Director David Yates revealed on Wednesday that Dumbledore’s sexuality will “not explicitly” be addressed in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald — a decision that has left many fans outraged.
For a series that preaches inclusion and acceptance, J.K. Rowling does a bad job of practicing it in her writing. This five-part film series is leading up to the battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald — a battle that was complicated by, in Rowling’s words, Dumbledore being in love with Grindelwald. It’s an epic plot point that only adds to the story’s intrigue. So why the fuck is Dumbledore’s sexuality still not being “explicitly” addressed?
This, mind you, comes after fans watched Albus and Scorpius in The Cursed Child get quiiiiiite close to each other only to get no-homo’d at the very end.
We are tired of representation being hidden away, and we’re ready to see J.K. Rowling acknowledge it in canon already.
But that won’t be in Crimes in Grindelwald. Nope, one of the things that makes the Dumbledore/Grindelwald arc SO INTERESTING HOW DO YOU NOT SEE THAT JO is gonna happen later… I guess. Maybe it’ll be in the next movie, due out in 2020. Or maybe the one in 2022. Or 2024. Who knows! Yeah sure, we can wait! Life is great right now. We don’t mind waiting! We don’t need to see representation and equality in pop culture right now! … … … …
You see, this is why waiting longer is bullshit: At this point in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World (the 1920s), Dumbledore’s friendship with Grindelwald is over. His love for Grindelwald is probably not what it once was. But yes, the love was there, as J.K. Rowling said at an event in 2007. This seems like a thing to mention in The Crimes of Grindelwald, like how Rowling hinted in FB1 that Newt was in love with Leta. We get a hint about a straight couple but not a hint about a gay couple? K.
Adding to the problems: Yates used “fans already know he’s gay” as an excuse to not put the information in Fantastic Beasts 2. That is a shitty way of bailing yourself out of explaining why his sexuality is not addressed.
Anyway, I’m not the only one who’s annoyed by this. Twitter was on fire Wednesday afternoon with reaction to the upsetting news:
This sucks. This is the perfect moment to openly portray Dumbledore as the gay wizard he's always been and they're just LETTING IT PASS BY.
— Sarah Sterling (@SarahSterling_) January 31, 2018
I have never in my life been so embarrassed to be a Harry Potter fan. https://t.co/OiiPRAz05G
— SammyG (@aSammyG) January 31, 2018
“the fans are aware of that” – NOT GOOD ENOUGH. the dumbledore/grindlewald backstory was literally the only thing keeping me interested in fantastic beasts. guess now i don’t have to bother going to the theater ?? https://t.co/z3ud5lQ2QM
— kara kennedy (@karaaislinn) January 31, 2018
I swear, every passing day reinforces my decision to not go and see Fantastic Beasts in cinemas ??? https://t.co/mEq0iAEDsJ
— Donya Abramo (@virtual_don) January 31, 2018
DUMBLEDORE: I don't like labels, Minerva.
— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) January 31, 2018
The rest of the incredibly talented FANTASTIC BEASTS does *not* deserve to go down with this ship.
— Patrick Crossen (@patrickcrossen_) January 31, 2018
Yates goes on to stress that Dumbledore and Grindelwald "fell in love with each other's ideas, and ideology, and each other". All very platonic ideal, just two guys at symposium, nothing earthly. These people are so squeamish about penises touching, I swear to god.
— Connor Goldsmith (@dreamoforgonon) January 31, 2018
this franchise is so fucking smug about how ~inclusive~ and ~progressive~ it is while routinely shutting out anyone who isn't a cishet white person.
— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) January 31, 2018
we DID "watch this space" and she just showed us what was in it. which was fucking nothing. ? pic.twitter.com/B7JTZomgJ8
— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) January 31, 2018
JKR doesn't do anything remotely revolutionary explicitly, she just waits until shit's over and done with and then pops up like "BTW DUMBLEDORE WAS GAY" "BTW LIKE MAYBE HERMIONE COULD HAVE BEEN A WOC?" ""There is a Jewish student in Hogwarts. I mentioned his name once!" yawn
— Eduardo Leão (@fk_eduardo) January 31, 2018
Characters can be gay as long as they don't date and their sexuality is never explicitly stated. Are we supposed to be grateful for this kind of representation?
— Lucy M. (@Tea_Faerie) January 31, 2018
This decision is fucking bonkers. Portraying a conflicted Dumbledore as he chases down his ex-lover, who has become someone he no longer recognizes, could only serve to enhance the plot.
I quit.
— ?Cherie Heiberg? (@digitalgain) January 31, 2018
"we COULD mention he's gay but everyone already knows so why SHOULD we"
straight people are the worst
— Spooky Alice ? (@timelessalice) January 31, 2018
Mom, dad, I like men but not in a way that's too explicit for the international box office
— Jackson McHenry (@McHenryJD) January 31, 2018
First they robbed us of a Law/Farrell pairing and now they're just gonna make it not happen at all. FFS.
— Cardi B Captor Sakura? (@salmattos) January 31, 2018
for TEN YEARS jkr has been criticized for her lack of commitment to portraying dumbledore as a gay man. she was finally handed her chance on a silver platter, knowing that FB2 is literally too big to fail, and threw that chance away?? ?
— kara kennedy (@karaaislinn) January 31, 2018
"Let's randomly turn Fantastic Beasts into a five-part Dumbledore/Grindelwald story without acknowledging that the ENTIRE reason the Dumbledore/Grindelwald relationship is complex is because they were in love." pic.twitter.com/0LqxGbVLY5
— Caroline Siede (@CarolineSiede) January 31, 2018
It's 2018 @jk_rowling. Drop Depp and make it gay. https://t.co/4DrqRL8uGi
— Kyra Bee??️? (@Kyrathion) January 31, 2018
@jk_rowling my heart is a little broken that we won't get explicit representation of a lead LGBTQ character in such a huge movie — this would have been perfect. really hoping that you decide to explore this in the sequels. https://t.co/2t335d0Hq2
— Kristen Batko (@kristenbatko) January 31, 2018
What is this concept of being "explicitly gay" in children's movies? Disney used this language to describe LeFou in Beauty and the Beast, too. It's all nonsense. We know #DumbledoreIsGay, it's canon, let's make it clear not "explicit". #crimesofgrindelwald @jk_rowling
— Michael Thompson (@MW_Thompson) January 31, 2018
first they cast a wife beater and now they’re promoting homophobia it’s fine ur doing great @jk_rowling ? https://t.co/gZFw0TnKeL
— ?xavs? (@XavierMattress) January 31, 2018
Has .@jk_rowling reacted about this? I am sure she is NOT to blame but how could #DavidYates accept to erase homosexuality for a movie. Straightwashing is deceitful. https://t.co/7V0F4bgXKM
— LaScience 月光 (@Gekko_Hopman) January 31, 2018
This is the MOSTA DISAPPOINTING thing I’ve read in weeks. This was THE redeeming quality of the new series. @jk_rowling YOUR BIGGEST FAN (with a giant Dumbledore tattoo) NEEDS you to do betterhttps://t.co/8yuBUobRSv
— Thomas Flood (@t__flood) January 31, 2018
queer people are sick of clinging to subtext, grow up and give us characters who aren't queer by implication
— Caroline Framke (@carolineframke) January 31, 2018
Sigh.
Rowling noticed the reactions and said she was muting people who are being abusive. We absolutely agree with muting bad people, but we wish she would throw us a bone after her director said Dumbledore’s sexuality would not be addressed in the movie. At least assure us that Gay Dumbledore is coming.
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