Chaya Raichik's far-right media tour
After revealing her identity on Fox Nation, the Libs of TikTok creator is no longer afraid to be a face of anti-LGBTQ hate and extremism
Written by Justin Horowitz
Published
Updated
Latest updated date (1/30/23): This piece will be continually updated with more examples as they occur.
“Libs of TikTok” founder Chaya Raichik is on a fringe right-wing media tour demeaning and attacking the LGBTQ community. Raichik has been interviewed by QAnon adherents, Nazi-linked hosts, and a variety of conspiracy theorists.
Libs of TikTok is an anti-LGBTQ hate account with 1.7 million followers on Twitter; it also has profiles on Instagram, Facebook, Gab, and Gettr.
Raichik’s tour began after she revealed her face on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Today in late December, where she made barbaric comments about the LGBTQ community. Raichik has since embraced her public-facing persona and no longer seems afraid to be a face of anti-LGBTQ hate and extremism. (Raichik’s identity was first reported by The Washington Post’s Taylor Lorenz in April.)
Here is a breakdown of Raichik’s recent interviews on far-right media:
On January 2, Raichik sat down with right-wing YouTuber and conspiracy theorist Tim Pool for an interview at his Maryland studio. Pool’s show is a safe haven for anti-LGBTQ bigots, white nationalists, and conspiracy theorists.
During the interview, Raichik attacked drag shows, baselessly claiming that “the point of drag is to queer kids. They admit that.”
“They admit they’re grooming,” Pool responded.
The terms “groomer” and “grooming” are slurs used to wrongly equate LGBTQ people with pedophiles.
Raichik appeared on QAnon conspiracy theorist DeAnna Lorraine’s show on January 10. Lorraine’s program is part of white nationalist Stew Peters’ media network and is streamed on Rumble. During the episode, the duo attacked trans people and attempted to conflate the LGBTQ community with pedophiles.
When Lorraine asked Raichik about recent headlines she had shared online, Raichik described an LGBTQ organization providing free gender-affirming clothing products to trans youth as “scary” and “dangerous.”
Raichik called in to right-wing radio host Sebastian Gorka’s show on January 11. Gorka is a pro-insurrection conspiracy theorist who is closely associated with the neo-Nazi-aligned group Vitézi Rend.
Raichik said that she plans on doing more media hits with Gorka.
On January 20, Raichik described her plans for the future during another interview with Gorka.
“I do see myself as a journalist,” Raichik said. “Now that my face is out there, my name is out there, I’ll be able to do a lot more because I’m not restricted by being anonymous.”
On January 23, Raichik appeared on right-wing YouTuber and former BlazeTV host Elijah Schaffer’s show, Slightly Offensive.
During the episode, Raichik attacked trans women as “knockoff versions” who are “cheaper quality” than cisgender women. Schaffer also discussed killing drag performers.
“Firing squads are looking popular again in my head,” Schaffer said. “I’m like, oh yeah, firing squads, whatever happened to those.”
Schaffer was fired from TheBlaze in late 2022 after he was accused of sexual assault, and he has repeatedly made racist and antisemitic comments on his show.
Raichik’s foray into the far-right media landscape fits with her extremist past; she has repeatedly attacked children’s hospitals for working with trans youth and was reportedly present at the January 6 insurrection.
Before sitting down with Carlson, Raichik appeared anonymously for interviews with various right-wing media figures including violent white nationalist and Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes, Newsmax’s Eric Bolling, and Fox News’ Tammy Bruce.