Is Dumbledore gay? When Was He Confirmed To Be Gay?

Is Dumbledore gay: Dumbledore’s sexuality has become a much more major topic in the years following the release of the final Harry Potter novel. Dumbledore, a homosexual? When pressed, did he admit that he had feelings for Grindelwald, the evil wizard? In any case, what exactly is canon? Will Grindelwald’s relationship with Dumbledore be ultimately examined in depth, given that the Fantastic Beasts movies cover his rise to power?

We revisited J.K. Rowling’s statements on the topic, supported by canonical evidence from the books and films, in an effort to find answers to these problems.

Who is Dumbledore?

A. P. Wulfric Albus Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling created the character of Professor Brian Dumbledore. Throughout the majority of the books and movies, he serves as the headmaster of Hogwarts. In the series, Harry plays a pivotal role as the leader of the Order of the Phoenix, a group whose sole mission is to defeat Lord Voldemort.

In both the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Richard Harris played the role of Dumbledore (2002). After Harris passed away in October of 2002, Michael Gambon finished out the six remaining Harry Potter films as Dumbledore from 2004 to 2011. In both Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2016), Jude Law played Dumbledore as a middle-aged man (2022).

 

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Dumbledore is a dialectal word for “bumblebee,” and Rowling explained she gave him the moniker because she pictured him “humming to himself a lot” as he went about his day.

Is Dumbledore gay?

When asked about her sexual orientation in 2007, Rowling said, “I always thought of Dumbledore as gay.” As part of a question-and-answer session at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Rowling addressed the following: “Did Dumbledore, who believed in the prevailing power of love, ever fall in love himself?” You may read Rowling’s response here:

The news sent fans into a frenzy of speculation and discussion. Even if Rowling had confirmed Dumbledore’s sexuality in the novels or films, would it have mattered?

Read More: Is Clive Davis Gay? His Autobiography Revealed the truth!

When Was Albus Dumbledore Confirmed To Be Gay?

Fans of the Harry Potter series began to wonder if their beloved Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, was gay due to the ambiguity surrounding his past and his close friendships with several male characters. Rowling confirmed these assumptions in 2007 when she was asked if Dumbledore ever fell in love during a reading of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at Carnegie Hall.

She said she “always thought of Dumbledore as gay,” and went on to say that Dumbledore had been in love with Gellert Grindelwald. The fact that Dumbledore was “terribly let down by him” after falling in love with a dangerous man with dreadful designs for wizards and muggles only adds to the sadness of his life.

In fact, Rowling admitted that in an early draught of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore says he “known a lady once,” and that she had to write a note in the margin to clarify that he is gay.

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Why is Dumbledore’s sexuality so controversial?

It’s hardly surprising that this news drew criticism from some who feel strongly that no kid should ever have to deal with a gay character. People who wanted Rowling to include queer characters in Harry Potter were part of the backlash, but homophobes were also a factor. Readers felt betrayed that Rowling waited until the books were completed to show that Dumbledore is gay. Why not make this part of canonical literature?

The most well-known piece of information Rowling revealed after concluding the series was Dumbledore’s sexuality, although other questionable details have since been revealed. Some of the later spinoffs involve weird retcons that many fans would rather overlook, much like the casual comments on Twitter (such as suggesting that the obscure background character Anthony Goldstein is Jewish).

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald revealed that Voldemort’s snake Nagini was actually a human woman, while Harry Potter and the Cursed Child features a complex time-travel scenario involving Voldemort’s secret daughter. (It has an appearance by Minerva McGonagall many years before her purported birth date, implying that Rowling has no desire to stick to her own canon history.)

There is a connection between the push for more diverse and inclusive casting in the Harry Potter franchise and the discussion of Dumbledore’s sexuality. People were thrilled to see a Black woman cast as Hermione on stage, and they want to see a similar representation of LGBTQIA+ people in the Wizarding World.

They feel the franchise should include characters from all walks of life, not just heterosexual, white men. Dumbledore will be a source of contention until the Fantastic Beasts movies prove this onscreen, as he is the only character Rowling has described as gay.

 

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