Having just finished one of the phil sci books I needed to read this weekend, I felt entitled to a brief study break. And in keeping with my promise to post more, I am posting, even if it’s news that you’ve probably heard by now.

Rowling says Dumbledore is gay.

Now, as far as the character goes, I don’t really have feelings about this one way or another, since Dumbledore’s sexuality was never really something I wondered about. It just isn’t relevant at all–neither in the books, or now. But as for Rowling’s ‘outing’ her fictional character on a book tour… I’m sorry, if it’s not in the book, it doesn’t really count. You can’t have your cake and eat it too: “Oh, I’m so liberal and committed to cultural diversity and tolerance that I’m going to have a gay character in my books, but I want to sell as many books as possible and not offend anyone so I’m not actually going to put that detail in my books.” If she saw it as being fundamental to Dumbledore’s character, or if she was really committed to teaching a lesson about diversity and acceptance, then you should have had the guts to actually make it a part of the story! (Not that the Lupin the reviled werewolf subplot wasn’t a fairly transparent allegory…) Frankly, I think the whole thing is a completely unnecessary “fact” aimed at drumming up a little publicity now that she’s in the I-finished-the-series doldrums. Or maybe she’s just trying to make people forget that her book ended with the worst epilogue ever written. Lily, and Hugo, and Scorpius, oh my!

Okay, no more cynical musings from me. Time to move on and read about The Fate of Knowledge!