Dumbledore...

[fajrdrako]

Several people sent me links to this article about J.K. Rowling, about her announcement that Dumbledore was gay.

Now, until I read the final Harry Potter novel, Dumbledore was my least favourite character in the series.1 But after reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I came to quite like Dumbledore - he turned out to be well aware of the failings I'd been condemning him for, so I easily forgave him.

My first thought: I wish she'd made the announcement about Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. That would have meant a lot more to me. Though admirable, Dumbledore was old, and not one of the characters for readers to identify with. It isn't so rare for gay characters in stories to be sidelined, or tragic, or dead, or to have evil lovers.

My second thought: wasn't it pretty clear in the text, anyway? Maybe not quite spelled out. As so many things weren't.

My third thought: Even if it does feel to me, uncharitably, to be a case of: too little, too late, at least Rowling's heart is basically in the right place.

~ ~ ~

ⁱ Not quite true: I liked Ron Weasley much less.