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J.K.'s surprising revelation about Dumbledore

by David Haber

Just a little over a year ago, on August 2, 2006, J.K. Rowling made a statement at her reading in New York City, at Radio City Music hall, that was big news and related directly to what we talk about on this web site. Well, tonight she's done it again. This evening, again in New York City, this time at Carnegie Hall, J.K. Rowling dropped a bombshell on the Harry Potter fan community.

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Reader Comments: (Page 24)

Personally, I have always thought Dumbledore to be asexual. That is, not in any way interested in sex but more of a figure who represents true friendship and love for others without the sexual tension. That said, I was disappointed in the announcement of Dumbledore's . Why couldn't he just be the figure I imagined and not someone who was looking for a "relationship" with other warlocks.
I would have to say I don't believe J.K. Rowling. Yes she wrote the books, but the characters have become more than things that Rowling can do with as she pleases. Just as I don't believe Harry would ever turn to the Dark Arts in the future, even if Rowling said so, I don't believe Dumbledore is . Dumbledore was a lover of all the wizarding world, showing how a person can make a difference.

Posted by Ryan from MO on June 19, 2008 12:01 PM

All In All Dumbledore is a rather great character , Asexual, Bisexual,or Hetrosexual it doesnt matter especially when someone as intelligent and caring as he has been emblazoned upon our minds.....
Think what you want of Dumbledore even if he is that doesnt make him less of a person

Posted by Mike Davis from Davison MI on June 23, 2008 1:26 PM

I agree with many people in saying that I never even thought about his . Never thought he was or straight or asexual or whatever. It wasn't a big thing. He was just a brilliant wizard. But looking back, I do see the clues adding up. There is never a female mentioned that I remember anyway.
I don't see how some people can say "i dont think hes ." Well two things, first JKR said he is, so he is. secondly, wtf does it matter?
One thing I am skeptical about though, is why she came out with it so long after? It seems like she was just saying that, but i dont know. Either way, or straight, hes still the best wizard of all time in my book.

Posted by Trey C from Jacksonville, Fl on June 28, 2008 12:37 PM

I believed Dumbledore was asexual. The news that he was surprised me. I would have been just as surprised if he had been in love with a woman. The news of his does not bother me. He was the most brilliant wizard that ever lived. I believe J. K. made this announcement to show tolerance of all people. She didn�t put it in the books because of how controversial it would have been. Some people believe it should not be in a children�s book.

Posted by Anonymous from Arizona on June 30, 2008 2:46 PM

I think J.K. just didn't have a good answer to the question and that was the first thing she thought of. I don't see any clues that Dumbledore was . None of the teachers lives are presented as being married or having any family. Their lives revolve around Hogwarts and teaching the children. Dumbledore is an obsessive and very ego centric person who devoted his life to pursuing Hallows and becoming the greatest wizard. Dumbledore was obsessed with the Hallows not Grindelwald. Dumbledore being or not has no relevance to the story, the only romantic story lines are between Snape, James and Lily and then the students. If J.K. really ever meant to throw into the story she could have, I don't buy she meant Dumbledore to be until she made it up during an interview. sorry...

Posted by Anonymous on July 4, 2008 11:30 AM

Wow. I am completely appalled by this article. Has it ever occurred to anyone that Dumbledore's life was full of love? He loved every one of his students at Hogwarts. I'm positive that Dumbledore would create a sense of security and make anyone he met feel like family. He even showed this compassion to young Tom Riddle. Maybe Dumbledore never found his true love and settled down, but maybe he was wise enough to not mingle with feelings that were not meant to be. He realized that he had a purpose in life, and he was selfless enough to put his own feelings behind him. I am ever so disappointed that JK Rowling would turn to ity to explain Dumbledore's absence of a spouse.

Posted by paws from michigan on July 7, 2008 9:17 PM

I think it would be better if J.k Rowling just stuck to the excuse that he never did find love. A lot of kids read these books, me being one of them, and i'm a bit turned off Dumbledore now. Not that i have anything against people, it's just a surprising.:S ok, i've totally confused myself...

Posted by Anon from Brisbane, Queenslad on July 8, 2008 8:40 PM

Personally I was shocked to hear Jo Rowling's assertion that Dumbledore was . I think Dumbledore would be shocked also. Frankly, I do not believe it. I believe she is much mistaken. Just as she confessed to planning on having a different character in a particular book, but another did instead, and allowing the characters in time determine their paths and destinies, as most authors do, I feel in this instance she is just plain wrong.

Posted by Jill Baxter from Largo, FL on July 12, 2008 11:30 AM

in my mind, dumbledore's never posed a question. i think this is because i began reading these books when i was seven, so i was sort of in that mindset whenever i read them. they are children's books, but as the dedication in the seventh book shows ('to everyone who has stuck by harry till the end' - that's paraphrasing btw) she was writing for the young generation who have grown up reading harry potter. this is shown through the development in rowling's writing with each book, for example, in later books she uses words like 'sycophant' which most children under the age of say, 13, do not know the meaning of. it is also shown with the introduction of the 'adult' covers as the series grew in popularity, i think she also grew to write more for older readers. SUBTLE references to dumbledore's thus only appear in the later books, where rowling thought they would be better understood and accepted.
i do also think that perhaps she wanted harry potter to regain some of the attention that had been lost in the low after the series ended. (sorry to anyone who disagrees!)

Posted by Jos from south london on July 30, 2008 12:03 PM

alright, i have to say firstly to the people who have said they outright "dont believe" JK. ahem. last anyone looked, she was the creater of all these characters- NOT YOU. thus if JK says Dumbledore fancied other blokes then HE DID!

secondly, if the ins-and-out of Albus' romantic life were *not* relivent to the actual story in hand (which they clearly were not) then there would be no relivance in sticking them in there just for the sake of it. i mean, if he were straight nobody would be singing from the rafters that his wife should be mentioned or his forty children. why should anything akin have to be brought up because he's ?

i think good on JK for stating it when asked and not having felt the need to make a song and dance about it throughout the novels. its about time children/semi-childrens books started introducing characters that truly represent the whole population; which amoungst other things means they grow up more accepting or better yet finding they have somebody to relate to in difficult times. my hat goes off to you Jo!

Posted by Kerri from Scotland on August 4, 2008 10:25 AM

Though it does not matter to me that Dumbledore was , I think it a mistake to attribute his love for Harry as related to this. Had he been straight and Hermione been the hero instead of Harry no one would connect them, would they? Dumbledore clearly saw himself as a surrogate father to Harry and had nothing more than a fatherly affection for him.

Posted by Lily from Orlando, Fl, USA on August 8, 2008 8:17 PM

Kerri, I have no problem with Dumbledore being , just that I think that Dumbledore should of either been a widower or in-love-but-not-married. personally, I think that it was a grave mistake for JK to say that he is /was .

Gliiert & Albus:

Personally i DO NOT think that there was a connection there at all, as someone said: 'Couldn't Gillert and Albus just be friends?' All right, they wanted to rule the world, or just England, together but if we Look at Star Wars, Lord Sidiuous and Vader were ruling together, but they werent ! PLUS I allways thought there might have been a connection between Professors McGonnagol and Dumbledore! I mean, they had so much in common!

Again, I have no problem what so ever with Dumbledore being , but I think that Jk did honestly make a HUGE mistake with his love life.

Posted by Callum from Perth, Aus. on August 9, 2008 06:00 AM

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