Over the weekend, a gay conservative and right-wing college group leader reportedly took his own life after receiving abuse online for publicly opposing “drag queen story hour” events for children.
Twenty-one-year-old Wilson Gavin led a group of 15–20 protestors from the University of Queensland’s Liberal National Club (which is right-wing) to protest a “drag queen story hour” event being held at the Brisbane Square Library in Australia this weekend, according to LGBTQ Nation.
Gavin and fellow right-wingers chanted that “drag queens are not for kids” and voiced opposition to the indoctrination of children via “radical gender theories,” the outlet noted.
The videos went viral online and Gavin became a target for abuse, receiving “savage criticism and abuse from those purporting to represent the LGBTI community and others on social media,” The Australian reported.
Hinting at the abuse Gavin reportedly received following the protest, Liberal National Party of Queensland member Dawson George Christensen announced that he was leaving “broken” Twitter for good.
“Suicide happens when Twitter keyboard warriors pile on an individual for a political protest,” Christensen tweeted. “Twitter is broken. It’s for ad hominem attacks & pile-ons, not real discourse. And it’s aided & abetted by the media. I can’t delete the media but I am deleting my Twitter account. Bye.”
George Christensen says he's quitting Twitter, saying it's "broken" pic.twitter.com/XjU3LQWLb9
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) January 13, 2020
Gavin died by suicide over the weekend, The Star Observer of Australia reported Monday: “Gavin was found dead at Chelmer Railway Station this morning at 7:07am. Ambulance officers who attended say he died from critical injuries, but have provided no further details.”
As highlighted by Federalist writer and openly gay conservative Chad Felix Greene, folks in the LGBT community celebrated the young man’s death. Some of the screenshots captured by Greene reveal Gavin being trashed for having supposed “self-hatred,” while other commenters emphasized that they have “absolutely no sympathy” for the conservative.
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) January 13, 2020
Notably, one of the drag queen performers shared kind words of support to Gavin’s family following the news of his passing.
“My heart goes out to the family and friends of the affected,” wrote Johnny Valkyrie via Facebook. “If the family are reading this please know that I support you, and I am here to gather support and I know you are good people.”
“To those of you who follow me,” continued Valkyrie, “if you require support, please reach out to community services and hotlines which are freely available to the community. I cannot say anymore at this stage. I have to reflect on the events, heal, and extend my love to the community.”
According to The Australian, Gavin was a high-profile student activist who “was forthright in his opposition to same-sex marriage in 2017, giving interviews in the national media and organising protests backing a No vote in the plebiscite held to decide the issue.”
“His role in that campaign attracted vociferous criticism, but he insisted there were thousands of gay people like himself who opposed same-sex marriage,” noted the outlet.
“They hate me because I’m a conservative, and they hate me more because I’m a gay conservative,” Gavin said during an interview with Sky News.
“I’m not a homophobe,” he noted. “I love gay men. You can’t call me a homophobe just because I’m opposed to same-sex marriage.”