After the author confirmed that Albus Dumbledore had a passionate relationship with Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts universe, fans blast her for her 'half-a**ed inclusivity.'
- Mar 18, 2019
AceShowbiz - "Harry Potter" fans have taken to social media to mock J.K. Rowling after she claimed beloved Harry Potter character Albus Dumbledore was in love with Gellert Grindelwald from the "Fantastic Beasts" universe.
The author appeared in an interview for the Blu-ray edition of "Fantastic Beasts:The Crimes of Grindelwald" and opened up on the romantic relationship hinted at between the characters in the film, played by Jude Law and Johnny Depp.
"Their relationship was incredibly intense," says Rowling on the feature, according to Radio Times. "It was passionate, and it was a love relationship."
J.K. Rowling spoke about Dumbledore and Grindelwald's relationship: "Their relationship was incredibly intense. It was passionate, and it was a love relationship." (Continue)
— The Rowling Library (@rowlinglibrary) March 17, 2019
The 53-year-old went on to confirm that both characters were engaged in a sexual relationship, but that she would prefer to focus on their emotional connection instead.
"I'm less interested in the sexual side - though I believe there is a sexual dimension to this relationship - than I am in the sense of the emotions they felt for each other," she observed, remarking that that's the "most fascinating thing about all human relationships."
"So I’m less interested in the sexual side – though I believe there is a sexual dimension to this relationship – than I am in the sense of the emotions they felt for each other, which ultimately is the most fascinating thing about all human relationship."
— The Rowling Library (@rowlinglibrary) March 17, 2019
However, the billionaire author was heavily criticised on social media by fans who weren't happy that Rowling keeps retroactively inserting LGBT+ storylines, but excluded them from the books and films.
"J.K. Rowling Confirms Some Characters in Her Books and Movies Are Gay Everywhere Except in the Books or the Movies," tweeted one fan.
J.K. Rowling Confirms Some Characters in Her Books and Movies Are Gay Everywhere Except in the Books or the Movies https://t.co/Y5gcbMWNB9
— Eric D. Snider (@EricDSnider) March 16, 2019
"I'm sick of Rowling and her half-a**ed inclusivity," raged another. "That's not being an ally. That's trying to get brownie points. She loses nothing this way. Put it in the text or don't talk about it all."
I'm sick of Rowling and her half-assed inclusivity. It doesn't count if she's telling us after the fact. That's not being an ally. That's trying to get brownie points. She loses nothing this way. Put it in the text or don't talk about it all. Same thing with Hermione's race.
— 🍀 Lucky Femme | Not a woman 🍀 (@Femme_Queer) March 17, 2019
While another critic added that Rowling was "undermining everything she COULD have done (by) reducing queer relationships and queer characters just to sex in media commentary."
Like, way to miss the point and undermine everything you COULD have done to rectify the mistake of leaving Dumbledore’s orientation out of canon. This further reduces queer relationships and queer characters just to sex in media commentary. Which is the last thing we needed.
— Exorcising Emily (@exorcisingemily) March 17, 2019
Rowling first confirmed Dumbledore's sexuality during a question-and-answer session at New York's Carnegie Hall in 2007.
"I always thought of Dumbledore as gay," she told the audience, quipping that she once wrote "Dumbledore's gay!" in the margin of a draft script for "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince", when the character began to recall a past heterosexual relationship.