Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe has called on people to stop donating money to Oxfam after the charity was accused of demonizing Harry Potter author JK Rowling in a cartoon video it made to promote Pride month.
The video posted on social media – which critics called a ‘disgusting propaganda advert’ – included an angry-looking red-haired woman, with demonic red eyes, wearing a ‘TERF’ badge (an offensive slur which stands for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist and what Rowling has been labeled by a small minority), with two other evil individuals, sneering at a collection of rainbow-colored figures.
Many people say the woman pictured in the ad looked suspiciously like Rowling, who has come under fire from the trans community for her gender critical views and defending women’s spaces.
After suffering a huge backlash from the public, the charity has since deleted the post and re-edited the video, taking the woman out… despite claiming it never had any intention of portraying Rowling, with the image looking very similar to pictures of the author. from a 2018 film premiere.
In a statement, Oxfam said: “We have edited the video to remove the term TERF and we are sorry for the offense it caused. There was no intention by Oxfam or the film-makers for this slide to have portrayed any particular person or people.”
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Widdecombe, like many, was dismayed at the charity’s decision to release the video in the first place and has called on donors to give it a wide berth.
When interviewed by Dan Wootton on GB News, the 75-year-old former government minister said: “I would say very clearly now, to everybody who donates to Oxfam, one word: Don’t.
“They have so departed from their original role, that it’s difficult to recognize them. When they were set up they were an admirable organization – they were set up to relieve poverty, especially in the Third World.
“That’s what they were meant to do and they were supposed to raise funds in order to do that and people give very generously to Oxfam because they want to help those in most need.
“But over a long period of time… first of all it went left and very noticeably so, and now it appears to be actively campaigning over political issues and the charity commission does not allow charities to do that.
“Indeed, when I was involved in the Life Charity, which is a pro-life, anti-abortion charity, it was very strict – it had two wings, one wing did the political campaigning and the other wing set up the life houses and care centers, and looked after women.
“The charitable wing was recognized by the commission, but the political wing certainly wasn’t and they could not mix the two.
“To me, Oxfam seems to be crossing a line.”
Wootton put it to Widdecombe that he couldn’t recall Rowling ever making any anti-trans comments and was baffled as to why she keeps getting such a hard time from some of the trans community.
“No, nor can I and I can’t fathom it at all,” replied Widdecombe. “People like Germaine Greer are also in their sights, who is a feminist icon and fought for the rights of people.
“The idea that she would want to suppress people’s human rights is just a complete nonsense.
“So no, I don’t know where it’s come from, but I do think now it has to be fought and fought properly. Oxfam does not have a good reputation for some of its work abroad when some quite high profile workers – and senior workers – were engaged in sex exploitation.
“They’ve got a very besmirched reputation and it’s time now for the whole charity to dissolve, reform with a different leadership and clean out all that is wrong and concentrate on what it should be doing, which is helping – not exploiting – the poor .”
