JK Rowling defended by author for open letter on free speech

Oxfam was forced to remove a Pride month cartoon after it was accused of basing an anti-trans ‘villain’ on the author JK Rowling.

The video, which was proudly shared with the charity’s millions of supporters, featured three figures, two men and a woman, all with evil-looking eyes.

But the woman appeared to look like the best-selling Harry Potter writer.

It came on the same day the charity was accused of hounding out a volunteer for defending Ms Rowling.

A former worker – called Maria – said she was accused of transphobia and ‘hounded out’ of her volunteer position.

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It prompted a gruelling investigation which saw her have a nervous breakdown and leave the job and the country.

Maria said members of a LGBTQ+ group encouraged colleagues to complain about the discussion, accusing her of transphobia.

Maria claimed constructive dismissal and belief discrimination. In July last year, both parties agreed to settle, with Oxfam issuing a public apology for its handling of the process.

Ms Rowling is understood to have seen the cartoon and liked a tweet criticising the depiction of the cartoon character.

The graphic displayed what seemed to be like her usual haircut and style, as well as a green dress she is frequently pictured wearing.

A memorial poppy she has donned in the real image – taken at a 2018 film premiere – is replaced with a badge, bearing the word ‘Terf’.

The acronym stands for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist, a view the author has denied having.

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Supporters of the author – who also writes the popular Strike novels under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith – said she should sue the multi-million-pound charity which has often been accused of being ‘woke’ while dealing with sexual predators on its foreign staff.

Oxfam has since removed the film from all its social media channels saying: “We have removed the post because of concerns raised with us. We will re-post shortly.”

The video, which was made by Bangalore-based Falana Films, is less than a minute long and tells the story of LGBTQIA+ people around the world.

The film says that they are ‘preyed on by hate groups online and offline’ and shows depictions of social media sites.

Three people are then shown – including the ‘Rowling character’ – pointing at the LGBTQIA+ people.

JK Rowling has repeatedly been branded transphobic over her views surrounding the LGBT+ debate on social media.

She came under fire in early June 2020 over tweets she posted.

Referring to an article that referenced ‘people who menstruate’, the author tweeted: ‘I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?’

The author has since campaigned for women’s rights and female-only spaces amid safety fears predatory men could pose as trans women to use them.

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