Jesse Jermaine Hinty (born November 20, 1998) is an American ex-transgender activist and member of Pique Resilience Project.
Background
Hinty grew up in Ohio. After moving to a new school at age 15, Hinty met trans and gender diverse peers. Before identifying as trans, Hinty briefly identified as nonbinary at 16, then trans at 17. Hinty did not take medical steps until adulthood, starting testosterone injections in 2016 at age 18. On April 4, 2017, Hinty’s name change petition was granted.
Hinty attended Otterbein University from 2016 to 2017, studying computer science. While there, Hinty was Student Program Coordinator for the Office of Social Justice & Activism.
Hinty moved to Chicago in 2017 and began a long-term relationship with future ex-trans activist Helena Kerschner, holding a number of service jobs following an internship on the docu-series America In Transition.
After 14 months of hormone use, Hinty stopped and briefly identified as nonbinary before identifying as a “bi lady with C-PTSD who finds relief from brain stuff through gaming and medical cannabis!”
Hinty worked at Argo Tea and Starbucks for about one year each. From 2019 to 2022 Hinty worked at cannabis dispensary GreenGate Chicago (now ZenLeaf) before embarking on a freelance graphic design career.
Pique Resilience Project
In 2019 PRP created a number of videos and made several media appearances in its year of operation. The project disbanded in 2020 after Hinty and Kerschner broke up.
Media appearances
Benjamin Boyce (March 16, 2019)
Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF)
- Gender Hurts Panel with Sheila Jeffreys
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdEVpW88A4k
Resources
Much of Hinty’s extensive online presence before and during identifying as trans has been deleted. It is not currently included here as a courtesy.
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Tumblr (tumblr.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
DeviantArt ()deviantart.com)
Soundcloud (soundcloud.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA9GhyM2r9A
Note: In 2025, this site phased out AI illustrations after artist feedback. The previous illustration is here.
Dagny Walton is an American artist and “ex-transgender” activist involved with the Pique Resilience Project. Members of the group have spoken at anti-trans conferences and appeared on fascist/conservative media outlets.
Background
Walton was born in 1996, grew up in Colorado, and graduated from Poudre High School in Fort Collins. Walton read a lot as a child and never identified with feminine characters. From age 15 to 19, Walton identified as non-binary, then as a trans man, then briefly back to nonbinary before identifying as a woman again.
Walton was diagnosed with “gender dysphoria” and had about 25 weekly therapy sessions over the course of 6 months, after which the options of hormones and surgery were available. After a long time of “breaking down” parental resistance, Walton then visited an endocrinologist but never opted for surgery. Walton was on hormones from age 17 (“six months before turning 18”) for just over 2 years before deciding to stop at age 19.
Walton earned an undergraduate degree in classical studies from University of British Columbia in 2018. After moving to Montana, Walton took a job at Sun Mountain Sports and began a graduate arts program at University of Montana in Missoula. Walton got engaged to another graduate of University of British Columbia.
Walton also claims there is a dominant narrative that suggests hormones are the only path to happiness and the only cure for “gender dysphoria.” Despite the best efforts of helping professionals and loved ones, Walton would not listen to those who suggested alternatives to medical options. Walton describes ignoring suggestions from the therapist to explore options like getting into a relationship.
The protocols for trans youth did not fail Walton. Walton gamed the system through deception and even self-deception. As I have said on this site since before Walton was born, there’s never a happy ending to an unhappy journey. With luck, Walton will one day stop blaming others and making it harder to get trans healthcare for young people who need it.
Media appearances
Benjamin Boyce (2019)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o1_QDB9VZM
- [taken private in 2022 immediately after this profile went live]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o1_QDB9VZM
Helena Kerschner / Pique Resilience Project (2019)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22CyGXHPUSc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22CyGXHPUSc
Resources
Walton’s extensive online presence under another name and identity has been omitted as a courtesy.
