The Hate-Fueled and Hugely Influential World of Libs of TikTok

Last week, Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz revealed that a Brooklyn real estate agent named Chaya Raichik was the person behind the influential conservative Twitter account Libs of TikTok. Raichik’s account, which previously operated anonymously, has become a powerful voice in the culture wars, pushing discourse designed to demonize supporters of LGBTQ rights as sexually predatory “groomers” of children. In a since-deleted post, Raichik’s account wrote this about a prominent LGBTQ youth suicide-prevention group: “The Trevor Project is a grooming organization.” It was around this time that her account also started using what has become a popular online insult: “Ok groomer.” Toward the end of 2021 and into the new year, Raichik found her rhythm with memes and videos calling LGBTQ people and those who supported LGBTQ youth “groomers.” She has even attempted to smear one of the most prominent gay men in the country. In a deleted tweet, Raichik’s account accused Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten, of “grooming kids” for his work supporting LGBTQ youth. And then came Florida’s “don’t say gay” law, which state legislators began considering around the same time Raichik went into groomer overdrive.