JK Rowling confirms that Harry Potter is bisexual ahead of spin-off series
JK Rowling reveals that Harry Potter is bisexual ahead of new spin-off. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
If you hadn’t already guessed, this was an April Fools’ Day story: Harry Potter will come out as bisexual and have a love affair with Ron Weasley in a new spin-off book series, JK Rowling has confirmed.
The new trilogy of novels will take place 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which saw Harry marry his best friend’s sister, Ginny Weasley.
In the first book of the new series, entitled Harry Potter and the Enchanted Tryst, the titular character will share an “intimate experience” with Ron. The novel is due for publication on February 30, 2021.
News of the bisexual plot twist follows recent backlash to JK Rowling’s announcement that Dumbledore is gay. Last month, the author revealed that the fan favourite headmaster had a “sexual relationship” with dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald.
“JK Rowling is really excited to explore Harry Potter’s sexuality in this new series.”
—Spokesperson for J.K. Rowling
Fans responded with gay Dumbledore memes, making light of the author’s penchant for retroactive inclusion of diversity in the Harry Potter universe, given the absence of visibly queer characters from the books and movies themselves.
A spokesperson for the author told PinkNews: “JK Rowling is really excited to explore Harry Potter’s sexuality in this new series. It’s a new chapter for the wizard, who still has a lot to learn, even after leaving Hogwarts.”
“HARRY POTTER IS BISEXUAL AND I AM HERE FOR IT!”
—Harry Potter fan on Twitter
Asked why the author never addressed Harry’s bisexuality in the original series, the spokesperson said that Rowling had intended to touch on it in one of the later books, but was advised not to.
“At the time, there was a lot of resistance to the idea of an openly queer character in a mainstream children’s book. But times have changed, and JK Rowling is keen to reflect that in her work.”
Fan reaction to the news has been mixed. One fan tweeted, “HARRY POTTER IS BISEXUAL AND I AM HERE FOR IT!”
Harry Potter will have a love affair with Ron Weasley in a new spin-off series.
Another fan tweeted, “Sucks to be Ginny right now but I am too happy to care #sorrynotsorry.”
But other fans expressed their scepticism about the queer storyline. One Twitter user wrote, “JK Rowling is more desperate than Paris Hilton to stay relevant. STOP QUEERBAITING, thank u next.”
In a similar vein, a fan tweeted, “JK Rowling doing the most to make her books relevant in 20 years. No magic spell?!”
In addition to this new trilogy, Rowling is working on a Netflix series to adapt the new books, which will commence production after the first book’s release.
It is unclear whether Daniel Radcliffe will reprise the role of Harry Potter for the Netflix series, with One Direction singer Harry Styles rumoured to take on the role.
Styles’ song, “Medicine,’” has been hailed as a “bisexual anthem,” with many fans speculating that the singer might be bisexual.
