Arts & Entertainment
Harry Potter fans throw #JKRowlingIsOverParty, protest character’s sexuality
Twitter filled with disappointed readers
J.K. Rowling is feeling the backlash on Twitter from Harry Potter fans who believed she had revealed the sexuality of a popular Harry Potter character.
One Harry Potter fan tweeted Rowling asking a series of questions, one of which included inquiring if fan favorite character Sirius Black was gay.
@jk_rowling 4) “Will Robin actually marry Matthew?”
5. “Is Sirius Black gay?”
6. “Are you sure he’s not gay?”
7. “Are you REALLY sure?”2/2
— Ardit Haliti (@ardit_haliti) September 6, 2016
Rowling changed her Twitter biography in what appeared to be answers to the questions and seemed to confirm that Black was a heterosexual character.
Some fans were disappointed to learn Black wasn’t an LGBT character and the trending hashtag #JKRowlingIsOverParty began. Although Rowling has said Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore was a gay character, some fans were still looking for more acknowledged representation in the series.
jk rowling says she supports lgbt which is great but would it kill her to make a character lgbt and actually acknowledge that in her books
— elisa⚡️ (@kingwallywest) August 31, 2016
remember that time when JK Rowling represented & supported our community and made LGBT+ youth everywhere feel empowered? me neither
— Rob (@robnoon7) September 1, 2016
Others didn’t see an issue with Rowling not confirming Black as a gay character and used the hashtag to address the upset fans.
So people are really trippin out over the sexuality of a fictional character? Someone that isn’t even real? ? #JKRowlingIsOverParty
— Darius Benson (@MrLegenDarius) September 6, 2016
#JKRowlingIsOverParty If you’re not liking the fact that Sirius is straight, wait until you find out he’s not even real…
— Polly Parrott (@PollyKParrott) September 6, 2016
So #JKRowlingIsOverParty bc a FICTIONAL character isn’t gay? pic.twitter.com/DvrEKGlwgY
— Gucci (@hesology) September 6, 2016
According to Rowling, she never revealed any information about Black’s sexuality and the answers in her Twitter biography were not responding to inquiries if Black is gay. Rowling also referred to some tweets about the situation as “a ton of abuse.”
@Danbo12 There was no news, none at all, just leaping to mistaken conclusions and a ton of abuse.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2016
@hoImesnwatson No, the last three ‘answers’ in my bio refer to the person who has dominated my notifications for the past 5 days.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2016
Rowling wrapped up the party by thanking fans for their support and love.
I’d just like to say, because it would be downright rude not to, THANK YOU for the huge number of wonderful messages I’ve been sent tonight.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2016
Twitter’s a strange place at times, but for every bit of hate I’ve received I’ve always had so much more love and support. Obrigada a todos!
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2016
a&e features
Eastern Shore chef named James Beard Finalist
Harley Peet creates inventive food in an inclusive space
In a small Eastern Shore town filled with boutiques, galleries, and the occasional cry of waterfowl from the Chesapeake, Chef Harley Peet is most at home. In his Viennese-inflected, Maryland-sourced fine-dining destination Bas Rouge, Peet draws from his Northern Michigan upbringing, Culinary Institute of America education, and identity as a gay man, for inspiration.
And recently, Peet was named a James Beard Finalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic – the first “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” finalist representing the Eastern Shore.
Peet, after graduation from the Culinary Institute of America, took a position as sous chef at Tilghman Island Inn, not far from Bas Rouge. Falling in love with the Eastern Shore, he continued his passion for racing sailboats, boating, gardening, and fishing, and living his somewhat pastoral life as he opened Bas Rouge in 2016 as head chef, a restaurant part of the Bluepoint Hospitality group, which runs more than a dozen concepts in and around Easton, Md.
Coming from a rural area and being gay, Peet knew he had his work cut out for him. He was always aware that the service and hospitality industry “can be down and dirty and rough.”
Now as a leader in the kitchen, he aims to “set a good example, and treat people how I want to be treated. I also want to make sure if you’re at our establishment, I’m the first to stand up and say something.”
The Bas Rouge cuisine, he says, is Contemporary European. “I’m inspired by old-world techniques of countries like Austria, Germany, and France, but I love putting a new spin on classic dishes and finding innovative ways to incorporate the bounty of local Chesapeake ingredients.”
His proudest dish: the humble-yet-elevated Wiener Schnitzel. “It is authentic to what one would expect to find in Vienna, down to the Lingonberries.” From his in-house bakery, Peet dries and grinds the housemade Kaiser-Semmel bread to use as the breadcrumbs.
Peet works to support the LGBTQ community inside and outside of the kitchen. “I love that our Bluepoint Hospitality team has created welcoming spaces where our patrons feel comfortable dining at each of our establishments. Our staff have a genuine respect for one another and work together free of judgment.”
Representing Bluepoint, Peet has participated in events like Chefs for Equality with the Human Rights Campaign, advocating for LGBTQ rights.
At Bas Rouge, Peet brings together his passion for inclusion steeped in a sustainability ethic. He sees environmental stewardship as a way of life. Peet and his husband have lived and worked on their own organic farm for several years. Through research in Europe, he learned about international marine sourcing. Witnessing the impacts of overfishing, Peet considers his own role in promoting eco-friendly practices at Bas Rouge. To that end, he ensures responsible sourcing commitments through his purveyors, relationships that have helped create significant change in how people dine in Easton.
“I have built great relationships in the community and there’s nothing better than one of our long-standing purveyors stopping in with a cooler of fresh fish from the Chesapeake Bay. This goes especially for catching and plating the invasive blue catfish species, which helps control the species’ threat to the local ecosystem.
Through his kitchen exploits, Peet expressed a unique connection to another gay icon in a rural fine-dining restaurant: Patrick O’Connell, of three Michelin starred Inn at Little Washington. In fact, Peet’s husband helped design some of O’Connell’s kitchen spaces. They’ve both been able to navigate treacherous restaurant-industry waters, and have come out triumphant and celebrated. Of O’Connell, Peet says that he “sees [his restaurants] as canvas, all artistry, he sees this as every night is a show.” But at the same time, his “judgment-free space makes him a role model.”
Being in Easton itself is not without challenges. Sourcing is a challenge, having to either fly or ship in ingredients, whereas urban restaurants have the benefit of trucking, he says. The small town “is romantic and charming,” but logistics are difficult – one of the reasons that Peet ensures his team is diverse, building in different viewpoints, and also “making things a hell of a lot more fun.”
Reflecting on challenges and finding (and creating) space on the Eastern Shore, Peet confirmed how important it was to surround himself with people who set a good example, and “if you don’t like the way something is going, fuck them and move on.”
Team DC, the umbrella organization for LGBTQ-friendly sports teams and leagues in the D.C. area, held its annual Night of Champions Awards Gala on Saturday, April 20 at the Hilton National Mall. The organization gave out scholarships to area LGBTQ student athletes as well as awards to the Different Drummers, Kelly Laczko of Duplex Diner, Stacy Smith of the Edmund Burke School, Bryan Frank of Triout, JC Adams of DCG Basketball and the DC Gay Flag Football League.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The 2024 National Cannabis Festival was held at the Fields at RFK Stadium on April 19-20.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Covering the @NatlCannaFest at RFK Stadium for @WashBlade . Stop by the LGBTQ+ booth and pick up a paper if you are here. pic.twitter.com/is7hnsaPns
— Michael Patrick Key (@MichaelKeyWB) April 20, 2024