JK Rowling hits back at online abuse over gay Dumbledore

JK Rowling told fans Dumbledore was gay in 2007, after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was published. Photo / Getty

JK Rowling has hit out at a Twitter critic who attacked her for making Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore gay.

The author posted a message saying that she had "hated killing off" some of her most loved characters in the final Harry Potter novel.

In response, one angry user responded: "Once u revealed Dumbledore was homosexual I stopped being a fan. Nice how u blindsided us with that one. Enjoy your billion $ (sic)."

Rowling, who has been bombarded by Twitter trolls for her support of the 'Better Together' Scottish referendum campaign, noticed the reply and posted a sarcastic one back.

@halfelven55ff I advise you to start following Brian Souter at once. He's much more your kind of person.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2014

The 49-year old advised her ex-fan to follow Brian Souter instead, the Stagecoach founder who funded a campaign to try and stop the Scottish government from repealing Section 2A of the Local Government Act.

The amendment, repealed in 2000, stated that local authorities "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality" or "promote the teaching in any maintain school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship".

Souter opposes Rowling on the subject of Scottish independence, with both having donated £1 million to different sides of the debate.

The Twitter user sparked a backlash after posting his remark but remained unapologetic for his controversial views. "I made a comment about JKR + her homosexual wizard and my twitter account exploded," he wrote. "EXCUSE ME for NOT accepting that deviant lifestyle lol."

Rowling tweeted again later on, thanking fans for sending her lovely messages and reassuring them not to worry about her.

I want to thank all the people tweeting me lovely messages. Don't worry about me - to paraphrase Albus Dumbledore...

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2014

If you're waiting for universal popularity, you'll be on Twitter a VERY long time. xxxx

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2014

Rowling told fans that Dumbledore was gay in 2007, after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was published.

"It has certainly never been news to me that a brave and brilliant man could love other men," she said at the time. "He is my character. He is what he is and I have the right to say what I say about him.

- Independent