Katya Ungerman / “Katherine Dee” vs. transgender people

Katya Ungerman is an American writer who uses the pen name “Katherine Dee.” Ungerman writes about online culture and has used a number of aliases and handles:

Katya Ungerman
Katya Delaney
“Katherine Delaney”
“Katherine Dee”
“katyadee”
“Default Friend”

Ungerman has appeared on numerous right-wing and anti-transgender platforms, most notably interviews with anti-trans activists Tucker Carlson, Benjamin Boyce, and Jesse Singal.

Background

Katya Alexa Ungerman was born in 1992 to Marisa Poliafito-Ungerman and Anthony Ungerman. Katya identifies as “half Jewish and half Catholic” and has two siblings, Bianca and Sabrina. Katya Ungerman reportedly dropped out in junior year at Spanish River High School after being bullied due to being “weird and unlikeable.” The final straw was after a classmate reportedly threw a drink at Ungerman. However, in 2009, Katya Ungerman was described as a senior at the school.

Ungerman believes bullying is a “social corrective” for weird kids, but that bullies who take things too far sometimes receive their own social corrective. Ungerman believes that for many “weird and unlikeable” people, “you become addicted to being disliked.” This astute observation helps explain why Ungerman is drawn to low-empathy trolls like Jesse Singal, Adam Lanza, and Katie Herzog. Ungerman’s favorite show is Singal and Herzog’s anti-trans “drama” podcast Blocked and Reported.

Ungerman attended New York University and developed an interest in film and writing there. Ungerman wrote the plays War and Peace and La Vita Rosa during that time.

Ungerman was married to Irish software engineer Leam Delaney and went by Katya Delaney and Katherine Delaney during that time.

Ungerman has been involved in marketing and promotion at agencies that support the tech industry, with a focus on relational database management systems.

Ungerman was the community manager for repl.it (now replit.com) and was banned from Wikipedia in 2019 for spamming on behalf of the company.
Ungerman was editorial lead on the growth & content team at On Deck / nZero Labs, Inc. (now branded as ODF).
Ungerman was a copywriter at PrayTell agency, authoring a series called “Desserts,” a “semi-frequent installment of all things internet (and a few things internet-adjacent).”
Ungerman was also a blogger for Arctype.

When not working in marketing, Ungerman has done poetry readings and other creative pursuits. Ungerman co-hosted the Art Bell tribute show Post 2 Post AM with Jahkub and Meegsie and has a longstanding interest in making a film about Bell. In 2024, Ungerman and Taylor McMahon released a tribute to Bell.

In 2021, Ungerman co-hosted 13 episodes of the podcast After the Orgy with “Personality Girl” aka Ann Manov.

Ungerman was a compulsive Tumblr user and has put forth the hypothesis that Tumblr has profoundly shaped nearly every aspect of 2020s culture.

In 2015, Ungerman got married in Florida and later got divorced. In 2022 Ungerman was engaged again and living in Chicago. Delaney has previously lived in Florida, Texas, and California. In 2025, Ungerman was reportedly married and living in Florida with spouse and child.

Ungerman was involved in arrangedmarriages.co, an online project created by Justin Murphy that sought to facilitate arranged marriages between people in Ungerman’s peer groups.

Ungerman has an interest in the “true crime” genre, which Ungerman believes became popular because of a confluence of cultural and technological forces that have changed people’s relationship to the self. Ungerman has a particular interest in the digital footprints of socially isolated extremely online violent criminals like school shooter Adam Lanza.

Sex tourism horror film

Starting around 2015, Ungerman worked on a project that evolved into a short film about an American sex tourist. The script for “White Knight” was submitted to several festivals in 2018. In 2019 Ungerman crowdfunded on Indiegogo:

White Knight is a 10 minute horror short about sex tourism in Pattaya, Thailand.

I’m Katya, the writer/director/producer of White Knight. This short has been a labor of love since 2015. The script started as a monster movie that took place in Manila and Subic Bay, in the Philippines. As I honed the story, it evolved, taking on a life of its own. It’s no longer a monster movie, but it’s still a horror movie, now set in Pattaya, Thailand. It’s about how being well meaning doesn’t mean you’re doing the right thing.

Ungerman raised $3,000 on an $11,000 goal.

Anti-trans activism

In 2022 Ungerman began fixating on “sissy hypno,” discussing with anti-trans activist Benjamin Boyce. Later that year, Ungerman went on Blocked and Reported with anti-trans activist Jesse Singal.

Ungerman has stated, “I don’t think anyone should be engaging with pornography. That’s my one extremist view. Porn is never helpful, even when it seems like it’s helpful.”

Substack

Ungerman’s Substack has several contributors, including:

References

Kuhn, Daniel (June 11, 2022). Who You Really Are: A Conversation About Pseudonymity With Default Friend at Consensus. CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/layer2/2022/06/11/who-you-really-are-a-conversation-about-pseudonymity-with-default-friend-at-consensus

Michelle Goldberg (March 21, 2022). A Manifesto Against Sex Positivity. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/21/opinion/manifesto-against-sex-positivity.html “Almost exactly a year ago, the writer Katherine Dee, who blogs about internet culture and trend forecasting, predicted what she called a ‘coming wave of sex negativity.'”

