And so Albus Dumbledore is gay. As most of our solar system has now heard, Mr. Dumbledore was outed by author J.K. Rowling.
No one has heard anything from Mr. Dumbledore. That is probably because he is a fictional character.
Rowling’s revelation over the weekend was greeted enthusiastically by some who hailed it as a great moment in helping gays become more societally accepted. It was also hailed by her critics as yet another reason not to read the Harry Potter series because one of its beloved characters is gay.
Two thoughts.
First, given all of the compelling and funny gay characters who have appeared in print or on screen in recent years why is it surprising that Ms. Rowling included one in her books? These characters have helped bring an outcast group into the mainstream of societal acceptance. Perhaps it is only surprising that Harry isn’t gay.
Second, for all those who are using Dumbledore’s sexual orientation as reason for boycotting Mr. Rowling’s books, a challenge may be in order. Instead of speaking out against her books and Dumbledore, create Christian characters on screen and in print that are as interesting, complex, and challenging as many of the gay characters we’ve come to know over the years. Use God’s gift of creativity to create great and compelling and complex art – do, for instance, what Anne Rice is doing with her Christ Our Lord series of books – meditatively examining and contemplating some of the great unanswered questions of Jesus’ unknown past.
Let the great (late) wizard rest.