A gay, conservative student has reportedly taken his life after footage of him and fellow protestors disrupting a drag queen story hour in Brisbane, Australia, went viral yesterday.
The event took place at Brisbane Square Library on Sunday afternoon. Drag queen story hours have grown in popularity in both the US and Australia, but have sometimes been met with protests from conservative groups.
Yesterday’s event was disrupted by 15-20 young protestors from the UQ [University of Queensland] Liberal National Club. However, the group is not formally connected to the country’s right-leaning Liberal National Party and was a college-based group of like-minded conservative students.
Related: Armed Trump supporter detained by police after bursting into library to protest drag queen storytime
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On Friday, on its Facebook page, the group slammed local officials for allowing the event to go ahead.
“SHAME on Brisbane City Council for sponsoring this event. What people do behind the closed doors of a nightclub is their business, but this event is designed to indoctrinate and sexualize young children. Our kids deserve better than this! … Why is this moral filth being paid for by the taxpayer?”
Appearing to lead the protest, and filmed arguing with Diamond Good-Rim, one of the drag queens involved, was the club president, Wilson Gavin, 21. Fellow protestors behind him chanted “drag queens are not for kids.”
Footage of the demonstration quickly circulated on social media.
Singer Jessica Origliasso, of the Australian band Veronicas, was among those to share it on Instagram, slamming the protestors.
“A huge f*** you to the group of screaming UQ Young Libs who stormed a children’s storytelling event hosted by two drag queens,” she said, reported 7News.
“I am absolutely furious, our world is in need of love & healing, now more than ever.”
UQU President Ethan Van Roo Douglas said in a statement that the organization was “appalled” by the behavior of the students.
Sunday was not the first time Gavin, who was gay, had protested about LGBTQ-related issues. He was vocal in his opposition to same-sex marriage during the Australian postal vote in 2017, even appearing on TV news shows to argue against it.
Fronting a “You Can Say No” rally against same-sex marriage, he said, “I support what marriage really is and I’m gay.”
However, following footage of the protest going viral, Gavin is suspected of killing himself. An ambulance was called to Chelmer, Brisbane South, around 7am Monday morning local time. Mr Gavin was found with critical injuries.
Related: Ugly Betty creator, Silvio Horta, 45, found dead in apparent suicide
In the wake of the news, performer Diamond Good Rim issued the following statement: “’My thoughts and deep condolences are with his family and friends at this tragic time.
“We all need to band together at this awful, difficult time. Please, if any of you are feeling affected in any way by these recent events, reach out for support.”
Johnny Valkyrie, the other drag queen participating in the event, said, “If the family (of Mr Gavin) are reading this please know that I support you, and I am here to gather support and I know you are good people.”
The University of Queensland said it will offer support to other students affected by Gavin’s death and events of the last two days.
University of Queensland senator Drew Pavlou, a friend of Gavin’s, said he was, “at his core a very kind person that cared for others.
“I had the great privilege of seeing that side of him in life.
“He was hilarious and a riot to be around, his fame will always remain legendary.”
Sally Hugg, who campaigned for same-sex marriage in Australia, was among those to express sorrow at Gavin’s death.
“Wilson Gavin was gay.
“I don’t know why he campaigned against SSM. I don’t know why he was so angry at a drag queen. I don’t know why he took his life.
“But I wish he was still here so he could have found us all. We would love him and forgive him. We do love him and forgive him.”
Wilson Gavin was gay.
I don’t know why he campaigned against SSM. I don’t know why he was so angry at a drag queen. I don’t know why he took his life.
But I wish he was still here so he could have found us all. We would love him and forgive him. We do love him and forgive him.
— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg) January 13, 2020
If you are thinking about suicide or are feeling alone and need someone to talk to, please call the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Hdtex
“Tragedy”???
Nope.
pugdad
Don’t let the coffin lid hit you in the ass! Better that he did himself in before he hurt or killed someone.
michel_banen
Sounds like he was actually filled with self-hate. He made his choice….
Darson
Turning on your own??
Let a disco hit express my feelings for this vile individual…
Burn, baby. Burn.
TomG
I doubt that he was gay and was using that to be homophobic to make himself appear more acceptable to the gay community.
LARRY
Pity yes…tragedy? NOPE. One less hate filled pos in the world.
JessPH
Sashay Away.
redbeardexpeditions
Look, I hate that people protested this too, but for anyone to argue against this young, gay, human losing their life being a tragedy is deplorable. We fight everyday for people to be able to express themselves and be themselves (even if it isn’t how we wanna be). This kid had influence and could have learned better. Now he can’t. And that’s a shame.
ShiningSex
YEAH WE FIGHT EVERYDAY TO BE ACCEPTED AND THAT HATEFUL QUEEN HATE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IF ANYONE IS DEPLORABLE IT’S HIM AND HE’S GONE. GET OVER IT. I KNOW MOST OF US ARE.
I HAVE NO PITY FOR AWFUL PEOPLE SPEWING HATE AND THEN WANT YOU EXPECT SYMPATHY FROM THOSE HE RAILED AGAINST??? NO.