Instagram (intagram.com)
- detransstories [deleted in 2022]
- dagr.goo [deleted in 2022]
- dagnywalton [deleted in 2022]
University of Montana (umt.edu)
https://svma.umt.edu/current_grads/dagne-walton
- Dagny Walton
- https://svma.umt.edu/current_grads/dagne-walton/
Creatively (creatively.life)
Reddit (reddit.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Note: In 2025, this site phased out AI illustrations after artist feedback. The previous illustration is here.
Paul Thomas is a government employee and co-founder of The Leeds Salon. Thomas has complained in UnHerd about “the collaboration between the unions and management” regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the University and College Union’s “disgraceful lack of support for Kathleen Stock.”
References
Thomas, Paul (October 15, 2021). How my union betrayed me: Shop stewards are collaborating over unconscious bias training. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2021/10/how-my-union-betrayed-me/
Resources
X/Twitter (x.com)
The Leeds Salon (https://www.leedssalon.org.uk)
Sarah Ditum is an English “mommy blogger,” opinion columnist, sex segregationist, and anti-transgender activist.
Background
Sarah Ruth Webster Ditum is a freelance writer and production editor based in Bath. Ditum contributes to UnHerd and other anti-trans publications.
As a teen, Ditum learned to identify with metaphors of disease and impairment, pretending to be ill to avoid school. After first year at university, Ditum transferred to be near a romantic partner and almost immediately got pregnant: “Whatever had made its home in my belly had made me a mother, and I would have to catch up with that. Even as the person who made that decision, I find it hard to reconcile the ambition I had at 20 with the will to throw my lot in with maternity.”
Ditum completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees, then dropped out of a doctoral program after getting pregnant again.
Ditum started self-publishing a “mommy blog” called Paperhouse. Early gigs were for Venue magazine, Yarn Forward, and Official PlayStation Magazine.
Ditum married Nathan Mark Ditum (born 1981). Ditum changed surnames because “there was already a Sarah Webster working as a writer.” They have two children, Maddy and Jay. Ditum is involved in the knitting community.
In 2023 Ditum incorporated Burn Book Ltd in the UK.
Anti-transgender activism
Ditum has been criticized for views on transgender issues.
Ditum got press for a 2018 Genderquake panel with Germaine Greer, Munroe Bergdorf and Caitlyn Jenner.
In 2019, Ditum criticized all-gender bathrooms at The Old Vic. The Stage later removed the piece following backlash.
Ditum is an “autogynephilia” activist, in the same way that some people believe in “nymphomania” as a legitimate disease.
References
Ditum, Sarah (May 16, 2016). What is gender, anyway? New Statesman
Ditum, Sarah (March 10, 2022). The taboo trans question. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2022/03/the-taboo-trans-question/
Ditum, Sarah (July 6, 2021). Who loses when trans women win? https://unherd.com/2021/07/who-loses-when-trans-women-win/
Ditum, Sarah (July 6, 2021). Why I had a baby at university. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2021/06/lessons-of-a-student-mother/
Ditum, Sarah (February 14, 2023). The tragedy of becoming a woman. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2023/02/the-tragedy-of-becoming-a-woman/
Ditum, Sarah (June 17, 2020). How the Left betrayed feminism. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2020/06/how-the-left-betrayed-feminism/
Valentine, Vic (July 12, 2018). Trans-inclusive feminist voices are being ignored. The Economist https://www.economist.com/open-future/2018/07/12/trans-inclusive-feminist-voices-are-being-ignored
https://yogscast.fandom.com/wiki/Nathan_Ditum
Al-Kadhi, Amrou (May 9, 2018). Opinion: The Genderquake debate did more harm than good for transgender people and for feminists. The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/genderquake-channel-4-debate-genderqueer-transgender-caitlin-jenner-munroe-bergdorg-sarah-ditum-germaine-greer-a8342771.html
Glass, Jess (May 10, 2018). Exclusive: Genderquake audience were allegedly ‘encouraged to heckle’ trans panellists. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/05/10/genderquake-debate-heckling-transphobia-munroe-bergdorf-caitlyn-jenner/
https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/17156155.a-level-students-make-plans-for-the-future/
Tobitt, Charlotte (October 7, 2019). The Stage accused of ‘cowardice’ after removing comment articles on theatre’s gender-neutral toilets. Press Gazette https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/the-stage-accused-of-cowardice-after-removing-comment-articles-on-theatres-gender-neutral-toilets/
Parsons, Vic (April 3, 2020). Neo-Nazis and homophobes are among the supporters of the ‘anti-trans’ group LGB Alliance. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/03/lgb-alliance-neo-nazi-homophobia-spinster-death-head-charity-commission/
Resources
Sarah Ditum / Paperhouse (sarahditum.com)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Substack (substack.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
UnHerd (unherd.com)
The Guardian (theguardian.com)
Ravelry (ravelry.com)
WordPress (wordpress.com)
Jess de Wahls is an East German-born artist and anti-transgender activist based in London.
