Extra Credit Blog Post, Prompt #2

There have been a wide variety of reactions to JK Rowling’s revelation about Dumbledore’s sexuality. Not all of these reactions have been positive. Unfortunately, there are plenty of homophobes upset that Dumbledore was gay. However, this is not the negative reaction I will be discussing.

            In an article for Tor for Banned Books week, Emily Asher-Perrin pointed out issues people within the LGBTQA had with this revelation. She states that “there have been [..] many dissenters in the LGBTQA community since 2007’s announcement. The questions being asked of Rowling are sound ones: Why did she wait so long to tell us? Why was it never mentioned in the books at all? What kind of message does that send to fans and readers everywhere?” (“Albus Dumbledore Didn’t Come Out at the Right Time (According to Everyone)”). Asher-Perrin elaborates on this message by stating that “many non-straight youths were asking the question over and over: Why isn’t there one kid at Hogwarts who’s like me? Even tangentially?” (“Albus Dumbledore Didn’t Come Out at the Right Time (According to Everyone)”). Discrimination in the Harry Potter is discussed frequently (prejudice against Muggles, werewolves, and house elves) so many (myself included) did not understand when LGBTQA discrimination was not included when it easily could have been.

Dumbledore’s ultimately unrequited love for Gellert Grindlewald motivated him just as much as Snape’s unrequited love for Lily Potter was. Yet only one character got to have their feelings named as love in the book themselves. I personally think that is a shame. The readers only know one LGBTQA character in the entire Harry Potter universe by name and we had to wait until the books were over to even find out about him.

Article citation: Asher-Perrin, Emily. “Albus Dumbledore Didn’t Come Out at the Right Time (According to Everyone)”. Tor. September 2013. Web. April 2015. [http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/09/banned-books-week-harry-potter-jk-rowling-dumbledore-gay-icon]