Online Anti-LGBTQ Hate Terms Defined: “Transvestigation”
This entry is part of the GLAAD Guide to Anti-LGBTQ Online Hate and Disinformation, an ongoing project to identify some of the most prevalent and egregious terms, tropes, and concepts that are used to harass, attack, and spread malicious misinformation about LGBTQ people on social media. Learn more here.
*CONTENT WARNING*
The example below includes a hateful term, phrases and imagery.
“Transvestigation”
This hate-driven conspiracy theory emerged in early 2017 and has had a resurgence as an anti-trans trope in 2023-2024. The practice maliciously targets cisgender public figures — from Madonna to Melania Trump to Olympic boxer Imane Khelif to Kyle Rittenhouse — and then “investigates” them offering fake pseudo-scientific “evidence” that they are transgender (with the underlying bigoted and ignorant implication that being a transgender person is a bad thing). This is a notable example of how transphobic hate impacts everyone — as the targets of the harassment are cisgender people. A June 2024 analysis by Media Matters for America further contextualizes the trope: “These false accusations come amid a broader ‘trans panic’ encouraged by right-wing media and politicians.” Content related to this form of anti-transgender hate runs rampant across all social media platforms in many forms, including crowd-sourced Facebook groups, individual posts (like this one targeting Jennifer Aniston), and YouTube playlist compilations. As an example, this now private, 27-minute video entitled, “TRANSVESTIGATION of MADONNA — Undeniable PROOF!!! ‘SHE’ is a MAN!” constructs this conspiracy theory with a framing asserting that Madonna’s body-type is that of someone assigned male at birth. The video offers a faux-scientific analysis of the pop star’s anatomy which serves as a vehicle for a lengthy diatribe of dehumanizing anti-trans tropes and rhetoric. Although the “transvestigation” trope is not expressly identified as hate speech by social media platforms, experts on anti-LGBTQ hate and disinformation (including GLAAD) are clear that such dehumanizing attacks on peoples’ bodies and identities are a harmful form of bullying and harassment.
Conclusion
This is just one example of anti-LGBTQ online hate and disinformation. Every term and concept should be evaluated in context. For instance, LGBTQ people and allies may use hashtags with hate terms as counterspeech, or slurs such as “tranny” or “dyke” may be used self-referentially to reclaim them. This guide will be updated on an ongoing basis. Please see the latest GLAAD Social Media Safety Index report for a deeper exploration of the current social media landscape for LGBTQ people, including GLAAD’s recommendations and thought leadership in the field.
How to Report Anti-LGBTQ Online Hate Speech and Harassment
Every major social media platform has policies which prohibit hate and harassment on the basis of protected characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity. To learn how to report potentially violative content, check out GLAAD’s LGBTQ Digital Safety Guide, which includes basic tips on helping our community be more safe online.
About the GLAAD Social Media Safety Program
As the leading national LGBTQ media advocacy organization GLAAD is working every day to hold tech companies and social media platforms accountable, and to secure safe online spaces for LGBTQ people. The GLAAD Social Media Safety (SMS) program researches, monitors, and reports on a variety of issues facing LGBTQ social media users — with a focus on safety, privacy, and expression. The SMS program has consulted directly with platforms and tech companies on some of the most significant LGBTQ policy and product developments over the years. In addition to ongoing advocacy work with platforms (including TikTok, X/Twitter, YouTube, and Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and others), and issuing the highly-respected annual Social Media Safety Index (SMSI) report, the SMS program produces resources, guides, publications, and campaigns, and actively works to educate the general public and raise awareness in the media about LGBTQ social media safety issues, especially anti-LGBTQ hate and disinformation.