Background
Jess de Wahls was born in 1983 and grew up in East Berlin and moved to the UK in 2004. de Wahls’ medium is embroidery.
According to de Wahls, one parent crossdresses: “My father doesn’t do labels other than sometimes jokingly calling himself a paradise bird.”
Anti-transgender activism
in 2019, de Wahls published a long statement accompanying an embroidered artwork. In it, de Wahls revealed bring deeply involved in anti-transgender activism.
In 2021 de Wahls became a cause célèbre for anti-transgender activists when the Royal Academy pulled de Wahls’ work from their gift shop after complaints about de Wahls’ transphobia. They later apologized.
de Wahls has gone on to write for anti-transgender publications, including UnHerd and The Spectator.
References
de Wahls, Jess (August 5, 2019). Somewhere over the Rainbow, something went terribly wrong… https://www.jessdewahls.com/blog/2019/8/5/somewhere-over-the-rainbow-something-went-terribly-wrong
Perry, Louise (29 June 2021). “The Jess De Wahls debacle shows you can only really be cancelled by your friends”. New Statesman. London. Archived
RA (23 June 2021). “Media Statement from the Royal Academy of Arts” (PDF). Royal Academy of Arts. Archived
Whitworth, Damian (22 June 2021). “Jess de Wahls: Death wishes and fear after the Royal Academy cancelled me”. The Times UK. Archived
de Walhls, Jess (December 31, 2021). The heretics will not be silenced. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2021/12/the-heretics-will-not-be-silenced/
de Walhls, Jess (June 15, 2022). How the RA uncancelled me. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2022/06/how-the-royal-academy-uncancelled-me/
Resources
Jess de Wahls (jessdewahls.com)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Instagram (instagram.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Jonny Best is a British musician, researcher, and producer who identifies as a gender critical gay man.
Background
Jonathan “Jonny” Best worked in theatre as a director (with RSC, National Theatre etc), as a staff director in opera (ENO, Royal Opera & Opera North), in commercial theatre (pantomime, West End musicals and plays), classical music (with Aurora, BBC Scottish Symph, and ten years in association with City of London Sinfonia).
In 2005 Best became the artistic director of Manchester’s Queer Up North Festival. Best was criticized for inviting the act Bitch to perform after they had played the trans-exclusionary Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival.
Best then produced Classical Sheffield, Festival of the North East, and Yorkshire Silent Film Festival.
Best began a doctorate degree in music at University of Huddersfield in 2016.
Activism
Best made a number of provocative statements, believing there are no such things as misgendering and deadnaming. Huddersfield University opened an investigation, but later apologized to Best.
Best has written for anti-trans publication UnHerd, arguing that “The marginalisation of sex in trans activism sits uneasily with the centrality of sex to lesbian and gay activism.”
Best is especially critical of UK’s Stonewall:
But this good-natured debate is as nothing compared to the division that has opened up in lesbian and gay communities following Stonewall’s 2015 decision to re-formulate homosexuality around the nebulous concept of “gender identity”. Its policy today, which it has promoted through its Diversity Champions scheme, is that biological sex is less important than self-declared “gender identity” — an inner feeling of being either man or woman, male or female, which, according to Stonewall, is an identity we all possess. It follows that biological males can be lesbians, and biological females can be gay men. To disagree is transphobic.
