According to a report on today’s AP wire apparently J. K. Rowling has outed Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts Academy. “…asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds ‘true love.’…’Dumbledore is gay,’ the author responded…”

In case you are, like me, one of the few adults in the english-reading world who has never read a Harry Potter book - Dumbledore, Hogwarts, and Harry Potter are all the stuff of a series of novels and movies by the seemingly inexhaustable J.K. Rowling. As she imagines it, Dumbledore (a “good” wizard) had a boy-crush on rival Gellert Grindelwald (a “bad” wizard), whom he later killed in battle. Heartbroken, Dumbldore never loved again.

Nowhere in any of the books is Dumbledore sexual, in any way.  No sexual thoughts are attributed to him.  He spends his life surrounded by attractive, healthy, young adults but gives no indication of having anything but a scholarly interest in them.  What does it mean to say an asexual character is, in fact gay? Does one single adolescent same-gender experience make a person gay?

Sexual orientation is not, in my opinion, a matter of whether or not we have ever engaged in this or that behavior. Nor is it determined by labels that others try to apply to us. Our sexual orientation is what we, ourselves, believe it is. If I believe I’m gay, then I’m gay. If I believe I’m straight, I’m straight. If I believe I’m bi-sexual, I’m bi. Often I think I’m try-sexual…if it’s sexual I’d like to try it!

I know she invented the character but I believe she does not understand his sexual orientation and I’m certain she didn’t ask him.  Like so many, I think Ms. Rowling is too quick to label what she does not understand.