Staff report (September 14, 2018). Announcing the 2018 ScreenCraft Short Screenplay Contest Quarterfinalists. https://screencraft.org/blog/announcing-2018-screencraft-short-screenplay-contest-quarterfinalists-shorts/

Austin Film Festival (2018). Austin Film Festival Announces 2018 Script Competition Semifinalists & Second Rounders! https://austinfilmfestival.com/submit/screenplay-and-teleplay-submissions-2/2018-script-competition-semifinalists-second-rounders/

Beast Crawl Oakland (July 16, 2016). E.M. Wolfman Books, 410 13th Street https://www.poetryflash.org/calendar/?r=norcal&y=2016&m=07&d=01

Beachsloth (December 31, 2015). The Fifth Annual Beachies. https://www.tumblr.com/beachsloth/136290156765/the-fifth-annual-beachies

Best Wedding: Katya Delaney – One day someone messaged me on Facebook asking if they could invite me to their wedding and what my address would be. I never met them before. So of course I said yes. Several weeks later I received an invitation in the mail. To avoid awkwardness, I met them a few times in NYC before I actually went to their wedding in Florida. I promised to blog about their Florida wedding. I did, quite obsessively. I strongly encourage more people to invite me to their weddings. I dress well and am cordial in real life. Additionally Katya also wrote a play that was quite excellent and I hope to visit her at her new, undisclosed location.

[Ungerman later divorced.]

O’Connor, Lona (December 14, 2009). Critics, wearing pink tutus and yarmulkes, protest Westboro group. Palm Beach Post https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2009/12/15/critics-wearing-pink-tutus-yarmulkes/7580371007/

Selected work by Ungerman

Ungerman, Katya (November 28, 2025). Opinion | Why We Need Fairy Tales in the Digital Age. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/opinion/internet-phones-social-media-addiction.html alt title: Your Phone Isn’t a Drug. It’s a Portal to the Otherworld.

“Katherine Dee” (October 11, 2024). Interview with a Sissy: case study #0A, male, 2010s. https://default.blog/p/interview-with-a-sissy-1

“Ketherine Dee” and Taylor McMahon (October 8, 2024). Adam Lanza Fan Art. https://default.blog/p/adam-lanza-fan-art

“Katherine Dee” (October 21, 2024). Our Very Online Politics Is Just Around the Corner. The Dispatch https://thedispatch.com/article/our-very-online-politics-is-just-around-the-corner/

“Ketherine Dee” and Taylor McMahon (September 18, 2024). First Time Caller: An Art Bell Tribute. https://default.blog/p/first-time-caller-an-art-bell-tribute

“Katherine Dee” (August 6, 2024). Interview with a Female Sissy: case study #4, female, 2013-2021, (recorded in 2022). Default Friend https://default.blog/p/interview-with-a-female-sissy [archive]

“Katherine Dee” (July 31, 2024). Gore Videos and Camaraderie Among Young Men: case study #3, 2009-2021. Default Friend https://default.blog/p/gore-videos-camaraderie-among-young

“Katherine Dee” (July 22, 2024). The Computer as a Private Part of the Body: case study #2, male, 2003-2021. Default Friend https://default.blog/p/the-computer-as-a-private-part-of

“Katherine Dee” (August 11, 2022). Reaping the Strange Fruits of Kiwi Farms. The Scroll https://thedailyscroll.substack.com/p/reaping-the-strange-fruits-of-kiwi

“Katherine Dee” (June 10, 2022). Mass Shootings and the World Liberalism Made. Contra https://www.readcontra.com/p/mass-shootings-and-the-world-liberalism

“Katherine Dee” and “BlitheringGenius of Wayward Axolotl” (May 12, 2022). The Ghost of Adam Lanza, Pt. 1. Default Friend https://default.blog/p/-the-ghost-of-adam-lanza-pt-1 see also: The Ghost of Adam Lanza https://thewaywardaxolotl.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-ghost-of-adam-lanza.html

“Katherine Dee” (August 11, 2021). Tumblr Transformed American Politics. The American Conservative https://theamericanconservative.com/tumblr-transformed-american-politics/

“Katherine Dee” (March 14, 2021). The Coming Wave of Sex Negativity https://default.blog/p/72-the-coming-wave-of-sex-negativity/

Katya Delaney (2021). Andrew McLuhan Teaches Understanding Media Intensive: Part One. https://grayarea.org/course/andrew-mcluhan-teaches-understanding-media-intensive-part-one/

“Katherine Dee” (September 26, 2024) Adam Lanza Fan Art. Tablet https://www.tabletmag.com/feature/adam-lanza-fan-art

Katya Delaney and Kat Huang (Jul 1, 2019). To be great, make useless things: An Interview with Chad Fowler. Replit https://medium.com/@replit/developer-spotlight-almost-everyone-in-the-world-is-bad-at-their-job-5d0ccdd3e003

“katyadee” (April 30, 2019). So… who exactly won the #ReplitGameJam? https://dev.to/katyadee/so-who-exactly-won-the-replitgamejam-26jl