Stonewall’s strategy for dealing with the fallout has been to insist that there can be “no debate”, characterising entreaties to discussion as equal to debating trans people’s very existence.
References
Best, Jonny (August 2018). My first brush with trans activism and what I learned. Medium https://www.jonnybest.co.uk/my-first-experience-of-trans-activism
Best, Jonny (October 7, 2020). Why I can’t trust Stonewall any more. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2020/10/why-i-cant-trust-stonewall-any-more/
Best, Jonny (August 27, 2021) Stonewall’s greatest betrayal. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2021/08/stonewalls-greatest-betrayal/
Resources
Jonny Best (jonnybest.co.uk)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Jo Bartosch is a British writer and anti-transgender activist.
Background
Josephine Eleanor “Jo” Bartosch was born in August 1982.
Bartosch founded the group Chelt Fems, a network of feminist activists, academics and professionals. From 2017 to 2019 Bartosch was co-director with Sadia Hameed of Gloucester-based Critical Sisters, which “offers a platform for marginal feminist opinion with particular emphasis on unravelling the twin man-made beliefs of gender and religion.”
From 2019 to 2020 Bartosch was Director of Click Off Limited. Bartosch was replaced by Edward Charles Buxton after resigning.
From 2017 to 2018 Bartosch was a Co-Director of Libra Learning Ltd. with Sadia Hameed and Emma Robertson.
From 2018 to 2022, Bartosch was a Director of Not Buying It Ltd. with Naomi Paxton, Almudena Fernandez-Alonso, Edward Charles Buxton, Rebecca Mordan, Josephine Liptrott, Kate Kerrow, Ellen Mary Grogen, Jeremy Jonathan Coutinho, and Rachel Carline Bell. Bartosch resigned in May 2022.
Bartosch has authored several reports exploring the links between violence against women and commercial sexual entertainment.
References
Bartosch, Jo (September 14, 2017). What about the children who said they were transgender – and then changed their minds? The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/john-lewis-gender-neutrality-trangender-children-medicalisation-lesbian-gay-education-a7946426.html
Bartosch, Jo (). Why won’t progressives speak up about NHS conversion therapy? Kemi Badenoch laid out evidence of the practice in a letter today 07 FEB 2024
Bartosch, Jo (). Network Rail’s capitulation to Stonewall The railway company has been mocked for its The myth of JK Rowling’s ‘heart of darkness’ Another opinion column unfairly maligns the Harry Potter author 16 JAN 2024
Bartosch, Jo (). Britain has bigger problems than toothbrushing Keir Starmer’s jaw-dropping proposal will anger parents 12 JAN 2024
Bartosch, Jo (). Kemi Badenoch is right about Britain’s trans ‘epidemic’ Linguistic disputes can’t disguise the surge in referrals 14 DEC 2023
Bartosch, Jo (). Why is Doctor Who obsessing over pronouns? Britain’s public broadcaster is championing a niche ideology
27 NOV 2023
Bartosch, Jo (25 AUG 2023). The New York Times is finally standing up to trans censorship Advocacy groups have criticised the paper for its gender coverage
Bartosch, Jo (12 JUL 2023). Nancy Kelley leaves Stonewall in a mess The outgoing charity boss dragged a once-great organisation down a rabbit hole
Bartosch, Jo (). The problem with ‘cis’ Elon Musk has vowed to restrict the word on Twitter. 22 JUN 2023
Bartosch, Jo (13 JAN 2023). Tate criticised for Drag Queen Story Hour children’s readings Several groups claim the gallery is targeting kids with gender propaganda
Bartosch, Jo (04 MAY 2022). The Survivors’ Network succumbs to gender ideology The group is failing to provide women with all-female spaces.
Bartosch, Jo (16 FEB 2022). Unions are failing women The NEU is the latest to bow to trans activists
Bartosch, Jo (18 JAN 2022). Inside the Tory trans civil war 18 JAN 2022
Bartosch, Jo (09 DEC 2021). Inside the trans publishing purge
Bartosch, Jo (11 OCT 2021). Feminist “dinosaurs” are getting organised Protestors outside the Labour Party HQ were embracing David Lammy’s label
Bartosch, Jo (30 AUG 2018). When did women’s rights stop being human rights?
