Harry Potter scribe J.K. Rowling’s revelation that Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is actually a gay wizard has shocked many Potter fans, but hardcore readers have always been attuned to his latent homosexuality.
For starters, Dumbledore is repeatedly described by Rowling as having a “twinkle” in his blue eyes—coincidentally, the same eye color as bathroom patrolman and fellow friend of Dorothy Sen. Larry Craig. Dumbledore is also a flamboyant dresser, fond of flowing, colorful robes, and expresses a particular zest for decorating the Great Hall before feasts. His weapon of choice—fire—is literally flaming, and it’s not a stretch to connect his insatiable sweet tooth to a protracted battle with ‘mo-favored party drug crystal meth. (Can Meth Mouth be far off?). Dumbledore even bears an uncanny resemblance to Gandalf from J.R.R. Tolkein’s supergay Lord of the Rings series—a character, mind you, played by none other than the openly man-loving Sir Ian McKellen. There are no two ways about it: Dumbledore’s been light in the wizard slippers all along.
But the fact that so many millions of Potter fans never picked up on such obvious signs got us thinking: what other beloved children’s characters are out there, but not actually out? Radar has compiled a list.