Katya Delaney (November 30, 2018). Chanthropology: The Japanese Origins of Imageboard Culture. Praytell Agency https://medium.com/praytellagency/chanthropology-the-japanese-origins-of-imageboard-culture-60ffb3f5ff15

Katya Delaney (October 31, 2018). Where are the female incels? Praytell Agency https://medium.com/praytellagency/dessert-where-are-the-female-incels-3f32d6839298

Katya Delaney (October 24, 2018). Pretty Intense デザート: Japan Edition—Part One, BIG IN JAPAN. Praytell Agency https://medium.com/praytellagency/pretty-intense-%E3%83%87%E3%82%B6%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88-japan-edition-part-one-big-in-japan-c49eb4acabcf

Katya Delaney (September 18, 2018). Welcome to the Dollz House. Praytell Agency https://medium.com/praytellagency/dessert-welcome-to-the-dollz-house-b09ccf37a931

Katya Delaney (July 2016) Poem Elements. Tabloid https://tabloidpublications.bigcartel.com/product/poem-elements

Ungerman, Katya (Aug 18, 2014). The Best Graphic Novels I’ve Ever Read. Electric Literature https://electricliterature.com/the-best-graphic-novels-ive-ever-read/

Ungerman, Katya (June 22, 2015). War and Peace. Shotz

Media

Posting Through It (October 23, 2025). 047: Sir, Another Nazi Group Chat Story Has Hit the Timeline. https://www.patreon.com/posts/141720129

Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy and “Katherine Dee” (February 20, 2025). Touch Grass vs Transhuman: The Battle of the New Digital Age – Katherine Dee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GbMaAcc4Ps

C. Derick Varn with “Katherine Dee” (February 11, 2025). Varn Vlog: Katherine Dee of Default Blog on The Future of Internet Culture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2NFrWWL8ww

Upstream with Erik Torenberg and “Katherine Dee” (January 16, 2025). Dating & Relationships Deep Dive w/ Noah Smith and Katherine Dee (Default Friend). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6FF9uR-5VU

Econ 102 with Erik Torenberg, Noah Smith, and “Katherine Dee” (December 18, 2024). Relationships, Gender Wars, and Online Culture with Katherine Dee (Default Friend). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhGhZqxs5FA

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce and “Katherine Dee” (December 3, 2024). The Internet is Fantastic | with Katherine Dee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNhJrYwDgfM

Team Futurism with Peter Clarke and “Katherine Dee” (September 12, 2024). Katherine Dee: Digital Relationships, Loneliness Epidemic, & Predicting the Future with the Internet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opP5ZE7hTJw

Interintellect with Victoria Wilson, Marc Hochstein, Robin Hanson, and “Katherine Dee” (September 12, 2024). Robin Hanson, Katherine Dee: What is the Cultural Drift and How Does It Impact Society? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu5sv2gcrtE

The Stoa with Peter Limberg and “Katherine Dee” (August 9, 2024). The Internet Is a Stage w/ Katherine Dee (default friend) and Peter Limberg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv_Cp68LnSo

The Hope Axis with Anna Gát and “Katherine Dee” (Jul 16, 2024). The Hope Axis #2 Katherine Dee: Internet, Free Speech, Happiness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNdgNjvz1sE

“Katherine Dee” (July 16, 2024). Forum Roleplaying and Mediated Relationships: case study #1, female, 2003-2011. Default Friend https://default.blog/p/forum-roleplaying-and-mediated-relationships

Chris Williamson wth “Katherine Dee” (March 25, 2023). The Rise And Fall Of The Girlboss Meme – Katherine Dee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivWlCz_QFpc

Maiden Mother Matriarch with Louise Perry and “Katherine Dee” (March 5, 2023). The Coming Wave of Sex Negativity – Katherine Dee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llCpyQC7Dx8

Blocked and Reported with Jesse Singal and “Katherine Dee” (November 19, 2022). Episode 140: Katherine Dee (@Default_Friend) Explains The Internet To Jesse. https://www.blockedandreported.org/p/episode-140-katherine-dee-default_friend

Tucker Carlson Today with Tucker Carlson and “Katherine Dee” (September 26, 2022). Mass Shooting Mayhem. https://watch.plex.tv/show/tucker-carlson-today-1/season/2/episode/95

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce and “Katherine Dee” (September 19, 2022). A Normie’s Guide to Life Online | with Katherine Dee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdNCXrF2GyQ

Culturally Determined with Aryeh Cohen-Wade and “Default Friend” (May 17, 2021). After the Orgy, with Default Friend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMXs2axm0x8

Resources

notes:

This partial profile focuses on information relevant to Ungerman’s anti-trans activism.

Ungerman has attempted a “DELETE FUCKING EVERYTHING” of an extensive digital footprint dating back to middle school.

Another unrelated NYU attendee named Katherine Delaney is also involved in filmmaking (as a location manager).

A NYC-based company founded in 2009 called Brooklyn White Knight LLC dba THE LLC (DOS ID 3878466) appears to be connected to Ungerman.

Substack (substack.com)