Dear Ms. Rowling... (A Slytherin's Plea)

[@natsmith303]

The clearest condemnation of queer-baiting was something I heard back in bible college: "Yeah, I know J.K. Rowling *said* he was gay, but I'm ignoring that because it's not in the books."

[@CouncilofGeeks]

And that pretty much sums up in one infuriating quote why clear and inarguable representation matters.

[@fairycat23]

+

[@TequilaToothpick]

It's a completely fair point actually. It's like when people act like Cloud is a depressed emo in Final Fantasy VII. Yeah, you can pretend that as much as you want Square Enix, but it's not really in the game.

[@darklordsatan4383]

I have always thought of the word "queerbaiting" as complete bullshit, because in most instances I have seen people use it is if two characters people like to ship don't end up as canon. But then I saw what JK was doing, and was like "Wow, THIS is actually queer-baiting". Cause it's not a reader's interpretation of a relationship that causes people to expect some gay-ness, no, it's the author herself claiming two characters are gay ,for what I assume is to appear more inclusive, but not actually bothering to go the extra step to show it when she finally gets the chance. The blood pact plot completely ruined the fan-theory that the reason it took Dumbledore so long to fight Grindelwald was because he couldn't bring himself to battle the man he loved. And right after that, she comes out again and says "they had an intense sexual relationship"? It's true. It's not enough. Cause these days, nothing is enough for the people who crave representation. It's her own fault for trying to appease them in the first place. Personally, I have never felt the need to have a character represent my race (I am very specifically mixed, so I don't think I have ever seen someone represent me), my sexuality or my gender. I care way more about having my experiences, morals, values, etc represented. She dug her own grave by doing this, and she keeps digging it deeper. Just be honest, for god's sake.

[@rhiannon3452]

Truly well said, DLS ;)

[@kaichen04]

The saddest death in the Harry Potter saga was my respect for JK Rowling.

[@BlueSparxLPs]

Agreed. I still love the original 7 books, 8 films, and I had way more fun than I should have with all the videogames that released around that time, but in recent years I have lost respect and admiration for Rowling as a person. Just hoping that the Fantastic Beasts series ends on a high.

[@weirdandproudofit1]

Your comment honestly hit so hard and summarised this feeling of grief I've had for a while...

[@captbuckyohare5585]

Thats not how you spell "Dobby"

[@liliks14]

totally agree, i couldn't have worded it better. she's been a hypocrite for far too long, glad she's finally being called out on it .

[@everlark3407]

Same

[@ChristyAbbey]

I ran across an good joke (somewhat shortened here), "Gay... is just something that happens to you when J.K. Rowling decides it's your time."

[@TonksMoriarty]

@@Hecatonicosachoron JK Rowling's twitter account becomes a bot, and whenever you @ it with "Am I gay?" always replies as yes, or even better, magic 8 ball responses.

[@keiths2902]

It’s so true. She buries her gays

[@settheshallow8913]

"JK Rowling reveals that you, the reader, were gay all along."

[@jjju3]

No one is born gay. You only become gay when JK rowling says that you are 5 years after your death.

[@_b_e_a_n_s_]

I saw it in an episode of LIWAY (did I get it right lmao)

[@kathleencaitlyn]

"you brought it up" is such a good point. it was her choice to share that with the readers. it shouldn't surprise her that people are demanding more now.

[@fairycat23]

+

[@seangere9698]

She can say all she wants after the fact but that is just talk and blowing smoke up everyone's asses and is not cannon or part of the story until it's in an actual book in my opinion, not a screenplay that's been made to look like a book, all this after the fact information is just retcon bull shit that is meaningless.

[@emmanash6699]

One of the greatest maxims of writing: Show, don't tell. Show us, Ms Rowling, queer people within the canon.

[@gamingfrompixelone3070]

posted that myself before reading the comments

[@patrickarrington5382]

One question...why

[@Nexils]

@@patrickarrington5382 One answer... why not? All Rowling has to do is mention something about a gay relationship. It can be subtle or right into your face. Nobody would know that Dumbledore is gay if it weren't for the internet right now. As Council of Geeks has said: now it's a baseless claim without any proof. Until maybe you watch the second Fantastic Beasts movie.

[@user-vx2up4ze4d]

I think the reason she didn't do this is because being gay is illegal in some countries, so the books and the movies wouldn't sell there.

[@patrickarrington5382]

@@Nexils again, why, the whole reason she came out and mentain ANYTHING sexual to begin with was cuz people like miss emma seem to demand it the question is why demand it wat does it rlly matter, a good story is good' good characters are good, never reading harry potter as a child or adult did i ever wonder was sexual love any of the characters had, cuz i didnt care n i still dont i believe all this "woke" crap is ruining everything not just harry potter

[@munkyzzb7504]

"Romeo is and always has been a furry" *William Shakespeare*

[@artcmisx]

In fact, Julliet is actually a half human half dog hybrid.

[@jay15951]

You accidentally mispelled "furry" Note he fixed it :)

[@munkyzzb7504]

@@jay15951 Yeah I know furry.

[@jay15951]

@@munkyzzb7504 typos, the enemy of us all

[@munkyzzb7504]

@@jay15951 I don't know what you are talking about.

[@abhinayamarykoshy1264]

"I don't demand inclusion in everything... If the creator doesn't see a place for me...or someone who's gay... they're not obligated to represent them or me." Wiser words were not said.

[@woodsie8965]

I'm honestly done with the HP series. I tried to defend her before, but now it's just getting ridiculous. It's clear she only wants brownie points. I'm just going to go back to my original books, and pretend nothing else HP related exists, or has even been said. That's where it should have ended, that was a perfectly solid series, that I love, and I'm not going to let all this garbage ruin that for me. I'm going back to simpler times.

[@pedromiziara3419]

''You Either Die A Hero, Or You Live Long Enough To See Yourself Become The Villain''

[@SamBuckyForever]

Yep I have the same sentiment. Just original books and movies and fanfiction for me.

[@Toxihex]

She completely lost me with the "Hermione could be black" thing. She CLEARLY envisioned that character as a white person. Almost nobody creates a story without imagining the characters. A sexuality is something one may not have considered, but not imagining a skin colour when thinking up a character's appearance is a little hard, so even without someone remembering the "Hermione's white face" sentence, it'd be iffy. What really pissed me off is when she was asked if another character is gay, and her response was just "Dumbledore is gay", like she had already given the people one gay and that's that.

[@macklyon7476]

I enjoy the books and only the books. Just ignore JK Rowling. She’s just trying to hold onto the HP series because without it she’s nothing.

[@woodsie8965]

@@ReptarTheUgly It doesn't matter, as it has 0 impact on anything. Assigning an arbitrary orientation to him wont change anything. So, just like every other character who isn't shown to have any kind of relationship, he is just a person.

[@CiaraSelene]

What I don't understand is why J.K. Rowling thinks that it's *love* when she's writing about Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Harry/Cho, Ron/Lavender, Arthur/Molly, Fleur/Bill, Tonks/Lupin, Hagric/Madam Maxime, Newt/Tina, Queenie/Jacob, Bellatrix/Voldemort, Narcissa/Lucius, etc., and yet when she's writing about Dumbledore/Grindelwald, there is only sex? Like... you have written romantic couples before, Jo... why are you only now confused?

[@Laurtew]

This, right here. She had a whole fuss in the books about the age difference between Tonks and Lupin and Remus being a werewolf, but landed on "love conquers all," which was a lesson she felt kids could understand. But for this, it's all about their sexual relationship, not their emotional one? What is that saying about how she sees them?

[@jessicabosse7109]

Ciara Hall and also there is the entire quite explicit scene where the horcrux shows Harry and Hermiony sharing a very intense and sexual makeout session, but she can’t put one representation of dumbledore simply kissing another man. Men kiss each other all the time Jo, it’s no where near as sexual as other parts of the series.

