J.K. Rowling says
Dumbledore is gay — but "Harry Potter" fans have been let down
ever since.
Warner
Bros.
J.K. Rowling and the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise were already
wading in controversy over Johnny Depp's continued presence in
the movies, but now fans are at a breaking point
after learning that Dumbledore's sexuality wouldn't be openly
explored in the coming sequel.
Director David Yates told Entertainment
Weekly that "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them:
The Crimes of Grindelwald" would not make it "explicitly"
clear Dumbledore is gay, the fandom reacted strongly (and mostly negatively).
"Not explicitly,"
Yates told Entertainment
Weekly
, referencing whether the movie will clearly show
Dumbledore as gay. "But I think all the fans are aware of that.
He had a very intense relationship with Grindelwald when they
were young men. They fell in love with each other's ideas, and
ideology and each other."
One only needed to do a cursory search on Twitter and Reddit to see heated debates
and fans expressing dismay over this latest comment about the
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" sequel.
INSIDER spoke with several members of the "Harry Potter" fandom
to better understand how people were feeling. We spoke primarily
with fans who identify as gay or bisexual, and who had been
immersed in the "Harry Potter" community for anywhere between 10
to 20 years.
How Rowling first introduced Dumbledore's sexuality to the "Harry
Potter" canon
In order to understand the current wave of backlash, it's
important to remember why Dumbledore's sexuality is a topic of
discussion at all.
Within Rowling's original seven "Harry Potter" books, there is no
character who identifies as gay, bisexual, transgender, or
anywhere on the spectrum of LGBTQ+.
J.K.
Rowling has given several new pieces of information about "Harry
Potter" in the post-book world.
John
Phillips/Getty Images
But in 2007, several months after "Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows" (the final book of the series) was published, Rowling attended a Q&A at
Carnegie Hall, where she revealed that Dumbledore was
gay.
One person asked the author if Dumbledore ever fell in love
himself, since he believed love was a prevailing power.
"My truthful answer to you … I always thought of Dumbledore as
gay," Rowling replied, according to "Harry Potter" news site
The Leaky Cauldron.
"Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald, and that added to his
horror when Grindelwald showed himself to be what he was."
Grindelwald, as "The Deathly Hallows" revealed, was a Dark wizard
who lived next door to Dumbledore when both the men were
teenagers. They spent a summer bonding over shared ambitions and
concocting plans to overthrow the wizarding world's statute of
secrecy.
But their time together ended in tragedy when Dumbledore and
Grindelwald got into a heated argument with the former's brother,
Aberforth. The ensuing fight ultimately killed Dumbledore's
younger sister, Ariana, and Grindelwald fled.
Dumbledore spent a lifetime never engaged in a romantic
relationship.
Warner
Bros.
As he grew more powerful, Dumbledore delayed setting out to
confront him partly due to shame and partly out of fear that he
would learn exactly who was responsible for the death of Ariana.
But he eventually did find Grindelwald and defeated him, winning
the allegiance of the Elder Wand and imprisoning Grindelwald for
life.
Rowling's answer about Dumbledore's sexuality went on to say that
his love for Grindelwald had blinded him to the horrific
intentions of the young Dark wizard. Rowling also said that she
had given the writers working on a movie script for "Harry Potter
and the Half-Blood Prince" a note about Dumbledore's
sexuality.
"They had Dumbledore saying a line to Harry early in the script
saying I knew a girl once, whose hair… [laughter]. I had to write
a little note in the margin and slide it along to the
scriptwriter, 'Dumbledore's gay!'" Rowling said.
The crowd of fans reportedly erupted in fierce applause and gave
Rowling a standing ovation. When she saw the reaction, Rowling
reportedly said: "If I'd known it would make you so happy, I
would have announced it years ago!"
How the Dumbledore and Grindelwald relationship connects to
"Fantastic Beasts"
Rowling herself is penning five total movies for the new
"Fantastic Beasts" franchise. The first installment, "Fantastic
Beasts and Where to Find Them," focused on a magizoologist named
Newt Scamander as he got up to hi-jinx in New York City in the
1920s.
Johnny
Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in the "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes
of Grindelwald" teaser.
Warner
Bros.
We found out in that first movie that Newt was a former student
of Dumbledore's, and that Newt had unwittingly walked into the
middle of a Grindelwald plot. By the end of the movie, the
character played by Colin Ferrell was revealed to be Grindelwald
(Johnny Depp) in disguise.
Since the first movie came out, more news has broken about the
sequels, including that Jude Law was cast as a younger
Dumbledore. Based on the timeline of events, the five "Fantastic
Beasts" movies are taking place after the death of Ariana and
likely leading up to Dumbledore's legendary duel with
Grindelwald.