Critical Sisters Ltd Company number 10875625 Sadia Hameed and Jo Bartosch, Directors.
Resources
Josephine Bartosch (jobartosch.co.uk)
The Critic (thecritic.co.uk/author)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Spiked (spiked-online.com)
The Spectator (spectator.co.uk)
New Statesman (newstatesman.com)
Uncommon Ground (uncommongroundmedia.com)
Independent (independent.co.uk)
Feminist Current (feministcurrent.com)
Daily Mail (dailymail.co.uk)
4W (4w.pub)
The Article (thearticle.com)
UnHerd (unherd.com)
Conatus News (conatusnews.com)
- conatusnews.com/newlook/author/jbartosch/ [archive]
Zhana Vrangalova is an anti-trans psychologist and “autogynephilia” activist.
Background
Snezana Zhana Vrangalova was born in November 1981 in Skopje, Macedonia. Vrangalova earned a bachelor’s degree from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. She earned a doctorate from Cornell University in 2014. She worked with Ritch Savin-Williams, Anthony Ong, and David Pizarro.
She was appointed as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at New York University in 2014. She authored the 2016 book The Casual Sex Project and often writes about hookup culture.
“Autogynephilia” activism
On April 13, 2015, Vrangalova made a comment about about the video game Gender Bender DNA Twister Extreme, summoning “autogynephilia” creator Ray Blanchard.
When video games & psych research clash w/ views of ‘politically correct’ http://ow.ly/LxZK4#GenderBender#autogynephilia @BlanchardPhD
On June 13, 2015 Vrangalova made a comment about Caitlyn Jenner that revealed her anti-trans views:
In all the #CaitlynJenner media madness, 1 thing went unsaid: That there are 2 types of trans women. #autogynephilia http://ow.ly/OcLji
The link went to religion site Patheos and an article by conversion therapist Warren Throckmorton discussing “autogynephilia” with unethical sexologist J. Michael Bailey.
When people pointed out the problem with her beliefs, she said:
I’m aware of the controversy, but there’s a lot of research to support #autogynephilia, pc or not pc.
When people pointed out that once-skeptical Bailey magically discovered bisexuality exists after getting paid by the American Institute of Bisexuality.
they didn’t “recant”, the conducted a study using more rigorous definition of “bisexual”.
It’s good science accepted by scientists.Those rejecting it r nonscientist activists who wrongly think it’s transphobic
Podcast
Vrangalova co-hosted the The Science of Sex podcast with Joe Pardavila from 2017 to 2019. Guests included a number of anti-trans sexologists associated with J. Michael Bailey, including James Cantor and Gerulf Rieger.
- 1 Brian Dodge
- 2 Michal Kosinski
- 3 Lisa Dawn Hamilton
- 4 James Pfaus
- 5 Brooke Wells
- 6 Ryan Scoats
- 7 Lara Greaves
- 8 Nan Wise
- 9 Samuel L. Perry
- 10 Kirstin Mitchell
- 11 Sofia Jawed-Wessel
- 12 Neil Malamuth
- 13 Naomi Muggleton
- Special from Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (2 parts)
- Dayna Henry
- Megan Maas
- Ron Rogge
- Margaret Bennett
- Lauryn Vander Molen
- 14 Justin Garcia
- 15 Kayla Knopp
- 16 David Frederick
- 17 Justin Lehmiller
- 18 [no guest]
- 19 Kathryn Klement
- 20 Qazi Rahman
- 21 Benjamin Breyer
- 22 Cynthia Graham
- 23 Ritch Savin-Williams
- 24 Richard Wassersug
- 25 J. Michael Bailey
- 26 James Cantor
- 27 Jim Pfaus