[@Flareontoast]

Honestly!!! I always thought that Remus and Sirius had a thing at some point because their friendship as adults was so close and casual and intense and since the whole Werewolf-thing is also an HIV reference... Trying not to get into it too much bc WOW but there's so much focus on that (TBH) rushed relationship between Lupin and Tonks. WRITING STRAIGHT COUPLES IS REALLY NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM WRITING QUEER COUPLES ROWLING. WE'RE HUMAN TOO

[@scottsetzke7967]

Omg the Harry&Ginny "Love" was just so forced and unnatural much "wish fulfillment" also with Ron/Hermoine

[@bigjavo36]

Yeah jo we don’t want gay wizard sex. We want gay wizard love. There is no sex in any Harry Potter work but there is love. We see rob and hermione fall in love we see Ginny and Harry, Lilly and James, snape pining for Lilly, even in the new movies there are love interests and stories.

[@alexwright4930]

We even have "love potions" & the implication that Voldemort's Muggle father was forced into marriage & magically raped by his witch mother in a children's book but still no explicit mention of a gay relationship

[@peacefulinvasion684]

Just claim they still had feelings for each other.

[@wynngwynn]

I want everyone in the Harry Potter movies to be asexual and aromantic so I don't have to think about wizard sex thank you.

[@ebirds6760]

*ron

[@bran4512]

@@ebirds6760 and here I thought there was another fan theory about hermoine cheating on ron

[@solfeggietto8306]

"make it real, then let it speak for itself" This is writing 101, anyone claiming to be a writer would know this.

[@marq6929]

As a writer, I completely agree and stand by this. That is most definitely 101 stuff; my writing group and I hold one another to exactly this standard every time we give feedback and critique on a piece. Every element you don't show is either something you're giving up on (cutting out of the story) or something you failed to get across and have to go back and rewrite to ensure it does come through.

[@FailenW59]

my friend isn't really active in social media so she didn't know about Dumbledore's sexuality going into the books or movies. We watched Fantastic Beasts and crimes of Grindelwald together and when i expressed my disappointment about the relationship not being evident she was totally lost. Her words after Grindelwald were "wait, they were supposed to be in a relationship?" That was kinda the last straw for me because this is something Rowling has said is present but you would have no idea or even hint of it unless you follow her social media or interviews. I shouldn't have to go to Twitter to learn a huge fact about a character i love. As someone who's bi it's such a huge let down that the representation isn't actually representation. Thank you so much for this video because it expresses my own frustration perfectly.

[@alexwright4930]

Not seen Fantastic Beasts 2 yet. So Dumbledore and Grindelwald's relationship isn't even hinted or even sub text in the film, it's just basically not there?

[@FailenW59]

@@alexwright4930 some would say vaguely hinted, others would say non-existent. I'd still watch it but if the main reason is to see this relationship play out, it's not that rewarding. I found it a decent but not amazing movie. Definitely watch though so you can get a good opinion for yourself. There's one scene in particular with Dumbledore and Grindelwald i still can't get a clear feeling for.

[@Ramiracelly]

@@alexwright4930 Nope, Dumbledore get asked if he and Grindelwald were friends and he responds that they were closer than friends. That´s it, nothing more. Tbh I think JK just wants money and doesn´t really care about representation, the movie wouldn´t be allowed in Russia and China if it is clearly stated/shown that they are gay

[@alexwright4930]

@@Ramiracelly She's already a millionaire, these films even when they're crap still get a lot at the box office, probably even without Russia & China - who if Bohemian Rhapsody is anything to go by might censor rather than banning outright. What on earth would she do with more money?

[@Ramiracelly]

@@alexwright4930 True but more money never hurts :) I don´t know how it is in russia, but in China you can´t know before if they censor or ban it. And in the last years the situation is getting worse. I don´t understand why it is so hard for her to show that they were a couple

[@robinschicha4712]

A real Fan IS Critic of the Work. We are not mindless Robots.

[@nightowl8477]

Half-arsed is the best word to describe her take on representation. Harry Potter and The Half Arsed Representation.

[@birdbrain6503]

Harry potter and the "oh half of the characters have been African American or something but you just didn't know despite movies and descriptions saying they're white"

[@Shadowstorm612]

I'm just over Rowling completely. I loved the books but her attitude and ego have really turned me off.

[@seyeolajuyin]

She's a woman surrounded by Yes men.. what else would you expect

[@Toxihex]

@@seyeolajuyin I think it's the other way around.

[@kateworkman921]

@@Toxihex She's a man surrounded by yes women? Sorry, I had to.

[@Toxihex]

@@kateworkman921 lmao

[@thecraftyhistorian]

I was still SO disappointed with the “blood bond” thingy in CoG. I had hoped when young sexy Dumbledore says “I cant” (fight / defeat Grindelwald) that he meant “because I still love him”, which I would have thought really moving and beautiful in a tragic star crossed lovers kind of thing. I felt robbed of this epic romance with the blood bond twist. Oh sorry actually it’s not love that holds Dumbledore back, it’s just a spell he did years ago. WHY WHY WHY? There were enough stupid plot twists already in CoG !

[@thecraftyhistorian]

ps: LOVE your Slytherin Tee 🖤💚

[@ElynevanOpzeeland]

yes, This as a very easy way to put it in! Him just saying: " i can't, i just can't " without having a magical reason for it would imply it enough, and they can make it clearer in the next movie if needed by fans!

[@fruitygarlic3601]

Not only am I pressed that the reason couldn't be love -- which is a *massive* theme in the series -- but now we have a weird McGuffin to be concerned about before they confront each other. It's so sad when the simpler option is more impactful than the one the writer chooses.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

Not to mention that the Blood Pact itself breaks canon. To have made such a pact they must still have been on good terms which means it happened prior to Arianna’s death. Yet Arianna’s death was the result of Grindlwald, Abbaforth and Albus dueling which couldn’t have happened with the Blood Pact in play.

[@tiaaaron3278]

@@quinnsinclair7028 I think that's the main reason Albus is so reluctant to fight him. They did fight before and it led to Ariana's death because of that blood pact.

[@megtoon1304]

You look so defeated in this video and it sucks seeing you look like that. I relate to what you're saying and honestly if it isn't in the next installment of Fantastic Beasts, I probably would be forced into silence as well.

[@ElynevanOpzeeland]

summery: stop talking, start showing! very clear

[@Lovemypirates11211]

I was thinking the same thing. That's what I always see in advice given to readers, to show, not tell. Don't just tell us someone's clumsy, show them dropping things or running into walls, tripping over their own feet. Don't tell us someone is gay, show us.

[@leonm8906]

Oh my. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@andrewmalinowski6673]

@@Lovemypirates11211 If she really wanted to prove Dumbledore was gay (besides the vague "hint" during the wedding in HP&TDH) she can either describe hid uneasiness being interested in other men or have the character as a younger man describe his feelings. Since she's become transphobic in her attitudes I don't care whether she makes it clear or not if it wasn't in the first seven books I'm considering it as non-canon as her authorial insight into who has what as a patronus

[@AnGawain]

Even in A Very Potter Musical they made it more cannon and natural than the real author

[@tearoses9940]

“You came back.” “I came home.”

[@SamBuckyForever]

Querelmort and Snapledore are the best! @

[@merkules6]

Oh I freaking love those musicals! And I'm not a musicals person. At this point I like them more than the HP series itself.

[@The_Keto_Klingon]

While I could not care less about a character's sexual/ emotional relationships, I agree with you.

[@LokiEris]

"Fantastic Beasts 3: The Sex Life of Grindelwald" I agree though, she shouldn't be telling this way.

[@Laurtew]

And that's likely the worry. I'm sure she thinks her fanbase is children. She can't make this an R movie with two men going to bed or make it all about their sex life. But really, she doesn't need to. She had Harry kissing Ginny and Ron kissing Hermione. She could have them hold hands or even almost kiss or reference an earlier kiss. I think that would make him having to face down Grindelwald that much angstier; "I loved you, you were my world, I trusted you, please don't make me do this. We can still be together." Will she take that kind of a risk? I feel like if she's not willing to she shouldn't keep talking about their intimate sexual relationship all over the internet.

