As a child you learned how to read. It was amusing at first, with the thrills that accompanied those simple words like cat and hat. The more words you learned, the more worlds were opened. Yet as time passed, the enjoyment faded.

Book Joy

Reading is fun, right? Snuggle down next to the fire, blow gently on your hot chocolate, and prepare to lose yourself in the captivating world of literature. Before you get too comfortable, you’re forgetting that you have to “closely read” those ten chapters of The Autobiography of Frederick Douglass, on which you have a very detailed test the next day.

School ruins the delight of reading. When books are taught in school, they get so dissected through tests and assignments that they no longer are entertaining. Students will find ways to avoid reading, such as the handy Spark Notes. It’s not even that the books taught in school are bad books, it’s that interest dies when they become requirements.

School also takes away the time that we need for choice reading. When was the last time you read a book that wasn’t for school? There was some ridiculous number of books the administration told us we should be reading a year at the class assemblies. Honestly, though, with all homework and extracurricular activities that everyone so desperately needs for college, it’s tough trying to squeeze a little Tolstoy or Dostoevsky into our packed schedules. And speaking of books…

Queer Eye for the Wizard Guy

A few weeks ago, I was going about my business as usual when, out of nowhere, someone said, “Hey, did you hear? Dumbledore is gay.” First thought: WHAT? The initial smack left me in a bit of a daze for a few seconds. Then it all began to make sense. It was never made explicit in the books, but somehow it really was not a surprise.

I ran around telling everyone I knew, only to find out my shocking discovery was old news. Around three weeks ago, after J.K. Rowling did a reading of the seventh HP book at Carnegie Hall, the floor was opened to questions. One fan asked if Dumbledore had ever found true love. She replied that she had always thought of Dumbledore as gay, to which she received a standing ovation of cheers and applause from the audience. Dumbledore had fallen in love with Grindelwald, by whom he was terribly let down. Following further explanation, Rowling said, “If I’d known it would make you so happy, I would have announced it years ago!”

This does make me happy. It shows that the devotion to Harry Potter is undying. But, beyond that, it shows progress in society. Obviously, this is not the first book to ever have a gay character, but to have a gay protagonist in such a globally popular children’s book is monumental. J.K. Rowling could have announced this news and received horror and revulsion in response, but instead, her declaration has been welcomed with open arms. Facebook groups such as “If gay marriage is good enough for Dumbledore, it’s good enough for America” have already garnered 12,650 members. If people can learn to accept homosexuality in children’s books, shouldn’t we be able to accept it in the real world? Come on America, open your eyes: this shouldn’t just be fantasy. On the subject of wizard world drama…

Grown-up Danny

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe was photographed shopping in West London with play costar Laura O’Toole, which of course confirms their true love and status as a couple. It’s amazing how much tittle-tattle one sighting can cause, especially in the celebrity world. Why do people even care? It’s not as if they are perspective suitors who need to keep tabs on the relationship status of the rich and famous. Yes, movie stars live their lives in the spotlight, but they deserve their privacy too. Lay off the gossip magazines and give celebrities a chance to live their lives.