In the film “Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s Secrets” all gay references were edited out for its release in China. The Chinese authorities asked for it, the film studio agreed.
The creators of the $200 million film have removed six seconds of dialogue between characters Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, played by Jude Law, 49, and Mads Mikkelsen, 56. The reason: It alludes to Dumbledore’s sexuality, which author JK Rowling (56) says should be gay. She made this public in 2007.
Film studio agreed with the authorities
Warner Brothers said: “As a studio, we are committed to protecting the integrity of every film we release, including in circumstances that require nuanced editing to respond sensitively to a variety of market factors. Our hope is to release our features globally as released by their developers, but in the past we have made small changes for local markets.”
Lines removed from the film – which is part of the prequel series to the Harry Potter books – include the statements “Because I was in love with you” and “That summer Gellert and I fell in love,” which the Chinese audience will not hear. The studio claims that despite the cut, the film’s spirit remains intact, as the censored film still contains references to their close relationship. The film has been in cinemas in Switzerland for a week and can be seen in the uncensored version.
Since 2001, homosexuality is no longer considered a mental disorder
Homosexuality has been decriminalized in China for more than two decades, and since 2001 it has no longer been considered a mental disorder by the authorities, according to the BBC. Despite this, same-sex marriage is not recognised. According to a United Nations report, only around 15 percent of the LGBT community has come out to their closest family members. Homosexual acts in films are banned and are classified as “inappropriate” by the authorities. (bang/imh)