Two years ago, Rowling spoke at a press
conference about Dumbledore's role in the coming
movies.
"I can't tell you everything I would like to say because
this is obviously a five-part story so there's lots to unpack in
that relationship," Rowling said. "You will see Dumbledore as a
younger man and quite a troubled man — he wasn't always the sage.
We'll see him at that formative period of his life. As far as his
sexuality is concerned … watch this space."
Fans watched the space, but are now finding themselves
disappointed.
Why "Harry Potter" fans hoped Dumbledore being gay would be part
of the "Fantastic Beasts" sequel
When Elisabeth Joffe, a longtime "Harry Potter" fan who
identifies as queer, saw the first "Fantastic Beasts" movie when
it premiered last year. She was pleasantly surprised when the
movie's ending shifted the focus toward Grindelwald and
Dumbledore.
"I was like, 'This is fantastic,'" Joffe told INSIDER. "'We're
actually going to see the manifestation of Dumbledore's queer
narrative come into focus in a very large arena.'"
Jude
Law and Albus Dumbledore in a "Fantastic Beasts" cast
photo.
Warner
Bros.
Joffe said she didn't have any expectations of seeing
Dumbledore's sexuality explored in the second "Fantastic Beasts"
movie until the casting announcement was made for
young-Dumbledore (Jude Law). His character could have been
off-screen until the third or fourth movies, after all.
"I'm not looking for a gay rom-com out of the 'Fantastic Beasts'
series," Joffe said. "That is not my expectation here.
But the idea that [Dumbledore's feelings toward Grindelwald]
are not essential to the narrative is surprising to me."
Another fan we spoke to, Rebecca, identified herself as an LGBTQ
ally whose been a part of the "Harry Potter" fandom for as long
as she can remember.
"I am both furious and heartbroken," Rebecca said. "Dumbledore's
sexuality is not an Easter egg for fans of the books [...] it is
an integral part of the character. It gives the story depth and
meaning. To leave it out is to cheat the fans of a well-written
movie. Everyone deserves to be represented."
Ron and Hermione were one of several cis-gendered
heterosexual relationships highlighted in "Harry
Potter."
Warner
Bros.
"Harry Potter" followers who identify anywhere on the LGBTQ+
spectrum have spent a decade knowing one of the most prominent
characters in the series is gay, but have yet to see a single
concrete piece of fiction reflecting this simple fact. Ian Thomas
Malone, a gay transgender fan who has been immersed in the "Harry
Potter" fandom since 2000, feels passionately about Dumbledore's
storyline (or lack thereof) in the books and movies.
"It is a big deal for a major franchise character to be gay,
especially in 2007 when it was first revealed," Malone said. "The
way this has been handled has turned this moment in a subject of
insinuation. He can be gay in Rowling's public appearances and
tweets, but not on screen."
This is a particular sticking point: Rowling offered up
Dumbledore's sexuality as a post-book tidbit (one of many she has since
ret-conned into the "Harry Potter" canon). But for some fans,
that's simply not good enough.
Why LGBTQ+ representation matters
Many of the people INSIDER spoke to said the appearance of a
queer "Harry Potter" character could or would have a large impact
on the lives of many of Rowling's devoted followers.
Elayna Darcy, who works for MuggleNet and co-produces a
"Fantastic Beasts" podcast called SpeakBeasty, is a queer "Harry
Potter" fan who also is disheartened by the latest bout of news.
She recalls feeling excited back in 2007 when Rowling first broke
the news about Dumbledore being gay.
"I was only 17 at the time and still in the closet, but I
remember rejoicing like crazy because it meant that one of my
heroes was queer," Darcy said. "I sometimes wonder if she
acknowledged it sooner, as the books were coming out, if it would
have helped me come to terms with my own sexuality
sooner."
Rowling's "Harry Potter"
series is a cultural touchstone for many young people as they
grow up.
Associated Press; Warner
Bros.
Another fan, who asked to be referred to only as "Harry,"
agreed that this news could have had a positive impact on their
own struggle with their sexuality.
"I was pissed. When [Rowling] said he was gay I was in the
process of accepting my bisexuality," Harry said. "Why would she
say that after the fact and not include in the book? That
would've helped me through a confusing time in my life."
Representation has become a major talking point in Hollywood.
From breakthrough franchise movies like "Wonder Woman" to the
highly-anticipated "Black Panther," more groups of
previously underrepresented pop culture fans are seeing
themselves reflected on screen in meaningful ways. But this has
yet to extend to LGBTQ+ characters appearing in major franchises.
