Sad & Worried Thoughts on JKR & a Gay Dumbledore....

[avus]

JKR's decision to reveal that Dumbledore is gay has been rightly acclaimed as courageous. For a children's writer to even think, without revealing, that a major story character is gay reveals an important step in tolerance. Shortly after outing Albus, JKR went on to emphasize that Harry, in the magical world, had to face all the problems of the

Comments

[mrsquizzical]

when book 7 came out, a few people (who i love dearly) were devestated. they were very angry at jkr for the heteronormative conclusion to the story etc.

as much as i sympathised with their desire to see harry/ron or any of the other much loved ships be included, i was a little bewildered at the strength of their response.

because at no point did she point to making the series about that. i think there is a bunch of subtext (including dumbledore which i think was there for a lot of the series!) but it was never about that

[avus]

Ah, I do agree with all you've said. Of course, that! (As I hope I'm clear here.)

And yet... hmmm... In a way, I don't quite agree with you. But I don't exactly disagree either. Let me try to say what I mean, but if I mess it up, come back.

Two points. The first is a bit of an accuracy thing.

"...she was writing from her standpoint. she doesn't live on that particular aspect of society. she doesn't live where it is the key issue."

Ah, but she does. I can't quite agree, here, though it's enormously clear that, in UK, gays are accorded much more respect and more rights than here in most of the US. But she's not just writing, she's writing for. In particular, she's not just writing for the UK and more progressive parts or peoples of the world. She's also writing for the US, very much so

[mrsquizzical]

oh i will go and look at harry_ron directly!

Ah, but she does. I can't quite agree, here, though it's enormously clear that, in UK, gays are accorded much more respect and more rights than here in most of the US. But she's not just writing, she's writing for. In particular, she's not just writing for the UK and more progressive parts or peoples of the world. She's also writing for the US, very much so.
i still will disagree slightly with you here

[avus]

Yes, of course we can agree to disagree, slightly or majorly. And we can do that in embracing -- I like that much better than tolerance, too! (Though I like the love part as well.)

And again, I'm not angry in any sense, or upset with JKR -- how dumb would that be? She's just done a beautiful thing, and taken a step forward. No step forward should ever be put down, even if, of course, we don't want to stop there. (See what happens if you're walking and all of a sudden stop, right?)

And thank goodness you have your important "audience", and please keep that. Mine is, mostly, abused & neglected children. And I'd never give up that. Though tolerance & love, even embracing, there, is tricker in some ways. Indeed, in some ways, much, much trickier, and I'll spend the rest of my professional career working that out.

[magicofisis]

Avus, I don't disagree with you, but I continue to think that it's a bit unfair to put that task on JKR. If I may use a baseball analogy (you'll be cheering for the Rockies, no doubt), it's a bit like asking her to hit a homerun in her first major league at bat. And in fact, what I think she did was simply to put the ball in play. As is evidenced by the widespread opinions in the HP fandom on this topic, I think she would only have served to alienate the [parents of] the very people who most need to learn tolerance. JKR has a lot of literature left in her, and because of the enormous following of her Harry Potter series, she will undoubtedly be more widely read than most authors writing today. Perhaps Harry Potter isn't the appropriate vehicle for making a social commentary, but she knows (because of the fact that her audience applauded when she said it) that there is a certain portion of her audience that is tolerant, and would appreciate a story from her that offered a more explicit version of tolerance. Maybe it won't be her

[avus]

Ah, dear magicofisis, I can see that, as usual, I've put it poorly. I'll say again how I responded to mrsquizzical.

...I continue to think that it's a bit unfair to put that task on JKR. If I may use a baseball analogy (you'll be cheering for the Rockies, no doubt), it's a bit like asking her to hit a homerun in her first major league at bat. And in fact, what I think she did was simply to put the ball in play. As is evidenced by the widespread opinions in the HP fandom on this topic, I think she would only have served to alienate the [parents of] the very people who most need to learn tolerance.

Absolutely! I agree. You could paste it on the top of my essay, here, and I'd be glad to include it, even to sign it. Yes, yes, yes.

Now let me, as I did with mrsquizzical, put a little disagreement in here. But I stress, it's only a little disagreement:

Perhaps Harry Potter isn't the appropriate vehicle for making a social commentary, but she knows (because of the fact that her audience applauded when she said it) that there is a certain portion of her audience that

[avus]

Oh, one more thing. You might be interested, too, in the bit I added in posting on harry_and_ron at the end -- the stuff to Harry/Ron slashers. Probably I didn't say it quite right, there, either. But I'm trying, and raising issues. Not so much as a gadfly, though I like doing that sometimes. But as trying to think further. Which is my duty, and it's a shame that so often I combine that with being confusing & boring.

*sigh*

[fpb]

You could not possibly have posted anything I disagree with more. And frankly, I do not see the chance even of any useful debate on this.

[avus]

My dear friend, I sincerely respect your position, with humility and love. And as I hope you know, this is, for me, not in any way a pose, but an honest stance, because I do, indeed, respect your intellect, your knowledge & experience and, indeed, your passion for morality, which I share, but here, I fear, in a differiing way.

May we find, as we often have, ways to come together on other important matters.

[gunderpants]

I think this is a wonderful post and I enjoyed every minute I spent reading it. A lot of the posts on this subject have been angry and snarky, but this one was just sincere and lovely.

Thank you.

[avus]

Thank you, dear grunderpants. You're right, it's so easy to stake out an angry or nasty position. Which for me, of course, misses the entire point.

May your life have an abudance of loving tolerance in it!

[avus]

Thank you, dear dreamer_marie, and I hope things go well with you & yours.

[sophierom]

I've been slow to catch up with LJ, but I wanted to say that this is a lovely post.

I hope you and Jane are doing well.

[avus]

Thank you. I hope things are going well with you and all you hold dear. And a Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family!