[@TonksMoriarty]

It's also frustrating that Dumbledore is the ONLY CONFIRMED gay character, and the one relationship we know of in the entire series seemed so incredibly one sided, and Dumbledore still seems so hung up about it decades later - This is not a healthy message to send to your audience!. I honestly would love if Grindelwald was shown to be a reciprocal partner, and not just implied to manipulate Dumbledore because it'd give some depth to a villain that seems to just be Voldemort with better PR skills.

[@maurinet2291]

At least she admitted it had a sexual component. Because that's new. Before it was just some one-sided "crush" BS which didn't even square with what the books actually said.

[@jeangentry6656]

Maybe it wasn't meant to be a healthy relationship?

[@ooooneeee]

Queer representation has to include unhealthy relationships because those exist irl. Showing those is not automatically problematic, it's all about how it's framed.

[@kaichen04]

@@ooooneeee If it's all there is, it's problematic.

[@alexwright4930]

@@maurinet2291 If this was a straight relationship JK wouldn't have even felt she had to specify it had a sexual component, and no one would be assuming we were asking for "adult" content in a children's book when we are asking for explicit representation in the text. Rather than merely for the same kind of explicit representation that the relationships of Harry and Ginny, Hermione & Ron, Mr & Mrs Weasley etc were given. I mean Ginny's crush on Harry has been a running joke since before Ginny started secondary school and no seems to consider that inappropriate or too explicit for a children's book.

[@Alias_Anybody]

Sounds like she wants to have that cake and eat it too.

[@ajtct98]

And tell you the sexual preferences of the cake

[@ooooneeee]

That cake is gay for her while she is having it and eating it

[@aerocard4831]

What exactly does that mean? I've never understood that phrase.

[@Alias_Anybody]

@AeroCard Wanting to choose a third option with the best of both worlds when there actually isn't one. In this case, wanting to pander to the LGBT community but not pissing off homophobes by keeping it vague at the same time. She may fail at both things in the long run.

[@aerocard4831]

@@Alias_Anybody Oh ok, thanks! *Now she fucked up*

[@GabrielTheMagolorMain]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Let me tell you something about the thought of, “This is made for kids.” When I went to my friends wedding, where he married an amazing man, after watching him struggle in a previous relationship, and then finally seeing him happy...it was the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever been too. I cried more than I’ve ever cried at a wedding (and I’m not a big cryer). There’s a picture of him and his husband on that day, and they’re facing each other really close, not kissing but almost, and it’s an incredibly emotional picture, it just screams love from the page to me. So when my son was maybe 7 he started to say the word gay, picking it up from KZbin or school, I don’t know exactly. I have close gay friends, but I don’t often talk about them being gay or anyone else for that matter. So I sat him down and I showed him that picture and I asked him what he saw, and he explained it, two men close, and we talked about the love. I told him that is love, and that’s ALL that matters. Whether it’s a boy and boy a girl and boy, hell even a girl, girl and boy, love is love. And that picture, I swear, I wish everyone that’s learning about it could see it. It was so important to me that the first true thing he saw and had a conversation about it, was one that was about love. My friend was happy that I did that, I wasn’t trying to exploit him or use him, but even thinking of that picture and how much that relationship has brought to his life makes me emotional. And it isn’t about sex, intimacy yes, but sex wasn’t what I had to talk to my son about. It was about acceptance and seeing why that acceptance is so important, and seeing why that acceptance should be so obvious, that I wish we didn’t even have to keep talking about it like that, because how can you not accept love? Anyways, loved your discussion about this and I really agree and hope that she does take some action or just stops talking! 😊💜

[@adalynnvargo7589]

Honestly, that was a beautiful story and I hope you and your son have a wonderful life and please just continue spreading love.

[@theviewer6889]

If a kids show can have clearly obvious lesbians then a 12A/PG-13 film can have clear gay people.

[@ooooneeee]

Yeah it's like she's living in the 90s. Whereas we actually have shows like Steven Universe and Legend of Korra.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

In the Dragon Prince one of the neighbouring kingdoms just happens to have two queens who have a child together. No big deal is made out of it but it is there and it is very clear that they’re in a relationship. It shouldn’t be that hard to do something similar here.

[@verzeihturncoat27]

@@ooooneeee I will never accept Korra. But I can give you a different one for her. Luna Loud from "The Loud House"

[@verzeihturncoat27]

@@StarPichu12 Because we the audience know how she Acts when she is in love (even when she is alone) thanks to Mako and how she Acts if she is around People she likes but has no interest in thanks to Bolin. Korra does not act in love around Asami by her own characterization. Show don´t tell.

[@verzeihturncoat27]

@@StarPichu12 Yes I can because she did not Show affection for Asami

[@ViviCaligo]

If I have to look to interviews and tweets for character lore you've not done your job as a writer.

[@readstoomuch2070]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@superraegun2649]

I’m not sure how “it’s for children” is an excuse for not showing a gay relationship. This idea that we need to “pRoTEcT” our children from this stuff is outdated, ridiculous, and serves no purpose. Are people making that excuse assuming children are unaware that love exists? Because that’s all it is. LOVE. She has no trouble showing straight relationships in her stories. The idea that children shouldn’t be explicitly shown gay relationships was inserted into our society by people who were WorRiED that their children would somehow be more likely to be gay if they saw that stuff.

[@Rmlohner]

It stopped having any possible relevance with Steven Universe.

[@b.parker1740]

She has also been caught sharing and liking TERF nonsense on social media. I guess that's also why the bathroom news wasn't more progressive (in all seriousness though, her LGBT fear-mongering is ridiculous with her Twitter retcon history in mind).

[@mismismism]

Right? Kids see hetero sexuality everywhere even though they're too young to be engaging in that or understanding it, but it's there to normalize it. It's 2019 and they're still siding with the bigots, treating gays like vampires. The erasure of gays and treating them like threats to kids is the reason people still think it's a problem, it's so frustrating.

[@ladyaceina]

things changed with legend of korra and then steven universe and then she-ra and so many other shows theland scape has been rebuilt from the ground up she needs to get with the times

[@clayprent8753]

Yes but different people don’t want their children seeing things like that, and that is a parents’ right whether you like it or not. For example, a Christian mother has the right to not want to show her child an LGBT relationship in a movie. Said parent even has the right to teach her children that it’s wrong. It isn’t wrong, obviously, but parents can raise their kids however they want and that’s one of the main issues.

[@Fernandanatac]

I really like how you made your point and was extremely polite! I’m straight and I didn’t understand why the LGBT community was hating so much on JK. Now I can clearly understand why so many people are annoyed and frustrated and I agree with you! All your claims were on point! I just wish more people could explain things calm and politely like you, because when I see general “internet rage” I can’t take things seriously :\ nor can I precisely understand the complaints. So thank you ver much for this video!

[@bensjammin9]

They’re gay everywhere... except the books and films and all the actual canon content. Great video, as always.

