Gender/Sexuality orientation in the Books, General discussion of how HP addresses these issues |
 Jul 1 2009, 11:24 PM
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Professional Diagon Alley Window Shopper  Posts: 60 Joined: 3:03pm August 19, 2006 Location: way down south, where the buffaloes grow  |
So, because I am a college student surrounded by women's studies majors (ie, all of my female friends) and because I was one of those fangirls who were excited to find out that Dumbledore was *gasp* A GAY! I was wondering what other people thought in terms of hints of either Dumbledore's sexuality, or any other queer characters that might appear in the books (Queer being used here as an umbrella term for all LGBTQ characters that might exist in Potterverse). I'm not one for stereotyping, but I'll admit...I have my questions...
I leave it up to you, ladies and gents! What do you think? This post has been edited by The_Courtezan: Jul 1 2009, 11:28 PM -------------------- Amoebas were not complex. They tore themselves apart and started sex.
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Jul 2 2009, 01:20 AM
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Professional Diagon Alley Window Shopper Posts: 73 Joined: 8:40pm June 27, 2009 |
First of, what on earth is a women's studies degree and what sort of job do you get with one!? (maybe I'm missing something in the translation being English...but I don't think we have them here)
But back on topic, Dumbledore had to have been gay, he was the headmaster of a British boarding school! (that was the big clue to me) But here is my thoughts on who else was batting for the other team, and why. Gilderoy Lockheart = Overcompensating for something (And, I think his name must be a filthy anagram too..) Angelina Johnson = Quidditch Captain...need I say more? Pansy Parkinson = Bad girls like girls. This post has been edited by Fry_Fan: Jul 2 2009, 01:21 AM |
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Jul 2 2009, 07:51 AM
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Disgruntled House-Elf at The Leaky Cauldron Posts: 431 Joined: 11:42am July 2, 2005 Location: Room 1408 |
Seriously, no joking:: Anything.
I really donīt see anything to think about that, maybe I realize or notice a very little sexual innuendo (right now I donīt remember any one, actually) but very innocent and anything gay. Maybe thats becoz I am not looking through that glass. Actually to me there wasnīt anything at all to think Dumby was gay, I only believed it becoz Rowling said so. So when I read HP 7 I have in my mind the idea Dumby is gay so thats why I notice those things, but it is forced. I stilldonīt see Dumby is gay in the book. I am never looking through that glass. I realize about sexual innuendos only when they are obvious. --------------------  Michael Jackson: Long Live the King!! ******************* You scared me half to death... |
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Jul 2 2009, 10:27 AM
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Stargazing on the Astronomy Tower  Posts: 3,900 Joined: 8:04pm September 28, 2005 Location: Astronomy Tower   |
Let's leave stereotyping out of this discussion. It would be better to analyze the literary reasons or effects of Dumbledore's orientation have on the story. Like how Albus has a deeper respect for Love seeing as it made him do things he is ashamed of.
--------------------  "We need metaphors of magic and monsters in order to understand the human condition."-Stephen Donaldson "One of the greatest talents in the world is to never say two words when one will do." |
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Jul 2 2009, 10:46 AM
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Daily Prophet Photographer Posts: 888 Joined: 6:35pm April 4, 2008 Location: Great White North |
There was a point for me when I was reading DH that I had the thought that Dumbledore was gay. It must have been when we learned about Grindewald and the intense friendship that these two adolescents developed and I had the idea that these feelings were on the part of Dumbledore only. I never gave it much thought again until JKR announced that DD was gay but it made sense to me.
