What Would Dumbledore Do?

Do you guys think Dumbledore was out of the closet? Apparently he was, since nobody ever asked about his love life.

The closet does not need to be merely sexual. Dumbledore and Luna were both unafraid to be who they truly were, free-spirits that others saw as slightly crazy. So many people are afraid of ridicule for being different (for any reason). Come out of the closet! Let go of your hang-ups and be who you really are!

This blog is great! Speaking from a personal perspective, a couple of family members of mine are of homosexuality, and I couldn’t be prouder of them for coming out! I completely agree that we should create a safe and positive environment for all!

Here here! I totally agree. This issue expands over so many other ideas besides gay/lesbian equality. Our world is so full of diversity that no one should be embarrassed or ashamed or punished for being different.

I hate to sound like a “me too!” but I couldn’t agree more that this issue goes way beyond sexuality. I’ve met nerd-kids who were afraid to be themselves at school. I’ve met lots of people who can’t tell friends or family they’ve read Harry Potter for fear of be ostracized.

I absolutly hate it that people are forced to hide who they truley are because of the damn idiots of the world that say ‘you should be like this and if you’re not then you’re weird and a freak and should change’. People should never change who they are.

Indeed! I was always an individual at school and was bullied as a result. Then came the fandom and I started to truly feel accepted as the nerd that I was. Luna and Dumbledore are my favourite two characters for that very reason.

I love what you said Becky! I myself have been struggling to let my true self come out. This whole place here, all the inspirational words and the DA meetings have helped me to be myself.

Being out of the closet is just BEING yourself. Embracing life in it’s many and oh-so-beautiful forms. I’m not afraid to walk down the street singing and dancing (no, seriously) and that’s great!

I just found this community today, and I must say I am seriously overjoyed. Never have I seen people coming from such a position of support and encouragement for one another. I truly feel accepted here, for the unique individual that I am. When I first started reading Harry Potter, I was going to a very conservative Christian university, and I remember reading the first chapter of the first book cloistered in my truck, the cover concealed by the plain brown packaging it had come through the mail in. I knew that Harry Potter was a hot button for a lot of people, and felt I needed to hide it away.

After college, I learned that who I am, and what I enjoy is nothing to be ashamed of. I prefer to have educated conversation with people, especially when they disagree with my point of view. Closed-minds are a terrible thing, and so is letting someone else do your thinking for you. Each of us is original, and has something to offer the world. Embracing your other-ness is definitely a step in the right direction. Thank you all for embracing one another.

What a beautiful thought! I myself am transgendered and I have encountered bias and fear and lots of misinformation. I hid who I really was for over 40 years, but now live a life that is genuine and authentic. This is a very inspiring message. Thank you!

I read an interview with JKR in which she said that homosexuality wasn’t the horrible secret that it is in the Muggle world but that being Muggle-born was what people had to hide. In every culture, there are “outsiders”–they may be Black, they may be Jewish, they may be Gypsies, they may be Gay (unfortunately they’re nearly always Gay). I think that the point here is that everyone has a right to be what they are and to be proud of what they are. And that we have an obligation to respect everyone as a full human person (or, if you’re religious, as a child of God). And that everyone has a right to acceptance and respect for who and what they are.

Is it really always good to always be yourself, let go of all your hang up’s and come out of the closet?

For example I love my wife but every now and then I am very attracted to other women. If I came out of the closet and pursued these opportuntiies then I would hurt her deeply and she would leave me which would really upset me and our children and cause a lot of other problems. I know that this is how she would react because we have discussed it.

I would suggest that letting go of all of my hangups and totally being myself would be a selfish and evil thing to do that would provide a short term gain for long term pain for myself and others.

I only just found out about this alliance yesterday on the morning news. And this is the part that really got through me, “No one needs to live in the closet”. It convinced me to join, sharing ideas with people sharing the same goals. Equal opportunity for all being a priority. Whether it’s your race, belief, language, colour, disability, heritage, sexuality, or even food (yup, some people get bullied because of the kind of food they eat), we are all entitled to the same right as everyone else as we see ourselves living under the same sky.

As a reply to Jim, with this coming out of the closet thing that everyone agrees on, I would just like to advise you to pause and think with your common sense for a second. If it would hurt you and the people you actually care about, then why even think about it. I don’t think lust is something people should support. Now, if you’re truly unhappy with the relationship you are in right now, then that’s a different story. Learn to communicate with your wife, trust me, it helps. Take note, “communicate”, not just talk or nag or argue. You yourself said that it is selfish and evil, so why even consider? Think of Voldemort who made his goals known to everyone, and the pain he caused.

“It is our choices…that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” -Dumbledore

Dumbledore himself said it. You can do things, but what you choose to do with that is entirely up to you.