[@ETLettuce]

Knowing that an iconic character like Dumbledore is gay. That makes me feel special, but it would be cool to have him actually confirmed as so within the series

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

The only thing about that is, Dumbledore seems to be single throughout the HP series, and he doesn’t have... I mean he has more interaction with Harry than with many students. But it’s not like he’s around him all the time, and there’s still a clear separation of “I’m the professor, you’re the student,” or “I’m the mentor, you’re the mentee,” going on. Having some natural feeling situation come up where it’s brought up, where it’s not shoehorned in would be difficult. If he was married or something, it would be different maybe. But it feels like a non sequitur to be like, “Oh yes, but see Harry, I do happen to be gay. I loved a man, and he turned out to be evil.” I always gave that reasoning a pass because the books was from Harry’s POV, so why... would he have talked about sexuality with Dumbledore? If he was gay and kind of having trouble, I could see confiding that it’s not a huge deal and great wizards can be gay, he himself is gay. Or whatever. But... I just don’t know how it would be brought up between this gay headmaster and straight student that isn’t sort of... a random throw away line (which.. it deserves to be treated better than that I think) or an odd oversharing situation. And speculation about if he’s gay or not would just feel... gross and slimy and gossipy and put him on the defensive, so what does that say about the topic? I’m a writer. I’m straight. My brother’s gay. I have a few gay characters here and there. Some of them, it’s not implicit because it’s not important to their role in the book, but just... something I know about them. With others, there needed to be a reason for it to be brought up, just like with straight and bi characters. I’ve thought about the Dumbledore being gay thing for a while and can’t really come up with a natural feeling conversation that’s not... super random. Because students don’t really talk to their principals or headmasters about the latter’s sexuality. I personally thought he might be asexual before it came out that JK felt he was gay. Again, though, it doesn’t really come into the books. He didn’t have a love interest at the time of the books, so why would it? Even in the Kings Cross scene, which would be the best shot to reference the truth of the matter, it would feel a bit of a throw away line, like he was confirming or refuting the various stories about him, and I’m not sure what the “lesson” or moral of it would be. If it doesn’t serve three purposes, it doesn’t deserve to stay in the story. So I can see why it wasn’t included. I just wish JK hadn’t stomped on us with authorial intent and allowed us to retain our own understandings of the writing, if she didn’t want it to be explicit. It bugs me when authors make it ambiguous on purpose and give us license to make a determination, then yank it away later because they just can’t stand it. It’s so unprofessional. Let the book GO. It’s gone. You’ve done it. Maybe do an updated and revised 20th Anniversary Edition if you MUST. But don’t keep adding footnotes about what you meant. It’s just not done.

[@gomamon8439]

Reading Deathly Hallows I felt it. The way Abeforth talked about Albus and Gellert and how he didn’t understand it.

[@vickief]

“Please stop talking.” 😂🤣 I couldn’t agree more.

[@theneonchimpchannel9095]

They show straight couples kissing, why not have Dumbledore kiss a man at some point?

[@ErinTheFennec]

or even just state that dumbledore has a photo of his younger self holding hands with grindelwald or something, heck she could have done something with the pensieve.

[@wynngwynn]

Most romances in movies are cringe, straight or otherwise so might as well go all out with Gandalf making out with Dumbledoor while the world burns around them and they take off in their phone booth.

[@Beastier]

It was because Johnny Depp wasn't down to kiss Jude Law.

[@Lazarou101]

@@Beastier Who the hell isn't down to kiss Jude Law ?

[@Lazarou101]

Or just have the reason as to why Dumbledore can't move against Grindlewald is because he's still in love with him. That's it.

[@Darth_Nycta_13]

Show, don't tell is essentially what you're saying here. Something not just Ms Rowling is guilty of doinf is telling but not showing and it needs to stop.

[@TheGeorgeD13]

This, exactly. Just show it, man. I'm a straight dude and one show that I've liked is The L Word. It really wouldn't work if their relationships in that show wasn't explicit.

[@FixTheWi-Fi]

So basically, you want more than just Word of God, you want to actually have it exist in the universe. I agree.

[@alexinabox6931]

I really just can't abide JK at this point. She won't let her most well-known series just end without being stupidly stretched. And she needs to stop using twitter, it's just upsetting really.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

Who else thinks Seamus and Dean hooked up? I can’t prove it but evidentially it’s just as valid as JK’s claim that Dumbledore was gay.

[@nbucwa6621]

Well the actors said they played their characters as gay and had a headcannon of them being in a relationship so yeah, just as valid as JK's claims.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

Interesting, I always kind of thought that they hooked up in seventh year. Seamus’ behaviour during book 6 always kind of screamed to me “my crush isn’t out of the closet and is still dating a girl”.

[@rowanmiller6035]

It's kind of ironic now that she also said they were together. She also said she didn't write it in the books because it wasn't important and would have distracted from the story. Considering that the books are full of unnecessary straight couples, though, I doubt that.

[@SamBuckyForever]

Wait what? Why am I just now hearing about this? This is being added to my head cannon right next to wolfstar.

[@Flareontoast]

Pretty sure Seamus' actor (hopefully I got this right) talked about Seamus and Dean being able to get married when gay marriage was legalized (I don't remember if it was about Ireland or England)

[@historymysteries4134]

Comment before video (I nearly wrote this on the previous HP video): As someone who lived in Britain when the books were being published, I find it far more plausible that Dumbledore was closeted in life. An out headmaster in the 90s would have been seen as overtly political and implausible. (Look at the dates on Section 28 and Nathaniel, you’ll remember the “gay agenda” DW was accused of having) However, there is an entire plot line in book 7 about revealing Dumbledore’s secrets and it should have been there if not in the book then in the movie. The more recent film was the perfect opportunity. If she couldn’t do in a film about Grindelwald, it will never happen. Also, this is why Albus/Scorpius is all the more galling. That is set now and that is more plausible because that was set up then not the ending.

[@VioletEmerald]

Great comment

[@quinnsinclair7028]

There is something to be said for her being unable to include it in the books due to british legislation of the time but she’s had dozens of opportunities since then and hasn’t done it. It’s galling.

[@fruitygarlic3601]

I don't want to detract from the message of the video, but I really like how the rhinestones on your shirt bring out the ones on your glasses. You look very put-together in this video especially. Can't relate.

[@tessawidenhofer]

Tbh any argument I’ve ever seen about why JKR does diversity the way she does falls completely flat once I remember that Rick Riordan exists. They both started out with a hit series that was very straight and very white (those obviously a lot of learning disability rep in PJO). But the thing is, once they realized that they didn’t have representation, they went about correcting it in totally different ways. JKR sends out tweets saying Dumbledore is gay and that the Goldstein family are Jewish without factoring that in when she creates new material for her universe. Rick Riordan, on the other hand? Here’s four POC protagonists. One of the most popular characters is gay and here’s his minor character bf. One of the most popular gods is explicitly bi. Cute old lesbians. There’s a Muslim girl. A transgender and gender fluid love interest. A pansexual lead. Both of these authors wrote highly successful fantasy series primarily targeted to kids that didn’t initially have a lot of diversity . But where JKR keeps refusing to add explicit meaningful representation to her world while insisting it exists, Rick Riordan acts. And if he can have all of these characters in his works, I don’t understand how people can defend JKR’s lack of action.

[@ElynevanOpzeeland]

this^ and i still don't get why Rick Riordans works are underrated!

[@clayprent8753]

Or how about you write actual characters instead of just sticking a label on them and that’s what they are. Rick Riordan does what he does terribly. He just wedges it in like badly written teen fiction. I like to read stories where a character just sorta happens to be who they are and it isn’t addressed or used as a part of the plot bc it’s just not important, and if that is important to the plot then it isn’t a story I would want to read.

[@kaichen04]

@@clayprent8753 How often is being White, straight or male fundamental to the plot?

[@briarrosegael2015]

Honestly, I've said this before, but Rick Riordan actually helped me realise that I was gay. Moreover, as someone who still struggles with self hatred it was amazing to see a character such as Nico. When I came to my realisation it was a dark time, but Nico and Will taught me gave me hope, and right now I'm in that weird semi state between being out and in the closet, but I'm trying to get over my shyness and be open about it. It's from the depths of my heart that I thank Riordan.

[@tessawidenhofer]

Terryl Ferris could you cite an example of this? I’m legitimately curious to know what you’re talking about. Admittedly, I haven’t read every book of his, but in the ones I have, all the representation has come across as natural and well done. But what did you find forced?

[@danielallen4450]

This just in: jk Rowling reveals, you, the reader, we're gay all along.

[@rojax_thevoicetm2385]

Proffesor X: And what's your mutation? J.K. Rowling: I can make any fictional character I want gay, after decades of proof to the contrary. Suddenly Gay Professor X: How interesting...

[@jessie8683]

It is said that whenever JK sneezes someone realizes they’re queer!

[@Lil-Dragon]

I think everyone is pleading with her to stop adding stuff and not going through with it in media. Just leave it be J.K please unless you do stuff like mentioned here. This from a friendly hufflepuff.