Griff_Greymuzzle
You’re literally one of the only comments that get what actually happened here. A young, gay man took his life because Going Viral leads OUR community to blast him with vitriol. We have to respect that even as a group, not all of us are going to agree on all things. We literally would not allow this young man to have a different outlook. We scream at the rest of our world to respect our lives and our values, but we couldn’t even do that for one of own.
Granny Spoth
I really don’t agree with his political stance, but this young man was met with the ‘love’ and ‘tolerance’ (aka harassed and shunned, cancelled) of many internet and local left-wing social justice activists, and it did what it usually does.
Dear harassers, you don’t know what people are going through when you do your ‘love’ and ‘tolerance’ campaign against them.
You are not powerless.
You are using the power of the mob, and this is not pretty.
Cam
@Griff_Greymuzzle
Said…..” A young, gay man took his life because Going Viral leads OUR community to blast him with vitriol. We have to respect that even as a group, not all of us are going to agree on all things””.
————–
So he shows up in front of the camera, goes on TV, and yet you try to blame the community that he got the attention he was seeking. And you can always spot trolls because they hide the words “Bigotry” and “Hate” behind “Not agreeing on all things”.
Dustolio
I agree with RedBeard. It sucks that they decided to disrupt an event for children. But they themselves are basically children. A 21 yo university student an make dumb decisions and come out of it on the other side (I voted for GW Bush).
I feel terrible for this kid. I’m so sad he didn’t see any other way out of his self loathing.
ShiningSex
IF YOU VOTED REPUBLICAN. SIT DOWN. NO EXCUSE.
rustyiam
Yikes some of you have some scary hatred in your hearts!
white-queer-african
@rustyiam, for once I share your sentiments and agree with you. A life is precious even if it is a confused life filled with hatred. There is always hope to see the light!!!!!
ShiningSex
NOT ALL LIFE IS PRECIOUS AND WE ACCEPT THAT. THERE ARE JUST HORRIBLE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, AND THOSE OF US NOT SAD ABOUT THIS ARE NOT THOSE HORRIBLE PEOPLE.
THANKS THOUGH.
Cam
It’s cute the way Rusty always tries to make the bullies into the victims.
white-queer-african
@ShiningSex, very angry now? Caps says it all! Angry with your miserable existence/life?
Jake123
The poor guy…. I just feel very sorry for him.
AxelDC
Same here. He was young and did foolish things, but didn’t allow himself to grow up and face life.
lgwolf
The Lady Doth protest no more.
Kangol2
He sounds like he was extremely self-hating and homophobic in the deepest sense of the word. I’m sorry to hear about his suicide but wish he’d gotten psychological counseling and help to address his issues rather than lashing out at other gay people, whether drag queens or the many thousands of gay and bi Australians who now will enjoy equality through same-sex marriage rights.
Creamsicle
I thought that the new PC phrasing was “died by suicide.” It allows survivors to discuss suicide with language that is less accusatory of their loved one, and less shameful for survivors, who are at increased risk of suicide themselves.
gavo92
LOL
Vince
He was still a child so I feel sorry for him. At 21 i was totally fu*ked up. 5-10 years later he probably would’ve been someone completely different.
I wonder how much religion played a part in young wilsons life? No doubt his outlook mirrored his parents.
WillParkinson
“We” forgive him? Sorry, not ‘we’.
Sotzume
My mother always told me to speak good of the dead….He’s dead, good.
ShiningSex
BEST COMMENT EVER!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
🙂 :-):-):-)
AxelDC
Poor fellow. It’s a shame that he didn’t live long enough to come to peace with himself.
RickHeathen
Bye, Felicia.
ShiningSex
Not sad at all.
Some may say “But it’s a human life”.
blah blah blah.
Some people are just awful and don’t need a place in this world if they can’t even accept people in their own community.
BYE!
Griff_Greymuzzle
Some people ARE just awful. And from your comments, you’re at the top of that list. A young gay man is dead and you think it helps anyone to make vicious, asshole, trolling comments because you’re on the internet and can be edgy? It’s no wonder we don’t have a community anymore. I’d just as soon not be associated with anyone who thinks someone killing themselves is a good thing.
JromeGervais09
Men dressing as women for entertainment has been in our world’s history for thousands of years. Countries such as Japan, China, India to begin with and then William Shakespeare’s plays in England. What’s the big deal? Haven’t we, as a world, grown up yet? Young Mr. Gavin was homophobic and gay. We’ve seen this thousands of times around the world. I would suspect that there is a religion’s negative beliefs toward gay people that guilted and shamed this young man into ending his life. I was raised in a right wing nut family and dealt with guilt, shame and homophobia in myself for years, but overcame it. This is a sign of the deadly consequences of religion being allowed to influence laws and people’s freedom of choice and recognition of who they are. Tolerance, Love, Compassion, Forgiveness, Acceptance is missing.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Always love a story with a happy ending!
justgeo
Well he got his way and not soon enough!
sillyme
I feel for his family most for they are suffering now over this and I don’t think it was the kid that took his life someone hated him for being gay and outspoken for what he felt which was a personal battle that he will not be able to resolve but his parents will have to deal with and with luck take up a struggle to end that type of hatred. We have the same here in the states and it all needs to come to an end sooner than later and the sooner the better for there is too much hate going around with blaming everyone else and not standing up and admitting that who ever did it will come forward. That has got to stop now with all the hatred once and for all.