- 28 [no guest]
- 29 Christian Joyal
- 30 Dylan Selterman
- 31 Lori Brotto
- 32 Emily Rothman
- 33 Dulcinea Pitagora
- 34 Kirstin Mark
- 35 Christian Grov
- 36 Patrick Jern
- 37 Amy C. Moors
- 38 Amy Muise
- 39 Jimmy Moran
- 40 Tierney Lorenz
- 41 [no guest]
- 42 Justin Lehmiller
- 43 Kaci Mial
- 44 Kirstin Mitchell
- 45 Wednesday Martin
- 46 Gerulf Rieger
- 47 Gregory D. Webster
- 48 Menelaos Apostolou
- 49 Eric W. Schrimshaw
- 50 Seth Pardo
- 52 Liam Wignall
- 52 Pascal Wallisch
- 53 Jessica Wood
- 54 Michelle Drouin
- 55 Gideon Nave
- 56 Kenneth Play
- 57 Kate Esterline
- 58 Christina Parreira
- 59 Shayna Sparling
References
Molay, Jack (Oct 8, 2015). What Dr. Zhana Vrangalova Taught Me About Transphobia in Science. Crossdreamers https://jackmolay.medium.com/what-dr-zhana-vrangalova-taught-me-about-transphobia-in-science-c40dd244b68d
Throckmorton, Warren (June 11, 2015). What Kind of Woman is Caitlyn Jenner? Part One of a Q&A on Autogynephilia with Michael Bailey. Patheos https://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2015/06/11/what-kind-of-woman-is-caitlyn-jenner-part-one-of-a-qa-on-autogynephilia-with-michael-bailey/ [archive]
Vrangalova Z (Apr 13, 2015). https://twitter.com/DrZhana/status/587695608976248832 https://archive.ph/KWNkh
Vrangalova Z (Jun 13, 2015). https://twitter.com/DrZhana/status/609737211211325440 https://archive.is/wip/KtOZc
Resources
Dr. Zhana (drzhana.com)
The Casual Sex Project (casualsexproject.com)
Cornell College of Human Ecology (human.cornell.edu)
Freewebs (freewebs.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
Nick Gillespie is an American libertarian author, right-wing pundit, and anti-transgender activist. Gillespie’s podcast frequently promotes other figures from the anti-transgender fringe, including Jesse Singal, Michael Shermer, Michael Shellenberger, Steven Pinker, Abigail Shrier, Scott Barry Kaufman, Debra Soh, Katie Herzog, and Meghan Daum.
Background
Nicholas John “Nick” Gillespie was born August 7, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Middletown, New Jersey. Gillespie was raised Catholic and graduated from Mater Dei High School. Gillespie earned a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in 1985, a master’s degree from Temple University in 1990, and a doctorate from State University of New York at Buffalo in 1996. Gillespie married author and academic Katharine Marie Walke Gillespie (born 1960). They have two children, Jack and Nick. The Gillespies have since divorced. In 2023 Gillespie became engaged to Sarah Rose Siskind.
Gillespie has been associated with Reason magazine. Gillespie edited the 2004 book Choice: The Best of Reason and co-authored the 2011 book The Declaration of Independents.
Anti-trans promotion
With the exception of conservative trans libertarian Deirdre McCloskey, Gillespie has never platformed any trans journalists, scientists, lawyers, politicians, or activists who could address anti-trans guests’ statements or Gillespie’s own misconceptions.
References
Gillespie, Nick (May 24, 2023) Jesse Singal: How To Stay Honest While Doing Journalism
Gillespie, Nick (March 29, 2023). Deirdre McCloskey: ‘What We Want Is a Nonslave Society’
Gillespie, Nick (August 17, 2022). Michael Shermer: ‘Women Are Not Just Tits and Ass. There’s More to It Than That, a Lot More.’
