believe that the outing of Dumbledore will help to increase tolerance toward homosexuality. If people loved Dumbledore before they knew he was gay, why should they change their minds now?
I personally believe that Rowling was wise to withhold this information until the books had all been released, making Dumbledore’s sexuality a non-issue. While some may claim that her announcement was simply a way to generate more publicity for the franchise, I disagree. A careful analysis of the literature shows that Rowling appeared to know that the character was gay long before anyone else did.
In my opinion, her revelation is one that should be applauded. Announcing that Dumbledore is gay is a great way to stimulate conversation and introduce a gay character to a large audience.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071021/ap_en_ot/books_potter_dumbledore
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