JK Rowling confirms gay students at Hogwarts

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has confirmed that the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a pretty diverse place in which to study.

In an impromptu Q&A on Twitter on Wednesday, the writer answered questions from fans about her fictional universe that’s spawned a series of best-selling books and hit movies.

One fan, ben (@benjaminroffman), asked Rowling’s thoughts on his wife’s claim that “there are no Jews at Hogwarts.”

She responded with the name of a student, “Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw, Jewish wizard,” noting that there were others.

She added humorously: “To everyone asking whether their religion/belief/non-belief system is represented at Hogwarts: the only people I never imagined there are Wiccans.”

Another fan, tiny gay tati (@claraoswiin), asked: “@jk_rowling do you think there are a lot of LGBT students in modern age Hogwarts? I like to imagine they formed an LGBT club.”

Rowling replied, “@claraoswiin But of course,” along with an image meme that states: “If Harry Potter taught us anything, it’s that no one should live in a closet.”

In 2007, Rowling famously announced that the character Albus Dumbledore, the beloved head of Hogwarts, was gay. The news was met with outrage by conservative Christian groups who threatened to boycott her books.

She later told Edinburgh University’s Student newspaper: “Homophobia is a fear of people loving, more than it is of the sexual act. There seems to be an innate distaste for the love involved, which I find absolutely extraordinary. The issue is love. It’s not about sex. So that’s what I knew about Dumbledore.”

.@claraoswiin But of course. pic.twitter.com/Galu47MT4X

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 16, 2014