[@wildwesley9328]

KernowShinigamiViper Lil'Dragon Hello fellow Hufflepuff!

[@aurea.]

@@wildwesley9328 Hello, fellow Hufflepuffs!

[@jimkilbane5180]

I am also a hufflepuff.

[@joelthomas6517]

You know what pisses me off? It was always assumed to be an unrequited love that Grindelwald noticed and manipulated for his own gain. He made Dumbledore rationalize all the messed up things they might have to do on their way to power. But now it just frustrates me like crazy.

[@zacharyg.8691]

We all thought it, and he said it. Thank you, from a fellow fan, LGTBQ person and Slytherin.

[@lesley7137]

I completely agree. It is like when authors tell you one thing about a character but you as the reader see the complete opposite. Like, “the main character is a really edgy guy that has a lot of issues” but you see, “a pretty nice guy that has a few issues.” It’s like she said Dumbledore was gay but didn’t expect to actually have the opportunity to portray it, so she just said it without concocting a plan to how she would actually portray this side of dumbledore.

[@ryanhovey4251]

I want to believe that Dumbledore being gay was the truth. And she does say in her original interview that you wouldn't be able to have your book in schools if it had explicitly gay characters. But now her push for underdeveloped or outright nonexistent representation is a facade to keep relivent in a time where children and young adult media can have these explicit representations.

[@faristasairuv5143]

Not to mention, the movies are movies and therefore wouldn’t be in schools anyways.

[@slashandbones13]

How to train your dragon 3 comes closer to gay in the text than this ever did.

[@yugoxgc]

Phantom Representation is a depressingly fitting term to use here. Its not actually there but it hurts

[@Never_Really_Here]

Honestly, I don’t think she’s ever going to make it explicit.

[@Laurtew]

I agree. She's too afraid of parents refusing to take their children to see the movies. Which is a shame, really. If you are going to go all over the internet saying something about your characters, don't think people don't know you said it.

[@jay15951]

I shared this to Rowling's Twitter I hope she watches it. Though I wouldn't expect her to.

[@alexwright4930]

Maybe her PR people might?

[@quinnsinclair7028]

The weird thing is that I remember shortly after Rowling said that Dumbledore was gay a huge strip of fan interpreted this to mean that he and Grindlwald hooked up. Once that reached her ears she seemed almost horrified at the idea and quickly stomped on it by saying something to the effect of “Dumbledore’s feelings for Grindlwald contributed to his unwillingness to acknowledge the man’s darker nature but his feelings were never acknowledged and remain unrequited.” Now that it seems like people actually want them to have hooked up she’s changed it again to “No they definitely hooked up but I don’t really want to get into it.”

[@judymcclenny9549]

Who else here *hates* the necklace blood-pact McGuffin?

[@grinnylein]

I would be ok with it if it turns out that to Dumbledore it was just an excuse and will see him admit as much in the net movie

[@firefly927]

Thank you for mentioning asexuals!

[@stephanielim5544]

😂😂 yeah that's why i hate this relationship issues too. I mean can they just do cool stuff without having or being in a relationship?

[@Toxihex]

Yeah, and there's SO many people who think it's impossible for us to exist. It's so misunderstood, to the point where they think asexuals claim to be incapable of ejaculating. At this point we need proper biology representation because there's too many armchair philosophers who seem to think stuff like "it's only natural for men to be masculine and women to be feminine, that's how we've evolved, all women would be much happier as submissive and all men - as dominant", or a gem I read recently "the body's natural response to sex is pleasure", and although I doubt he meant it, it came out like rape is supposed to be pleasurable. Seriously, they think they know "facts" not even science claims to be close to having any answers for.

[@Toxihex]

@ULGROTHA Well, I have no clue wtf you just said, but if anything, our society is hypersexual. Sex sells, tinder thrives as a sex and not dating app, if you're a guy virgin by as much as high school you feel like a loser, porn makes mad money and is one of the biggest industries out there, I could go on and on. Who expects anyone to be asexual?

[@theviewer6889]

The only time an author should say 'this character is [insert whatever here]' should just be to clear up what is there (like if a character who lives in a time where the word doesn't exist so they don't use the word but are clearly LGBT+.).

[@katherinealvarez9216]

I remember this special about Harry Potter when the movies first came out, and there was Rowling with boxes of notes and sketches and now she just wants to tell us everything. I think she needs to hire an editor to look through all that, and they can give her advice to fill . Or she can just throw out the boxes and let someone else takeover.

[@jamilqureshi9647]

tbh I've always thought Dumbledore loved Grindelwald passionately but Grindelwald was manipulating Dumbledores love for his own benefit

[@DoctorSpectre9781]

As someone who is not apart of the LGBTQ+ community I agree with you I was actually waiting for this to be addressed in COG but it never happened and that pissed me off.

[@effeffiagonalick5078]

JK Rowling: [sees that people want Dumbledore's sexuality to be explicit] Hey did you all know that Dumbledore and Grindewald had the kinkiest sex?

[@aspenh5347]

I'm so disappointed in Rowling of late. So much so that I'm probably not going to watch the next installment of Fantastic Beast. I was saddend by the scene where all Dumbledore and Grin did was fucking touch hands as evidence in the second Beast movie.

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

But like, like, they looked at each other intensely and stuff. 😅

[@aspenh5347]

@@SunflowerSpotlight I guess that's the kind of "intense sexual relationship" they had LOL

[@aspenh5347]

@@Staceynainlab Yeah, you honestly didn't miss a whole lot plot point wise. A lot of it was just exposition and it was hard to keep up with all the jump cuts and perspective changes.

[@BlueEyedSlytherin]

Thank you for discussing this issue and wording it so beautifully. You're wonderful, don't stop being critical and honest.

[@jessali_]

I don't think it necessarily had to be in Crimes of Grindelwald because I'm sure they used that movie to simply establish that Dumbledore and Grindelwald were "somehow" connected, leaving the viewer (who is assumed to not know about the romantic relationship) wondering. One of the upcoming films is then going to have this "big" revelation that D and G used to be a couple. I think this is what they're building up to. Well, at least I'm HOPING for this to be the case. So I'm not mad at all for how their relationship was only very vaguely hinted at in Crimes of Grindelwald. It's for storytelling purposes. Ease into it, then drop the bombshell. Now, I WILL be mad if they're never going to actually drop the bombshell. I agree with everything you say about JKR and her false representation. She keeps talking about it, but it hasn't been explicitly shown so far. So it is indeed overdue to become actual text. Otherwise, she should just be quiet about it. As for the wording of her most recent statement: Ugh, why did she have to bring up the sexual component? Would she have done it if we were talking about Newt and Tina? "Oh, there was a sexual component to their relationship". Harry Potter was never about sex. Why does she have to bring it up when talking about the only same-sex couple? 😒

[@granthill9796]

I would like point out that the era in which these films are set, gay men were rarely open about their sexuality due homosexual behaviour still being considered criminal. It was an awful time to be LGBTQ+. I understand the need for validation and agree with the argument in principal, however this is only the second of a series of five films by my understanding and a romance is often not confirmed until the final act. As we are talking about love rather than just sex, this may be a more subtle build and perhaps a little patience will be needed. After all, it took more than two movies for Ron to admit his feelings for Hermione

[@charlestownsend9280]

Either do it or don't really sums it up, if you are going to say that a character is something (lgbt or anything else) you have to actually show it not just keep saying it or it is meaningless. But the fact that it isn't being shown is a worrying sign (the romance between a villain and the person who will eventually defeat him, how is that not focus on at all? If this was a straight relationship it would be a main plot point, in the marketing, etc) and one of the reasons that i haven't even bothered to see the second fantastic beasts film yet and not caring to see the next however many films.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

charles townsend Literally if Grindlwald was female the fact that he and Dumbledore used to be a couple would have been in the damn trailer. Something about “how can you face down someone you used to love and say ‘this ends now’”

[@SammySatine]

I whole heartedly agree with you on this. I hope she does show us in the next movie. I really do. On a side note, I’m glad that the t-shirt fit. It definately suits you. 🙂.

