Hard-line Christian groups anxious that mild-mannered Harry Potter is an occult conspiracy are unlikely to be reassured by the revelation that one of its key characters is gay - but equalities campaigners wish that it had been made explicit in the books.Multi-million pound best-selling Potter author JK Rowling revealed that Hogwarts school headmaster Albus Dumbledore is gay to a packed house in New York's Carnegie Hall this weekend, as part of her American book tour.
She took questions from the audience and was asked, following endless speculation on fan sites, whether Dumbledore had found "true love" before he died in the sixth book in the series.
"Dumbledore is gay," Rowling replied. She added that he was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, who he beat in a battle between good and evil wizards long ago.
The surprised New York audience applauded the news.
"I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy," Rowling laughed. "Falling in love can blind us to an extent... Dumbledore was horribly, terribly let down" and his love for Grindelwald was his "great tragedy".
The religious right, which has already accused the books of promoting witchcraft among children - an idea that Rowling, who has had links with the Episcopal Church in Scotland, has described as "preposterous" - is likely to be furious at the news.
The existence of a positive gay character was welcomed by equalities and lesbian and gay rights campaigners today, including OutRage and Green activist Peter Tatchell.
However they say they wish Dumbledore's sexuality had been made more explicit in the books.
The matter has arisen in relation to scripting issues with the highly successful spin-off films.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce