I am reproducing an article published in the Daily Telegraph in defence of J.K. Rowling. Rowling was dubbed as a Fascist for a comment she made about transgender issues by woke people, the like of Robert Aquilina. In other words, Rowling was called a Fascist by the same type of individuals whose ideology today is inspiring Robert Aquilina and his friends the Repubblichini. What is interesting in this article is the argument that the misuse of the term Fascist is tantamount to verbal abuse. I wish to remind the reader that the University of Malta has permitted Robert Aquilina, who is not an academic on the staff of the university to verbally abuse an academic staff the said same university. This verbal abuse was uttered on the premises of the same university and till today, the university has not seen fit to issue any statement to condemn Aquilina’s irresponsible behaviour. The article in the Daily Telegraph is the following:

Ralph Fiennes: Verbal abuse directed at JK Rowling is disgusting and appalling

The actor, who played Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, said the author expressing opinions as a woman does not make her a ‘fascist’

ByCraig Simpson24 October 2022 • 6:56pm

Harry Potter star Ralph Fiennes has defended JK Rowling against claims she is a “fascist” for expressing opinions on the transgender debate.

The actor, who played Lord Voldemort in the film adaptations of Rowling’s books, has said the author is facing “disgusting” abuse for expressing criticism of gender ideology and voicing concerns about threats to female-only spaces, views which have led critics to label her “fascist” and “transphobic”.

Unlike younger members of the Harry Potter cast, Fiennes has said he understands where Rowling “is coming from” and defended the writer against her detractors, arguing that expressing opinions as a woman does not make someone “fascist”.

The actor said: “The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting, it’s appalling. I mean, I can understand a viewpoint that might be angry at what she says about women.

“But it’s not some obscene, uber Right-wing fascist. It’s just a woman saying, ‘I’m a woman and I feel I’m a woman and I want to be able to say that I’m a woman.’ And I understand where she’s coming from. Even though I’m not a woman.”

Speaking to the New York Times, Fiennes also praised the author, saying: “JK Rowling has written these great books about empowerment, about young children finding themselves as human beings. It’s about how you become a better, stronger, more morally-centred human being.”

His defence of Rowling comes amid the author’s ongoing entanglement in a row over transgender rights, which has seen her publicly criticised by other former members of the Harry Potter cast.

In 2021, Rowling mocked the use of the term “people who menstruate” instead of “woman” in communications from a public health organisation, and then criticised gender ideology by stating: “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.”

Stars who had lead roles in the film adaptations of Rowling’s books led a backlash against her, with Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter, the first to release a statement criticising the author.

He was ultimately followed by Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley. Eddie Redmayne, who played the lead in Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts franchise, also publicly criticised the writer for her views on gender.

Fiennes is one of a number of more senior members of the Harry Potter cast to oppose their younger colleagues by defending Rowling.  The late actor Robbie Coltrane, who starred as Hagrid in all eight films, said the author’s critics were simply “waiting to be offended”.

Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the films, has previously said that Rowling’s charity work was “unequivocally good” and that he would not “jump to stab her in the back”.

Miriam Margolyes, another senior member of the cast, has also lent her support in the past, saying that “the vituperation JK Rowling has received is misplaced”.

Fiennes previously questioned the online “hatred” directed at Rowling in online discourse, telling the Telegraph in 2021: “I find this age of accusation and the need to condemn irrational.”

Fiennes, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in 1996’s The English Patient, has commented on his run playing M in the string of James Bond films led by Daniel Craig.

The actor said that when the franchise reboots following Craig’s departure, it may be that M reverts from a male to a female character.