On Friday, J.K. Rowling outed the beloved character Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in her popular Harry Potter series, inciting reaction among Potter fans and the community of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies (LGBTA).
Elise Brady (junior-animal science), a Harry Potter fan, has read all seven of the books and said she was "speechless" when she heard the news.
"I always hoped that Dumbledore and [Professor Minerva] McGonagall had something going on, but I guess not," she said.
The announcement of Dumbledore's sexual orientation came before an all-ages audience at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Rowling explained that Dumbledore -- who was killed in Book 6, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but played a major role in the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- had fallen in love with his best friend-turned-rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards.
Brady said that when she read that Grindelwald had been Dumbledore's lover, a light bulb went off in her head. She added that she thought it was strange Dumbledore's sexuality was revealed after his character had died.
Nicole Barrett, treasurer of SpeakOut, a student group that supports gay rights, has read all seven Harry Potter books and said the revelation about Dumbledore's sexuality was unexpected, but "cool."
Danielle Nitopi (sophomore-information sciences and technology), a member of Three Broomsticks, Penn State's Harry Potter fan club, said she was surprised by Rowling's remarks.
"I found it weird that his love life never got mentioned," she said. "I think for a brief second it crossed my mind [that Dumbledore might be gay], but then I figured maybe not."
Christian Matheis, assistant director of LGBTA Student Resource Center, said it was important to note the role Dumbledore plays in the books.
"This is a character who plays a central role as a mentor and guide and role model to other characters," he said. "It is interesting that Rowling, an author knowing the diversity of her audience worldwide, chose a senior character with this sort of role instead of one of [Harry's] peers."
Steven Herb, director of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book and head of Penn State's education library, said in the long run, Dumbledore's sexuality will not matter much to readers.
"Harry Potter is banned so many times because of the magic part that the people who love it will be unfazed," he said.
Herb said Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord, could have benefited from a romantic relationship.
"Voldemort could have benefited greatly from a girlfriend or a boyfriend," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
