I think it's a problem with anyone who thinks this is "negative publicity". Sure it's fun to make jokes, but at the end of the day it's obvious the country that preaches itself as "One From Many" and "All Men Created Equal" is probably the most intolerant of them all.
Who cares if a fucking fictional character in a damn book is gay? Is he going to jump out of the pages and hurt you? Is he going to scar your child for life?
Viewing this as a negative thing is stupid.