Which Reminds Me . . .

Obviously JK Rowling has enough money.

The whole stunt at Carnegie Hall that she pulled by announcing that Dumbledore is gay! He may or may not be, and frankly I don't care.

However, I am assuming there were children at her reading. The account I read, made the announcement seem non-provoked, just an answer to a question about whether Dumbledore will find his true love. When my seventh grade son heard the news he was outraged.

A back story like that is fine for an author to have and it probably gives the character some depth and mysteriousness of motivation that works very well, but since the fact had no place in the novels, it has no place in official, author led discussion outside of the novels either.

Rowling has forgotten what her readers are going through. The Potter series appeals to readers of all levels. Students who won't read any book will at least give the Potter books a try. She has now taken a book that students have sought out to read as "cool" on at least some level and has given that student another excuse not to read. Imagine our not so hypothetical student taking this book out to read in front of their equally alliterate friends to hear, "Why are you reading that? Dumbledore is gay!" and down the book will go.

You've made your money, JK. And you are probably looking for new things to talk about because you have been discussing these books for years, and you surely have an active and creative mind, but this tidbit was a really bad choice to reveal. And as far as I can see, revealing some back story to a character's profile that did not even make it into the book does nothing for toterance. It just causes another sensation and fans the flames of ignorance.

Oh, well.