On Democracy Now, Media Matters' Ari Drennen explains Libs of TikTok's role in amplifying anti-LGBTQ hatred
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From the June 6, 2022 episode of DEMOCRACY NOW!
ARI DRENNEN (MEDIA MATTERS): Libs of TikTok is not a TikTok account. They were shut down there a long time ago. It's a Twitter account that has over the course of the year sort of escalated its attacks on LGBTQ people and teachers — often LGBTQ teachers — and has more recently moved into highlighting events featuring drag queens, with the allegation, you know, in one thread that they posted that these events aim to, quote, “confuse, corrupt, or sexualize kids."
AMY GOODMAN (HOST): And talk about how the role the Libs of TikTok — their messaging more around how they talk about LGBTQ+ people, what are some of the more troubling things you've found in this wave of attacks — either the actual violent attacks or, you know, attacks in the making because Coeur D'Alene didn't actually play out, as well as legislation across the country.
DRENNEN: Yeah, unfortunately Libs of TikTok has been able to have a huge influence and a huge reach. They have 1.2 million followers on Twitter, which is quite large, but their reach gets even larger when you consider who they're influencing. We at Media Matters have tracked how content promoted by Libs of TikTok has often ended up on Fox News, where the network has basically used the account as a wire service. The podcaster Joe Rogan, who has an audience of many million people, has frequently said that this is his favorite Twitter account, told his audience to follow this Twitter account. And Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida — his press secretary actually credited the account, Libs of TikTok, with her decision to frame the “Don't Say Gay" bill in Florida as a, quote-unquote, “anti-grooming" bill, rather than how it had been originally framed when it first attracted significant public debate.