"Young people are looking to media to see themselves represented,
and it's absolutely critical that they find themselves in the
characters they see on screen," Brad Ausrotas, a bisexual
"Harry Potter" fan told INSIDER. "You won't be able to ignore
that forever — the generation growing up today is the gayest on
record. I don't think you're going to find silence from us any
time soon."
"Wonder Woman" broke
box-office records as the first female-led super hero
movie.
Warner
Bros.
And though Rowling has implied that Dumbledore's sexuality
will be openly addressed at some point in the next four
"Fantastic Beasts" movies, many fans don't see why they should
have to wait.
"I had very high hopes that — given the previous criticism of the
books and films as distinctly lacking in queer representation —
Rowling would do better," Ausrotas said. "Time had passed, the
world had moved slightly closer to rights and equality for all
queer people [...] Maybe she could finally make good on her
promise of Dumbledore having this dark, epic gay romance with
Grindelwald."
Rowling isn't doing herself any favors with her public statements
Several hours after the EW report began stirring backlash,
Rowling tweeted the following: "Being sent abuse about an
interview that didn't involve me, about a screenplay I wrote but
which none of the angry people have read, which is part of a
five-movie series that's only one instalment [sic] in, is
obviously tons of fun, but you know what's even *more* fun?"
Then she selected a GIF of rapper Lil Yachty "muting" the
audience to accompany her message.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 31, 2018
Being sent abuse about an interview that didn't involve me, about a screenplay I wrote but which none of the angry people have read, which is part of a five-movie series that's only one instalment in, is obviously tons of fun, but you know what's even *more* fun? pic.twitter.com/Rj6Zr8aKUk
"It's so interesting because J.K. Rowling's presence on Twitter
has grown into such a hurricane of nightmares," Joffe said. "What
she said in her tweet didn't really give me much assurance.
Especially for someone who is queer and is a 'Harry Potter' fan."
"Not that she necessarily owes me anything as a fan, but she has
to speak to a large audience that she knows encompasses folks who
are queer," Joffe said. "To immediately go on the defense and
make it about herself, and also think that it was okay to use a
quippy, quirky gif as a response ... it doesn't sit well with
me."
Fellow fan Darcy acknowledged that Rowling had a point in her
tweet— we haven't seen the screenplay or movie yet, and of course
no one should "abuse" her on Twitter.
Dumbledore and Grindelwald will be focal points of the
rest of the "Fantastic Beasts" series.
Warner Bros.
"But I'm really hoping that she does his character justice, and
depicts him in a way that makes queer people feel seen and
represented," Darcy said. "While the whole of the queer community
cannot obviously be spoken for with a single character, I am
(perhaps foolishly) holding out as much Hufflepuff hope as I can
that Rowling sees us, hears us, and represents us, despite her
sassy retorts on Twitter."
Not everyone is upset — other fans believe people are
overreacting to the news
"We should all calm down and see what they do with it,"
Kyla Szustaczek, a 23-year old fan who identifies as gay,
told INSIDER. "Rowling has not yet given me any reason to
distrust her. Maybe Dumbledore doesn't even know he's gay yet or
maybe he's in the closet. I don't think that's hurting visibility
— those are real stages that most of us went through and can
relate to.
"
Claire Furner, who also identifies as gay, echoed similar
sentiments about the fandom being preemptively upset. There might
just not be space in the coming movie for Dumbledore's sexuality
to be mentioned or shown, according to Furner.
"We have no idea what this means or how this will
manifest," Furner said. "I strongly suspect we'll only see a few
scenes with Jude Law's Dumbledore in this film. If that is the
case, surely they will be bogged down in exposition, introducing
us to his younger self and establishing his relationship with
Newt."
Ezra
Miller and Claudia Kim as Credence and Maledictus in a cast photo
for the coming "Fantastic Beasts" film.
Warner Bros.
She also believes the "Harry Potter" universe would benefit
from introducing other queer characters outside of Dumbledore.
Some fans have hoped that Credence, played by Ezra Miller, is a
"Fantastic Beasts" character whose treatment and ostracizing for
being an Obscurial can be
interpreted as a metaphor for the discrimination queer people
face.
"Personally, I don't find Dumbledore particularly original
or inspiring as a gay character," Furner said. "If anything, I'm
hoping we're introduced to new queer characters, ones whose
stories we don't know. No amount of cosy promo photos with
Claudia Kim will convince me that Credence is straight!"
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Crimes of
Grindelwald" arrives in theaters on November
18.
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