Dumbledore gay? How did this notion come about?

Well.... it's probably not that surprising that you didn't see it. Most heterosexual people haven't programed their brains to see the subtext. There are plenty of descriptions about Dumbledore throughout the book that could be implied to be subtle hints that he was gay, but also that did not have to be seen that way.

For me, personally, reading the 7th book, there was no doubt. At least, there was no doubt that he had a relationship with Grindelwald. The way she wrote that relationship implied that there was more to it than just friendship, and Dumbledore being in love with Grindelwald illuminates a lot of Dumbldore's actions in his younger years.

I certainly believe she had this thought in mind about the character throughout the books, and she specifically mentioned Dumbledore/Grindelwald as proof. I'm not surprised she didn't mention it during the books. When would it have made sense to specifically make a big deal out of him being gay in the books? Then the books would have been over shadowed by the "gay character." Instead, everyone got to know Dumbledore as Dumbledore, the best Wizard ever, the kind mentor, instead of seeing him as Dumbledore, "the gay wizard."

I think it makes perfect sense to say it now, and to not have had the character be defined by that in the books. It is a cry for acceptance, isn't it, to have people find out later a character they love was always gay? People already loved him, why love him less now? I'm glad Jo had the guts to tell people. She could have sat on that secret forever, to avoid the backlash.

my 2 cents.

J.K Rowling who created the HP universe stated Dumbledore's preferences during a Q&A session long after Book 7 sold boat loads. Its entirely possible she had no intentions of making him such, which is why there is no solid evidence for it, and only did it as an afterthought, as a case of CYA, since there is no hint of anyone else in all 7 books being gay.

I personally agree with an Editorial I read in either Time or Newsweek the week after JK made her announcement in which the author accused her of playing it safe until all the books sold, and pulling a bait and switch, by ascribing him the feature of sexual preferernce, when for 7 years + he'd essentially been an Asexual character. and that in hindsight with this feature in place his closeness, fondness, and attention to Harry takes on a different tone.

also Had she had the brass it would have been far more benificial to the Gay Community to forthright w/ his traits, or simply kept him the asexual individual, and made casual asides about supporting and background characters being GLBT, Now I've seen the Films,but not read the books, but from what I've seen considering the size of Ron's family, maybe go with one of the underutilized brothers, or even one of the twins (seriously, as far as the films anyway, they were essentially the same character, why not split the difference, make one gay, one straight and have them double date w/ a Fraternal twin pairing.)

In all honesty, I believe that the Harry Potter hype was dying down a bot. The books were done. All the fans had finished the new book and it was done.... I think she just wanted to spark some stuff up again. It has NOTHING to do with the story. At all. And I'm like you. I NEVER picked up on ANYTHING like that. To be honest, I always thought he had a thing for McGonagall and vice versa! But apparently I was WAY off! Lol. But yeah I agree with you. I didn't pick up on it! I've read them all, own them all, own the movies... Never saw it coming. Its just a pointless thing she did to get people talking again.

In a "Question and Answer" session at Carnegie Hall, JK Rowling announced it herself.

The question was: Did Dumbledore, who believed in the prevailing power of love, ever fall in love himself?

JKR: My truthful answer to you... I always thought of Dumbledore as gay. [ovation.] ... Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald, and that that added to his horror when Grindelwald showed himself to be what he was. To an extent, do we say it excused Dumbledore a little more because falling in love can blind us to an extent? But, he met someone as brilliant as he was, and rather like Bellatrix he was very drawn to this brilliant person, and horribly, terribly let down by him. Yeah, that's how I always saw Dumbledore. In fact, recently I was in a script read through for the sixth film, and they had Dumbledore saying a line to Harry early in the script saying I knew a girl once, whose hair... [laughter]. I had to write a little note in the margin and slide it along to the scriptwriter, "Dumbledore's gay!" [laughter] "If I'd known it would make you so happy, I would have announced it years ago!"

There was no mention of his sexuality in the books, but J.K. Rowling said that he was gay in a Q&A a few weeks ago, I believe. She was responding to a question about his love life.

JK Rowling (the author) said it.

Google her for interviews about it.

I wonder who is giving thumbs downs to the people who answered correctly?

I guess Ms. Rowling could have made HARRY gay if she wanted to....she IS the person who created all of this.

JK Rowling said it in her interview. Dumbledore is gay. Hard to believe, eh??

im agreeing with you

did you think she just picked a random character to be gay just for the hell of it???

On "people" magazine she announced it and that he was crushing on his arch enemy "Grundle-something or another" I forget. just GOOGLE it.