[@Paula-hg5ui]

THIS is exactly what I've been saying to any other HP fan I know, and only after I explain this, they understand my rage, and share it.

[@isorivers3590]

Preach! Preach! Preach! As an author and creator myself I have found it disingenuous for her to comment post facto on her work. As far as I am concerned, if you wrote something and most of the readership missed it you didn't do your job correctly. At that point you either need a rewrite or a secondary clarifying work. I read Harry Potter after her comments were released and thought "Ok , I can see it." But if she was so outspoken about it, it makes her look bad that she is refusing to represent it now. Not in an adult way, but in a real way. Her secondary clarifying work also needed a clarification? That doesn't work. Swim or get out of the pool. I personally appreciate when authors don't get heavy handed with the sexual part of a relationship, but that goes for all relationships represented in media for me. If she is going to harp on it after the fact it needs to be more involved in her work.

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

Yes, THIS!! I’m a writer, working on moving to “author.” I really got into reading after I started reading Harry Potter, so I will always feel really... indebted to JK for creating that world and letting us take a look around it. But she really needs to accept that the series is over now. It’s been printed. She let it go a long time ago. It’s over. She’s stretched authorial intent in ways it’s not supposed to be manipulated! You don’t just... leave something ambiguous and give the reader the agency to decide for themselves and then snatch it back, sometimes years later. You’re forcibly bringing the story back to peoples’ minds, and not in a good way, when you do that! It’s just not done. It’s not professional. If you can’t handle the idea of it, don’t do it. But continuing to pepper people with these details is insane! There’s invisibly a lot of energy on the topic still, so why not stop circling the drain and apply it to the Founders or even the friggin Mauraders? I don’t mind her not really having Dumbledore talk to Harry about his sexuality. Because... what healthy headmaster-student relationship is close enough that you’d discuss that? When you’re also not even in a relationship with someone for it to be brought up? If Dumbledore was married and Gerald was waiting at home, or would be pissed because the extra time spent with Harry in the pursuit of horcruxes would mean another night they’d not have dinner together, that might be a somewhat natural, if cliche way to bring it up. So I’m totally fine with that. It was apropos of nothing and didn’t move the plot forward. And if she wants to have some appendixes added to a new edition of the book or just have a version of A History of Hogwarts that gives us random info, sure. But hitting people over the head on her Twitter all the time is just horrible. It basically gives the “they disappeared their stool before the advent of indoor plumbing,” about the same amount of important as “there were Jewish wizards,” which... makes one not at all important or makes the other way more important. A reader should be able to pick up the books and read them and have a complete understanding of the books. If they can’t do that, if they really need her Twitter or Pottermore, or both, she has failed. So either none of this added stuff is important and she’s wasted everyone’s time (including hers), or she has failed. It’s weird. I’m trying to suss out all the rules of writing and, less discussed, how writers work and act. I think I’m getting a better idea of the landscape. And then, off in the corner, JK is Tweeting and expecting applause... it’s extremely frustrating as both a writer and fan of the world of Harry Potter.

[@isorivers3590]

@@SunflowerSpotlight Absolutely to all of this. I like it when authors leave a little ambiguity. But, as you said, once they leave it they don't get to claim it back in unconventional routes *cough* Twitter *cough* That being said, she is the richest author of all time (money coming from the book and franchise) so there must be something to her behavior...

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

Iso Rivers That’s a good point. Although, the books that made her all that money were written before this behavior started, or at least before it picked up steam. She tried mysteries and that didn’t go so well, and she makes me think of someone who was amazing at football in college, but got injured before they got to play professionally and they just... get stuck remembering the good times and don’t work in their present reality well at all. I’d dearly love it if she’d just let the HP books lie, just sit where she left them, and work on another book. There’s a huge world she made, so why not revisit it in another area of the world, maybe include some legends from the area, suss out truth from fiction. Or different eras. Some more suspicious types have told me she’s tried her hand at screenwriting because of the HP movies making so much money, so why go back to writing books or get a smaller check just overseeing the work of someone else (though she did do that with Cursed Child)? Maybe cutting out the middle man and writing the Fantastic Beasts movies is less about control and more about milking the Wizarding World for all it has, down to the last bronze knut. It sucks that she’s sort of flailing about and causing so much damage to the brand, but I guess it goes to show, even the best and most talented can mess up a great situation, especially if they don’t have people telling them “no, that isn’t a good idea.” She seems a bit too proud of being able to “mute” people for her, and the brand’s, own good. It’s deeply frustrating. 😅

[@isorivers3590]

@@SunflowerSpotlight That is a good point. JK is really pushing boundaries and finding new roads. There isn't really a handbook to how to handle everything she has. She is in new territory and doing some great things and some not great things. But she is figuring it out. It seems she needs a few down to earth friends who she can run things past before airing it to the world.

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

Iso Rivers Yeah, I definitely think some feedback from people she can trust to be brutally honest with her would benefit the situation. I mean, even in my vastly different situations, sometimes I can’t tell a great idea from a seemingly random one that is too radical, that doesn’t fit the tone well. I need time away from it, to come back with it without the glow of inspiration. I need people to bring me back to reality, lol. I don’t know where I’d be without my writing group and beta readers. I do know I’d have a thinner skin and less critical thinking skills. The odds were so against HP being a tremendous success that... I mean it must be surreal (and I hate the overuse of that word!) to wake up and realize “Oh yeah, not only did it get published, but it was a huge success and I’m a billionaire.” Retaining friends through that kind of change might not be possible. But the advice of someone who can tell you the truth and keep you on track is so necessary, when one Tweet that’s just a bit too far can lead to being cancelled by everyone. I really hope that she ends up getting someone into that role for her; not only would it help the image of the brand, but if she could put all that energy into producing something else, that would revitalize fans of the wizarding world, because then we could all enjoy going back to it for something new, rather than additions or amendments. We can only hope! I wish you the best of luck with your writing. It’s not easy to contain worlds, or to know that if you don’t fight for your characters to exist on the page, no one will. But it’s certainly an adventure.

[@weirdandproudofit1]

This was such a heartfelt video... and it hits the nail on the head. I feel constantly heartbroken and like she has manage to take something vital from me, which has been part of my identity since I was a child.

[@Katherine_The_Okay]

Rowling's conduct over all of this just drives me nuts. When she first "outed" Dumbledore, my girlfriend and I were like "yeah, duh. what's your point?" and that would have been the end of it if not for all this Fantastic Beasts nonsense (which pissed me off on a whole other level since I love Newt and other non-action male heroes but the series is a massive train wreck). I don't *require* representation in all the works I read; I don't even require all representation to be positive. What I do expect is, that if you make a point of stating in public and then continuing to claim that a character is gay, that you portray it. Why is it okay for Ron and Lavender to constantly try to eat each other's faces off, but not okay for Dumbledore to admit that he loved Grindlewald when he was younger and more innocent? Or that (in true Harry Potter fashion) love never truly dies?

[@Laurtew]

It also feels like she's cool with showing Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, or Tonks/Remus and calling it love, but she keeps acting like Dumbledore/Grindlewald is just sex and not on the same level. Which is very not cool.

[@beansprout6138]

First video I have ever seen from you. I see so much sincerity and I really like how professional and emotionally sensitive. I really enjoyed this video. And I look forward to more of your work.

