Transphobic right-wing broadcaster Matt Walsh has received death threats and criticism after a video resurfaced of him mocking trans people’s suicides. His comments resurfaced shortly after the suicide of Charlotte Fosgate, a 17-year-old trans teen whose body was discovered by Oregon rescue divers after she published two Twitter posts suggesting that she would jump off a bridge.

“If there’s any trans joy, if it happens at all, it happens very briefly sometime between the 25th story and the ground,” Walsh said in the video clip, mocking trans people who jump off of buildings to their deaths. His comment mocks the idea that trans people can experience intense happiness and fulfillment through transitioning and authentic living, despite the higher rates of discrimination and mental distress they often face.

Related

Conservative pundit Matt Walsh compares gay people raising kids to cutting a kid’s arm off
“It’s far better for a child to be raised lacking one of his arms than to be raised lacking one of his parents.”

As the video clip circulated online, Walsh shared screenshots of some X users’ reactions, suggesting that he be shot, be “slowly and agonizingly killed,” or have “unspeakable things” done to him. Another wrote that people like him “really just have to die … for this country to get better,” and another commenter said he’d “snap [Walsh’s] f**king neck.”

Insights for the LGBTQ+ community

Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

Many other commenters on Walsh’s video pointed out that Walsh has long encouraged similar hatred against trans people and their allies by saying that trans people and allies “suck [children] into [their] suicide cult just to make [them]selves feel better.” In 2022, Walsh spoke at a transphobic rally where people threatened to kill doctors who provide gender-affirming care. There, Walsh said such doctors are “drugging and mutilating” kids, when in reality, genital surgeries are not conducted on trans youth.

Walsh referred to the commenters as “trans psychopaths,” though it’s unclear whether all the commenters identify as trans. His words echo right-wing rhetoric that implies that trans people are mentally ill threats to public safety. However, cisgender people commit the vast majority of violent events, and leading health organizations like the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association no longer classify trans identity itself as a mental disorder.

Anger around Walsh’s clip coincided with the news of Fosgate’s recent suicide. Legal authorities in Oregon reported her as missing — calling her an “endangered minor, known for her severe mental health issues and lack of medication” — days before rescue divers recovered her body. A Facebook post announcing her death went up on May 27.

Before killing herself, Fosgate posted a nighttime photo of a bridge in Portland, Oregon, writing, “It’s a pretty view,” and “long way down.” Numerous transphobic commenters cheered on her death, with one posting a transphobic cartoon in which a trans woman decides not to kill herself upon being told that men are statistically more likely to follow through with suicide.

Other compassionate commenters criticized the trolls for mocking and celebrating a person’s suffering.

One compassionate online eulogy for Fosgate stated, “Most of the comments on [Fosgate’s X] post were absolutely disgusting… I’m here to make sure that she is remembered in the light that she deserves, because no one deserves to go what she went through.”

The eulogist noted that Fosgate was a member of the Sonic “modding” community, an online group of enthusiasts who enjoy fan-made changes to the popular Sonic the Hedgehog.

“She loved memes, anime, video games (esspecily sonic),” the eulogist wrote. “She was also a beloved part of the sonic [coding] community. it’s [a shame] how crule the world can be. I hope for the sake of all of us things get better. Charlotte Fosgate will live on in [our] hearts.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. The Trans Lifeline (1-877-565-8860) is staffed by trans people and will not contact law enforcement. The Trevor Project provides a safe, judgment-free place to talk for youth via chat, text (678-678), or phone (1-866-488-7386). Help is available at all three resources in English and Spanish.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.