Having a gay character in the WW is just part of JKR's world being a reflection of the real world, in my opinion. -------------------- '- yet sadly, accidental rudeness occurs alarmingly often,'.....Albus Dumbledore |
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Jul 2 2009, 11:20 AM
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Director of Farcical Aquatic Ceremonies Posts: 8,971 Joined: 2:55pm January 28, 2005 Location: Classified, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it. |
QUOTE(Fry_Fan @ Jul 2 2009, 02:20 AM)  Angelina Johnson = Quidditch Captain...need I say more? Angelina married George Weasley and had two kids, Fred and Roxanne. Also, Angelina was Fred Weasley's date to the Yule Ball. Between JKR's post-DH statement and canon, I think we can safely assume Angelina was not a lesbian, despite any stereotypes to the contrary.  **Puts on moderator robes** For greater in-depth discussion about Dumbledore, we have some threads in the Notable Magical Names forum that some of you might find interesting: Does the text - and only the text - prove that DD is gay? Dumbledore: Is Jo's interpretation right? Should the author be the one to decide? Why put DD in a slot? Why the need to label him gay or straight? He was a great wizard, isn't that enough? Pleione LL Moderator This post has been edited by Pleione: Jul 2 2009, 11:29 AM |
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Jul 2 2009, 11:29 AM
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup Posts: 31 Joined: 8:39am July 2, 2009 Location: Behind a Harry Potter book =] |
QUOTE(Pleione @ Jul 2 2009, 05:20 PM) QUOTE(Fry_Fan @ Jul 2 2009, 02:20 AM) Angelina Johnson = Quidditch Captain...need I say more? Angelina married George Weasley and had two kids, Fred and Roxanne. Also, Angelina was Fred Weasley's date to the Yule Ball. Between JKR's post-DH statement and canon, I think we can safely assume Angelina was not a lesbian, despite any stereotypes to the contrary. did she??? i never knew that. anyway, i'm not letting JKR saying DD is gay ruin my memories of the old Muggle-lover. sure, he's gay... big deal!! Sarah SFTC!! =] -------------------- Support Slytherin or we will be forced to beat your House and win the House Cup! =]
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Jul 2 2009, 11:32 AM
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Selling Illegal Items at Borgin and Burkes Posts: 2,806 Joined: 7:59am June 6, 2006 |
QUOTE(The_Courtezan @ Jul 2 2009, 05:24 AM) I was one of those fangirls who were excited to find out that Dumbledore was *gasp* A GAY! I was wondering what other people thought in terms of hints of Dumbledore's sexuality What do you think? Regarding Dumbledore, I think that Pojypojy addressed the issue best HERE. --------------------  |
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Jul 2 2009, 11:42 AM
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Leaky's Official Donut Maker and Mosquito Man Posts: 11,144 Joined: 10:51am August 25, 2005 Location: Playing kal-toh with Professor Snape |
QUOTE(Draco4eva @ Jul 2 2009, 02:29 PM) anyway, i'm not letting JKR saying DD is gay ruin my memories of the old Muggle-lover. sure, he's gay... big deal!! Sarah SFTC!! =]  Why though would JKR saying DD is gay change (or ruin?) your perceptions or memories of him? He is exactly the same man that he was before JKR said that. It doesnt change who he is, or what he did, it doesnt affect his skills and abilities. Maybe his behavior in younger life could tarnish ones memories of DD, he aint the all round squeaky clean guy we took him to be but, that just makes him more real and he was in love. Who hasnt done somethng crazy for someone they love. Okay so maybe we dont all have a lapse of judgment on such a grand scale but, DD was the greatest sorcerer of all time so his mistakes are likely to have a huge effect & influence. So there are threads for discussing Dumbledore in more depth and I've likely posted in them already but, I wasnt surprised when JKR said DD was gay, I dont think he's a stereotype, it was just something I infered from the books. To me, there are no stereotypes in HP, be they gender, sexuality, religion or whatever. JKR wrote such real characters with a huge depth of personality. Who & what they are comes across through the incredibly high quality of writing, not because she had to resort to stereotypes to make us see this person's gay, that guy's Jewish ... she wrote real people and I think that's why we love them so much  --------------------   I'm 1 of the 99.99% W.L.Y.J.  When I sleep I dream, and when I dream I can rise above the walls Remember Cameron Duncan Thanks Jeff! |
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Jul 2 2009, 02:00 PM
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Professional Diagon Alley Window Shopper Posts: 60 Joined: 3:03pm August 19, 2006 Location: way down south, where the buffaloes grow |
A Women's Studies degree is sort of like a degree in Feminism...it's hard to explain, lol.
I have to say, Dumbledore being gay wasn't that big a surprise for me. He was a confirmed bachelor, and had an intense relationship with another man in his youth. His respect for love isn't in spite of being gay...it's BECAUSE he had such a tumultuous relationship in the past. As for stereotypes, what surprised me the most was Remus and Tonks being, for all intents and purposes, a hetero-normative couple that was pretty vanilla. For some reason, Tonks always struck me as being a bit gender queer--I mean, you'd have to be, wouldn't you, if you were a metamorphmagus? Doesn't that allow for her to change her gender/sexuality as well, or is that wrong? Does she have to remain female? -------------------- Amoebas were not complex. They tore themselves apart and started sex.
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