For you Harry Potter fans: Dumbledore is gay.

Linkage

NEW YORK - Harry Potter fans, the rumors are true: Albus Dumbledore, master wizard and Headmaster of Hogwarts, is gay. J.K. Rowling, author of the mega-selling fantasy series that ended last summer, outed the beloved character Friday night while appearing before a full house at Carnegie Hall.

After reading briefly from the final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," she took questions from audience members.

She was asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds "true love."

"Dumbledore is gay," the author responded to gasps and applause.

She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. "Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore's feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."

Dumbledore's love, she observed, was his "great tragedy."

"Oh, my god," Rowling concluded with a laugh, "the fan fiction."

Potter readers on fan sites and elsewhere on the Internet have speculated on the sexuality of Dumbledore, noting that he has no close relationship with women and a mysterious, troubled past. And explicit scenes with Dumbledore already have appeared in fan fiction.

Rowling told the audience that while working on the planned sixth Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," she spotted a reference in the script to a girl who once was of interest to Dumbledore. A note was duly passed to director David Yates, revealing the truth about her character.

Rowling, finishing a brief "Open Book Tour" of the United States, her first tour here since 2000, also said that she regarded her Potter books as a "prolonged argument for tolerance" and urged her fans to "question authority."

Not everyone likes her work, Rowling said, likely referring to Christian groups that have alleged the books promote witchcraft. Her news about Dumbledore, she said, will give them one more reason.

For the red bolded parts:
Yeah right.
In that link, read the part about Claire Field and Legal injuctions. J.K. Rowling is an ass.

that's gay

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yeah, I read that the other day. I was surprised...

Really. Does it matter anymore? The book is done, Dumbledore is dead by the penultimate book, and now we're talking about his sexuality. If I remember correctly (long time since I read the first six), Rowling never made any references to Dumbledore's sexualtiy, he may as well be asexual for all we know. Thanks to this, I'm going to have to read all the books over again to look for any hidden clues.

Thanks to this, I'm going to have to read all the books over again to look for any hidden clues.

Rowling wins.

Really. Does it matter anymore? The book is done, Dumbledore is dead by the penultimate book, and now we're talking about his sexuality. If I remember correctly (long time since I read the first six), Rowling never made any references to Dumbledore's sexualtiy, he may as well be asexual for all we know. Thanks to this, I'm going to have to read all the books over again to look for any hidden clues.

Read the last book. Dumbledore is really alive. Spoilers shmoilers.
There was no reference to Dumbledore's sexuality because..

"Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore's feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."

Dumbledore's love, she observed, was his "great tragedy."

Dumbledore's sexuality does matter. As Pdub's post conveys.

If I remember correctly (long time since I read the first six), Rowling never made any references to Dumbledore's sexualtiy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVjmXSS0wKA (Explanation.)

Read the last book. Dumbledore is really alive. Spoilers shmoilers.

What, he had a Horcrux (or whatever they're called) too? Or are you just playing around. Well, no I haven't read the book yet.

Armed with a computer using dial-up internet, I don't have the luxury of viewing videos (unless I happen to have one spare hour to waste on a 4 minute video), so I can't find out what your trying to tell me, benji.

Thanks to this, I'm going to have to read all the books over again to look for any hidden clues.

Rowling wins.

Agreed.

In that link, read the part about Claire Field and Legal injuctions. J.K. Rowling is an ass.

I'm not sure how serious you are there but I'd suggest that in the case of Claire Field, Rowling isn't to blame but rather Warner Bros. themselves. While she obviously has creative input into the movies to ensure certain important aspects are properly depicted, I doubt she'd be heavily involved in shutting down fansites. I don't think she can be blamed any more than Matt Groening can be blamed for Fox shutting down (or threatening to shut down) Simpsons websites.

The injuction is a bit extreme as it pertains to people who bought the books reading them but as far as stores selling the books early I think it's fair enough because they are meant to abide by the release dates. Considering there are stores that won't respect that and people determined to spoil endings for everyone else, such measures have surely help preserve the books' secrecy.

Can't argue about the Claire Field incident and bookstores.
As for the injuction to people who bought the book, that's where I find J.K. Rowling to be an ass. It was her idea primarily.

What, he had a Horcrux (or whatever they're called) too? Or are you just playing around. Well, no I haven't read the book yet.

Nope, not kidding.

guys, that thing is real scary! if even in those books for kids wrighten stuff like that, so i couldn't even emagine what would be with the human society in next 100 years! it's a propogada of gay people, even lil kids knows what is that and stuff like that! that's not right! i'm shocked! stupid wrighter!

I recommend you to prevent your children from ever learning how to read, so those silly 'wrighters' don't make them gay. Or even better - castrate yourself. You'll do everyone a favour.

Who cares if little kids know what being gay is? I know in fourth grade or so i called everything gay cuz i didnt reall understand what it meant and i believed it was "bad". I think in the right context, its a good thing for kids to understand gay means you love people of the same sex and its just as real as not being gay. Will probly cut down of the derogatory use

for Rowling for trying to stick up for gay rights
for her being an ass on occasion and killing all of my favorite characters.

Good for JK Rowling. If only she had made it clearer when the books were out. I guess she didn't want to offend her conservative fan base, too bad.

Funny that Ian Mckellen played him in the movies though.

I don't even think I can respond to someone who thinks kids shouldn't know what gay people are.

Funny that Ian Mckellen played him in the movies though.

this is untrue, he was in the xmen and lotr but not the harry potter movies. the original dumbledore died though and was replaced in part 3 i believe

Funny that Ian Mckellen played him in the movies though.

this is untrue, he was in the xmen and lotr but not the harry potter movies. the original dumbledore died though and was replaced in part 3 i believe

Oh. I'm not at all a Harry Potter fan, my brother told me it was Ian, but I just checked and you're right.

My brother continues to try and argue otherwise though.

your brother must also think the colts are gonna win the superbowl huh?

Thanks to this, I'm going to have to read all the books over again to look for any hidden clues.

Rowling wins.

Agreed.

Why? She doesn't get anything if I read the books again. I'm not going to buy a copy (or a extra one in some cases) of her books.

The fact is, it would still prolong Harry Potter's 15 minutes of fame, even if it is extended for only a bit longer.

your brother must also think the colts are gonna win the superbowl huh?

Last year he was afraid of New England, but I straightened him out.

By giving him a brotherly slap to the face.

Very shocked

As for the injuction to people who bought the book, that's where I find J.K. Rowling to be an ass. It was her idea primarily.

I guess, but I still see that as being protective of her work and the notion that stories shouldn't be spoiled. It was certainly extreme, though.

Why? She doesn't get anything if I read the books again. I'm not going to buy a copy (or a extra one in some cases) of her books.

Quite true, but she's succeeded in continuing to make Potter fans think and speculate and re-read the books with enthusiasm. I didn't mean to suggest she'd gain anything financially from this revelation.

I'm sure there's a lot of people saying they knew this all along and there'll probably be lengthy lists of apparently "obvious clues", many of which could just as easily point towards Dumbledore being heterosexual but somewhat of a shy loner, a social outcast and someone more interested in intellectual pursuits and the wellbeing of the wizarding world, which would certainly fit his character and was the impression that I had until Rowling commented on his sexuality.

i do think she will gain from this. you are gonna get alot of people who didnt read the books before, going out and getting them, just to see.