[@annabanana7659]

'That characteristic of that certain character was what I was going for! . . . I just forgot to write it in!' -J.K. Rowling I did love Harry Potter. I fell in love with the world and liked -most- of the characters. But sadly, the author herself is slowly destroying her own canonical universe by trying to fill in with topics that are relevant in the present time. Person: 'There's no gay character' Rowling: Dumbledore but it will be so vague that it's almost unreal. Person: There are no Jewish characters. Rowling: Oh Anthony is but he will play only a minor role. (I actually have no qualm with this but she could've just said 'there are but their beliefs aren't that important to the plot') Person: Hermione is black???? Rowling: I never stated Hermione's race (although it's pretty clear in the book that she's caucasian as well as the book covers that I approved) I understand that people will want representation especially during times like this but Rowling will try to please everyone in order to stay relevant. If she wanted a character to have that trait, then she should make a NEW character, not twist up an existing one because that will create inconsistency and that is a rookie mistake. Oh and, #SlytherinPride : I'm still salty af that Rowling stated that not ALL Slytherins are evil but conveniently didn't specify even a single named snake with good intentions. -Snape doesn't count-

[@gokairedwillcipher]

All my Slytherins where u all at?

[@ZuriElysium27]

I feel the exact same way and have been struggling to explain that to people. I was willing to accept Dumbledore as gay when the books were over because it made sense and the subtext seemed like enough. She had all these papers on her old website of things that were planned but never happened. I was fine with it. But now? I cant accept the way this has been handled by her. Maybe it's because I've realized I am lesbian and I've gotten more and more into gay culture since that original announcement. Not sure.

[@Lia-uf1ir]

I think the biggest reason is that it is a series of films published by a film Company that is very interested to get as much Screenings as possible, also in countries where LGBTQ+ is seen as uncomfortable or illegal, like China, a very big market Right now. So in order to still be able to Show the films, These themes are being toned down.

[@CouncilofGeeks]

It doesn’t matter why. She needs to stop saying it’s real without making it real. Regardless of the reason.

[@TheDav580]

Stop making excuses for her.

[@TonksMoriarty]

She has full creative control over the films...

[@rowanc88]

Just cut the scenes for that market then.

[@Lia-uf1ir]

@@TonksMoriartyIf she did, why would she write entire Scenes which are then deleted or even never filmed even though they are important?

[@greasyhair5754]

I hate all these after thought stuff! Please just stick to your book! If there was something that you gave evidence towards but the fans didn't notice then point it out but don't just randomly come out and say this stuff! What's one of the number one fiction writer rules? Show don't tell.

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

I do hate how she leaves things ambiguous to give us license to decide, and rips it away because she just can’t STAND it and has to have the final say after all. Let it GO! Gaaah! Her grip on “authorial intent” is insane! If it doesn’t improve the story and do multiple things (move the plot forward, build the world, help you understand the character better, etc) it doesn’t need to be in the story. It’s why she didn’t have it in the book in the first place. So stop adding and changing and taking away our agency as readers, years and years after the fact! We shouldn’t have to read her Twitter and Pottermore to have a complete understanding of the Harry Potter books. Maybe that needs to be... in the Harry Potter books. I love the story. I will always love her for creating it and letting us experience it. But she is just... slowly destroying it by not just letting it go and moving on.

[@greasyhair5754]

@@SunflowerSpotlight you read my mind!

[@readstoomuch2070]

I honestly feel the same. Harry Potter was such a huge part of my childhood and development. The first Harry Potter movie came out when I was in 3rd grade and I fell in LOVE with it. The first four books were out already at the time and my parents bought me the box set with those four books in paperback form and I read those books to death. They are torn everywhere, the spines are broken and some of the front covers and back covers have fallen off, and I'm missing pages in some of them because they got so loose, they fell out. My copy of the The Goblet of Fire is literally in two pieces. The next 3 books in the series after that I purchased in hardcover but I also read those so much that the books are all messed up as well. I had the movies, the coloring books, stickers, backpacks, CD soundtracks, Harry Potter themed candy, Harry Potter themed jewelry, I even had a journal that had all black pages that you had to write in white or in bright colored gel pens to even see your writing and everytime you would open the journal after using the key to unlock it, it would scream like that book Harry opens in one of the movies in the restricted section, etc. My first introduction to the world of fan fiction was stumbling upon it by accident when I was googling Harry Potter. I remember crying my eyes out when everybody started dying in the books and I remember watching the Deathly Hallows part one in theatres and having to cry in the bathroom for like an hour because there was only one more movie left and my childhood was ending (I was also getting close to graduating high school at the time and I was going through major life changes so I was VERY emotional at the time). My best friend never understood why I had such a connection to the series and when she moved far away from me for college, I let her borrow my extra copies of the books (yes I have backups of them) and she became obsessed and has a deathly hallows tattoo now. Despite all of this, I was hesitant when J.K. started expanding the world with fantastic beasts and with the cursed child. As much as I loved the series, I felt like it should have just ended with the 7 books and the 8 movies and I refuse to read the cursed child and watch the fantastic beast movies to this day. It doesn't help that J.K. keeps saying stupid shit to sound woke. I haven't reread the books in years, but I want to again so I can go back to that place of wonder I felt as a child when reading the books and watching those movies without all this bullshit J.K. is trying to pull. She needs to stop but if she continues, then she needs to show and not just tell. It was a different social and political climate at the time when the books were first written. I remember her books were even banned in some schools and they would publicly light her books on fire and burn them because people thought witchcraft and magic was satanic and against god. Now imagine if she had openly gay characters in them at the time. She would have been crucified. The reason she goes by J.K. Rowling is because at the time, female authors still weren't fully respected at the time and books wouldn't always sell. She had all white, straight characters because that's what would sell and what was accepted at the time. And that's fine. She had to conform to those ideals and that's fine. HOWEVER, if she now feels that she wasn't inclusive in her writing at the time and feels being inclusive now, why doesn't she just rewrite the books, instead of spewing a bunch of bullshit that was never hinted at in her books? Or make things more obvious in the new fantastic beasts series by showing instead of telling now that the social and political climate is soooo much more accepting now? There's so many discrepancies between what she says and what was written in the books, not just in regards to sexual orientations, but with other things as well (Hermione's skin color, etc.,). She's fucking up the series, her image, and the franchise. She needs to STOP. All this fame is going to her head and she thinks she can get away with anything, and it's up to us, the fans, to let her know that what she is doing is wrong and not okay. A few extra brownie points isn't worth losing such a huge fan base.

[@mrpink627]

This was said very poignantly and passionately. It was a great watch and I agree with you entirely. 🐍🖤

[@RedRobinYum1998]

Great video! I love your respect and professionalism, but also how straightforward and honest you are. I hope she sees this!

[@DioBrandoWRYYYYYY]

I personally don't believe that she actually intended Dumbledore to be gay originally and she just said that because it was a convenient explanation after the fact if any fans would ask why the most powerful and highly esteemed wizard of the era did not have a family and at the same time it was also a thing that scored J.K. easy brownie points with her, let's face it, very left leaning fandom and this has snowballed in to her making other pointless virtue signaling gestures like black Hermione in that terrible play.

[@odile8701]

James F. Fortengard she didn’t hire a black actress for the play, the casting director did. She simply took to Twitter to say she was fine with it, because people were saying it was disrespectful to her and her character.

[@DioBrandoWRYYYYYY]

@@odile8701 that doesn't really change the fact that it was a lame, bad and transparent example of injecting "diversity" in a place where the original text didn't reflect that at all and ends up being a pointless and gaudy example of virtue signaling.

[@Laurtew]

@@odile8701 - No, she didn't cast the actress, but she did say she never said Hermione was white. When she has a line in her book that talks about Hermione's white face. She jumped on that and tried to say that Hermione could have been a POC when she wasn't.

[@marq6929]

Well put! Thank you! I hope she does see this and consider it.

[@Sarah-cn6fn]

Queerbaiting really pisses me off, and watching jk rowling, an author i respected and loved, do it so blatantly... idk man it makes me mad

[@AceOThorns]

Sometimes, things just need to be said, even if the person the words are directed to never hears them. Hopefully, these get heard, because it MATTERS.

[@CatHasOpinions734]

Thank you. I don't always judge creators for implying more representation than they actually depict (I feel like the ending of Korra is a good example of creators intending for that to be there but being knee-capped), and I think it's ok for authors to have their own head canons, but it doesn't count as Representation of you aren't bothering to actually Represent it in the canon work, and that's what Rowling seems oblivious of.

