randy wrote:
the only reason he's gay is because the series is over and jkr needs to keep herself in the news. there's no context for this, so she's essentially just retconned an entire wing of fanfics as canon
She doesn't need to keep herself in the news. I saw another post elsewhere which said similar things, and I find it amusing. First, she's made over a billion dollars on this empire of Harry Potter. Second, it's still 'alive' because movies are still being made, and sadly that's some people's only exposure to the series. She's written two 'side' books, both of which made oodles of money (which went to charity).
She could keep milking this cash cow as long as Lucas has the Star Wars empire...if she wanted. It's not like 10 years have passed and this is an 'Oh, by the way...'
I also don't believe she pulled it out of her ass. Most writers who do deep character development have a lengthy character biography they've either written out, or know in their heads. That's one of the reasons the characters are so believable. It's also why many authors can answer goofy questions about their characters and be consistent about it, even when it's never appeared in a book. I don't recall if Dumbledore ever drank in the series, but I'd bet you cash Rowling could immediately tell you what his favorite drink is, and perhaps some storyline about it.
She also has a lot of writing from all of her books which was cut, and not included in the series, including some fully developed characters that were removed ultimately because they just didn't work out with the story.
Book 7 makes a huge huge huge point in Harry never really 'knowing' Dumbledore. He knows him based on his interactions with him...but he doesn't know jack shit all about his life. That's a discovery of adulthood. All children go through the realization we don't 'know' our parents and other adults like we think we do. That they have flaws and lives outside of their interactions with us. That's a huge portion of the discovery Harry is making with Dumbledore in Book 7.
Anyone with two brain cells firing knew Dumbledore had a crush on Grimvald (or however it's spelled). It really didn't matter what orientation he is, or what gender Grimvald was. Most people experience some type of huge massive crush on a new friend where you can't bear to be apart, where you just HAVE to tell them something, blah blah blah. That's essentially what comes across with Dumbledore here. Very obviously so, and because of that crush/love (which again doesn't have to be sexual at all, and there's no hint of it being sexual) he's blinded to the guy's obvious serious flaws.
If Grimvald had been a female though, almost every single person would have read that section and believed he was IN LOVE with her, because it's that obvious. And it would lend a new dimension to it, but not hugely. It just further emphasizes the 'love is blind' thing. Dumbledore makes his biggest mistakes through the whole series out of love...it's a recurring theme.
We'll never know if she really intended him to be gay all along, but I think it's likely enough that was part of her character development and she had that in mind the entire time. I think it's depressing that she makes his brother pretty much a goat fucker (that's the heavy implication the entire time and an adult joke in the series). It's depressing because some people will see it as both of them being sexual deviants.
Anyway, there's another character in the series who never had a love interest and no hint of sexuality, which is Minerva McGonnal. She comes off utterly devoted to Dumbledore but again it's another relationship you don't really see as even remotely sexual.
If Rowling had said Minerva was gay...well...okay. But it would have no bearing on the story, because her sexuality (regardless of what it is) has no bearing on the story.
The same is true of Dumbledore. I think Rowling's main point in disclosure has been this: Here's the character you love, he's always been this, he's never changed...this is just one more piece of information you know about him.
She's also well known for revealing tidbits of character details all throughout the series in interviews, so it's not even out of character for her. I just think her reasoning...well it's lousy. I think her heart is completely in the right place, I don't think she's doing it for attention or infamy. I think it even has the potential to hurt the franchise. I think it was simply her intention to say to people, you adore this man, he's always tried to do the right thing, and gave his life for it even...and this is also who he is, and it doesn't change in any way all those other things he is too.
It's just sad she feels the need to do that, that such a need might even exist.
As for me, I say 'So the fuck what', and just find any further information about the characters interesting. Such as Hagrid never marrying, who Neville married, etc. I really wish she had said in the series what happens with Luna (as I found her one of the best and most easy to love characters) but she didn't cover it in the book...and she hasn't revealed it AFAIK after.