Gillespie, Nick (July 29, 2022). John Cleese: Wokeism Is the Enemy of Comedy—and Creativity
Gillespie, Nick (January 12, 2022). Michael Shellenberger: How Progressives Ruined American Cities
Gillespie, Nick (October 13, 2021). Steven Pinker: Rationality Has Made Us Richer, Kinder, and More Free
Gillespie, Nick (July 7, 2021). Abigail Shrier: Trans Activists, Cancel Culture, and the Future of Free Expression
Gillespie, Nick (April 14, 2021). Jesse Singal: Why We Keep Falling for Psychological Quick Fixes
Gillespie, Nick (September 30, 2020). Scott Barry Kaufman on Narcissists and Libertarians
Gillespie, Nick (August 19, 2020). Debra Soh: The End of Gender
Gillespie, Nick (June 17, 2020). Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal on Left-Wing Cancel Culture
Gillespie, Nick (October 30, 2019). Meghan Daum Is Done with ‘Cancel Culture.’ But Is America?
Gillespie, Nick (February 20, 2019). Let’s Talk About Sex Differences with Christina Hoff Sommers and Debra Soh: Podcast
Resources
Reason (reason.com)
Reason Foundation (reason.org)
Fox News (foxnews.com)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Daily Beast (thedailybeast.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Dave Chappelle is an American comedian. Considered one of the greatest standups of all time, his late career has been marked by a series of transphobic incidents.
Background
David Khari Webber Chappelle was born August 24, 1973 in Washington, DC. His parents were politically active academics. He graduated from Duke Ellington School of the Arts in 1991. He moved to New York City and began honing his act, quickly becoming a regular at comedy clubs and in late night guest spots. He began appearing on televisions shows and t=developing pilots. His first starring role was in the 1998 film Half Baked. He recorded his first comedy special in 2000. In 2003 he starred in the sketch comedy program Chappelle’s Show, then left abruptly in 2005 at the height of the show’s popularity. He made sporadic appearances until 2013, when he started touring full-time again. In 2017, Netflix released the first of five comedy specials starring Chappelle. In 2019 he won the Mark Twain Prize.
Chappelle and his wife have three children.
Anti-transgender statements
Chappelle’s 2021 Netflix special The Closer included transphobic jokes and a defense of transphobic author JK Rowling, during which he declared “I’m team TERF.” In his defense, Chappelle said some of his best friends were trans, citing trans comedian Daphne Dorman.
Netflix employees organized a walkout and demanded that The Closer be taken off of Netflix. CEO Ted Sarandos refused to take down the special, stating that he “does not believe it falls into hate speech.” Chappelle’s alma mater Duke Ellington School decided not to name its theater after him.
Chappelle continued to troll the trans community with jokes and play the victim. In 2022, Chappelle brought transphobe Elon Musk onstage at a San Francisco show, and Musk was booed off stage.
References
Chapman, Wilson (May 21, 2022). John Mulaney Draws Criticism for Having Dave Chappelle Open, Tell ‘Transphobic Jokes’ at Ohio Show. Variety. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
Yang, Maya (October 7, 2021). ‘I’m team Terf’: Dave Chappelle under fire over pro-JK Rowling trans stance. The Guardian. [archive]
After Dave Chappelle Visit, Some Duke Ellington Students And Parents Speak Out. WAMU.
Blistein, Jon (July 12, 2022). Emmys Ready to Honor Another Dave Chappelle Special Filled With Transphobic Jokes. Rolling Stone.
Gerstmann, Evan. Dave Chappelle, Transphobia And Anti-Semitism. Forbes. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
Carras, Christi (October 20, 2021). Protesters demand accountability from Netflix after Chappelle backlash spurs walkout. Los Angeles Times.
Carras, Christi (October 20, 2021). Fed up with Chappelle fallout, Netflix employees are leading a walkout today in L.A. Los Angeles Times.
Donnelly, Matt (October 20, 2021). ‘I Screwed Up’: Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Addresses Dave Chappelle Fallout. [archive]
Weekend Update: House Passes Build Back Better Bill – SNL, retrieved July 18, 2022
Dave Chappelle declines having Duke Ellington School theater named for him”. The Washington Post
AJ Willingham (June 21, 2022). Dave Chappelle says his former high school theater will no longer be named after him. CNN
Dave Chappelle Name Won’t Go On Duke Ellington Theater In DC. DCist. [archive]
Kearns, Madeleine (June 22, 2022). Dave Chappelle’s Plot Twist. National Review.
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