[@AznPhoenix95]

Legend of Korra is completely different though. The authors have written comics for the series that takes place after the show and Korra is very explicitly in a relationship with Asami. They followed through, JK however...well did not.

[@CatHasOpinions734]

@@AznPhoenix95 True, but even if they hadn't I wouldn't judge them, because they didn't make the decision not to depict it more explicitly in the show.

[@AnaFariaable]

you are very eloquent and I never want to disappoint you. Ever. I think I'd cry.

[@Hecatonicosachoron]

"Oh Ron, stop, stop, stop, you're saying it wrong. It's TruVAAAHda not TruvaDAAAH"

[@KrimzonFlygon1]

You know what would have been just plain funny? Dumbledore and Grindlewald in a bowling alley, all the Muggles/No-Maj are hypnotized are something and just standing in a trance, with Dumbledore just casually playing as they discuss their evil plans. Like "Oh yeah! According to his card, Dumbledore likes bowling!"

[@mathieuleader8601]

an actual good theory Jacob Kowalski is a late-bloomer a type of wizard that only develops magical skills as an adult or later that supposed to this concept was originally meant to appear in the Harry Potter books was abandoned this is why Jacob is able to see Hogwarts Castle in the crimes of Grindlewald

[@notAshildr]

Can he really see Hogwarts though?

[@mathieuleader8601]

yes @@notAshildr

[@richardbourton4523]

As I understood it, I thought muggles can see Hogwarts perfectly fine, but it's unplottable, so they can't find it or put it on a map.

[@cupkate23]

Great video, couldn’t agree more. Just found your channel but I think I’m staying. Love ❤️

[@jeangentry6656]

I approach this from a different view, being that I am not a Potterhead. My question/concern is more from a storytelling perspective- how does revelations about a character's past or personal life impact the story? How does it impact character arc and development? That is the biggest concern to me. I don't care if a character was in an intense love/sex relationship- I care about what that relationship did to characters involved, how it changed them into the characters you encounter in the main work. This reminds me in many ways of when Disney said Lefou was gay in the Live Action version of Beauty and the Beast- they dropped this revelation, but didn't actually DO anything with it. It's like they thought just saying "hey everyone, Lefou's gay!" was enough. There was no significance to it story telling wise.

[@CouncilofGeeks]

Two things here. The first is that, in regards to Harry Potter specifically, one of the biggest names in the narrative supposedly (according to the author and thus far not supported by the text in any significant way) had a deep and significant homosexual attraction if not love affair with the primary villain of the new series of films. Both characters appear and yet this has still not been made plain. I have a hard time picturing how this isn't incredibly relevant. But speaking more broadly, while I appreciate your attention to narrative relevance, I often find it troubling that this is frequently demanded of character's sexuality ("if it's not important, don't bring it up" is often said of homosexuality despite the fact that heterosexuality is casually confirmed all the time) but rarely of any other detail. Is a character's eye or hair color really plot relevant? What about a scene of inter-character bonding that doesn't move the story forward? Do we cut that too? Does it matter that Luke wanted to go to Toshi Station for power converters? Is it important that Indiana Jones outran a boulder while going after a treasure that has nothing to do with the overall plot of Raiders of the Lost Ark? Does it really matter that Tony Stark was a rampant womanizer at the start of Iron Man anymore than being a drunk and general partier? Yet relevance is never demanded of these kinds of details. Yet it is frequently demanded of a character being anything other than cisgender and heterosexual.

[@jeangentry6656]

@@CouncilofGeeks Perhaps I did not express myself clearly. I do not mind if a character is not straight, nor am I calling for a suppression or erasure by not acknowledging it. My concern is if revealing personal details (regardless of orientation) helps plot or character development, motivation, etc. If being in a relationship changed a character, explain how. It looks to me that these revelations about characters are just dropped in and not used to actually develop a character's story. "Dumbledore is gay and an intense romantic/sexual relationship with Grindlewald". Ok, and what now? What did that to/for either character? How did it impact them, change them? You mentioned Tony Stark and his womanizing and drinking. Those personal details ARE important, because they are used and explored as Tony changes. He isn't a playboy or a womanizer for hell of it, both have narrative purpose and play into his overall character arc. As for eye/hair color, etc, those are important because those are visual narrative. For example, red hair is visual narrative/short hand for a fiery personality. It's not for nothing that Jean Grey, container of the Phoenix Force, is a redhead. Jean has a fiery spirit, which what attracts The Phoenix to her.

[@GayLoveKicksAss]

@@Aldurtz Spot on!! You said everything I feel about this but didn't know how to say it

[@DragonRaiderX9]

This is the first video of yours I've found, and I confess I'm interested in viewing more now. Your points were well made. I'd like to posit an additional reason as to why it should become text, one that occurred to me just recently. The idea that Dumbledore's love for Grindelwald prevented him from taking very necessary actions and allowed innocents to come to harm juxtaposes interestingly with older Dumbledore's insistence about the strength of love and how it was the power to put your faith in against evil. This, to me, would make an excellent narrative beat to explore with the character in the prequel movies. Mind you, it's a bit late to do that now. But point stands.

[@TuesdaysFool]

Okay I know this is completely off topic and I totally agree with the video but your rainbow ring is fabulous and amazing and I want it so badly xD

[@darthbilbo]

Wonderful video, as always! So heartfelt and personal! Thank you! :)

[@tiredbylife.5589]

Queer-baiting, race-baiting. JK Rowling has been the queen at talking about diversity, but not putting it into writing.

[@Kwistoweeish]

Very collected, respectful, and straightforward: well said.

[@christopherkirtley8715]

Simple. She's just making shite statements to sound woke in 2019

[@siginotmylastname3969]

Or the savvy advertising take: she's making deliberate blunders while claiming to be woke, and feeding off the attention.

[@christopherkirtley8715]

@@siginotmylastname3969 of course but it's still negative attention. Harry Potter has been saturated with attention. All that is happening is she is getting disliked

[@ooooneeee]

She's been doing that for years. This is merely the straw that brings the camel's back.

[@musicsaves71590]

Also, all of this is the reason I love the McElroys. They are willing to put their ally-ship in the text of their work and when they messed up they LISTENED and fixed it and did better.

[@verzeihturncoat27]

Death of the Author. After the Author put out the work their word is just as viable as any observer.

[@zuckellaoderso9363]

This video should be so much more viral. Thank you for putting it into words

[@theshadowdirector]

The tweet seems to imply the relationship was more mutual and stronger than what was said before? I always had the impression that it was more one sided on Dumbledore's part.

[@ElynevanOpzeeland]

+

[@fruitygarlic3601]

I agree. Was it a poor wording choice or a full retcon?

[@VioletEmerald]

I agree. It's vague enough that maybe she just meant Dumbledore had one-sided sexual attraction. But.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

When she first said he was gay people came back with “so he and Grindlwald hooked up?” And she responded “What, no, where’d you get that idea? Um, He loved Grindlwald but it was one sided.” But now all these years later when she’s facing more of a backlash for it it’s changed to “no they definitely hooked up but I don’t want to get into it.”

[@alexandriaherring2759]

One of the most well articulated and respectful arguments (on anything) that I have ever seen. I agree wholeheartedly and thank you for taking the time. :)

[@PhantomAngelofMusic]

I'd seen this on my recommended videos for a little bit, and kinda hemmed and hawed about it but I'm glad I did. As a Slytherin, as a bi genderfluid person... I felt like I was the only one screaming into the void, waiting for her to put her foot down, and put her money where her mouth is. Ms. Rowling needs to put up, or shut up! P.S. Instant subscriber here.

[@laravincent5659]

That sigh at the beginning is a MOOD

[@munkyzzb7504]

As you pointed out with all the tons of characters. There is no lgbtq characters in the books or the movies. It's actually kinda weird like she is going out of the way not to do it. I would be fine if she had never said anything at all. Even if there were no LGBT characters it would be fine with me, but why bring it up and do this. Weird.. IDK