JromeGervais09
There are not winners in this story. Only losers. Do not hate this young man nor his family. His family members are now starting the 5 levels of grief. They may or may not resolve who were complicit in his death. Family pressures or a malevolent stranger. I don’t take his language against SSM, homophobia etc. personally. There were obviously extenuating circumstances that contributed to his unfortunate death.
frankcar1965
Right and his parents are what taught him this, they need to kill themselves too.
Brian
So we completely understand why some gay adolescents wind up doing self destructive things like drugs, prostitution, or suicide and the complexity of the outside factors that mess them up so badly. But when it manifests itself in this way we have half the commenters here gleefully stating that they’re glad he’s dead.
You people are really horrible.
Polaro
I concur.
Cam
Drugs, prostitution, and suicide, harm themselves. He attacked others.
Brian
Your right. The hurt feelings of these drag queens who were protested against are certainly worse than people having to deal with a loved one’s addiction or suicide.
Idiot.
jsteinbee
wait after all that he kill him Self I have ask why
RamblingManNJ
Yes some of the disgusting hateful comments here are very disappointing and only give ammunition to our opponents. I imagine there are some homophobes twittering some of these comments as I speak. Ok, so he was against drag story hour. Does that really warrant wishing he was dead??? Seriously, some of you people need to look at yourselves in the mirror. You are becoming what you supposedly despise. Incidentally, even among Queerty readers I have a pretty good feeling that there probably exists a whole range of opinions on draq queen story hour. Frankly it does seem kind of strange to me, but if some parents are ok with it then it is none of my business.
trsxyz123
Thanks for your eloquent response. I am proudly gay, and yet I am one of those Queerity readers who is a bit uncomfortable with the idea of the Drag Story Hour.
Cam
Except it’s interesting that you left out the part where he was also against marriage, adoption, etc…
Funny how you tried to hide that fact.
tjr101
He was conflicted in his views because of his parents. Take a look at the parents.
Neil Miller
A tragic loss to the LGBT community – who consist of a diverse range of opinions, some of which are not in favour of shoving gay culture down the throats of everyone.
frankcar1965
Karma is a bitch, I hope he died a painful death.
white-queer-african
Gawd you are a dreadful person!!!! Do not wish onto someone you not wish onto yourself. The universe will deal with you.
IWantAFullBeard
You better hope you’ve never made a mistake in your life. Otherwise when you die someone can say “karma” too.
aussie72
To all the members leaving bitchy remarks, please think before you post. As a community we campaign against conversion therapy, bullying and outdated religious beliefs to SAVE people like this. He is a prime example of the self-hate that these things instil in vulnerable gay kids. Whilst his actions were deplorable, he didn’t deserve this. Throwing yourself under a train is the action of a sick, sad person who needed a lot of help. My condolences to his family, and the train driver.
Brian
Amen. You would think that people would give him at least enough benefit of the doubt that the issues that caused him to commit suicide may have been related to something along these lines. Certainly enough that they could, at the very least, not gloat about a tormented young gay man killing himself.
RamblingManNJ
Also I think it might be quite presumptuous for us all to speculate that it was self homophobic hatred that made him end his life. It could have absolutely nothing to do with his sexuality. I mean the kid said he was gay on live TV in front of all of Australia. Surely he could not have been too self hating. It is just that he had an unfavorable opinion of drag story hour and a conservative take on gay marriage. I don’t think that is enough to automatically assume that he was some tortured self hating gay. Life and the world can feel very empty, cold and depressing sometimes for many different reasons.
Granny Spoth
Most probable, indeed.
I agree with RamblingManNJ.
Brian
We are all being presumptuous and speculating, obviously none of us know exactly what was going on in his head. It’s not asking too much to be presumptuous to the point where you’re not celebrating his suicide. He didn’t blow up a building, he protested drag queens
frankcar1965
I did think before i posted, some people are nasty humans who do not deserve the air they consume. Stop saying “our community” like it is a real thing, there is no gay community, just people who are gay. Gays have been pussies long enough there is no need to get run over anymore like an animal on the side of the rode. Where did that get us? It’s time to FIGHT and call a spade a spade. Stop being weak.
aussie72
‘Rode’, I think you mean a road. Given your age, if you haven’t discovered the gay community yet, I would suggest you go outside and find it. Take a breath, find some compassion, stop trolling, get on with life.
pugdad
Don’t let the coffin lid hit you in the ass! Better that he did himself in before he hurt or killed someone else.
Vince
Wow. You seem nice.
sillyme
Do we as “gays” and also as a community need to make more hostility for ourselves as is and become more divided by those who can’t seem to find any compassion in their lives for they don’t know what it is at all. They just know how to bash their own kind because a few here can’t get off the internet and live some life in real time and educate themselves to become more liberated for everyone else and to open their eyes and see the hate that is running rampant in the world. Get a life you disgusting morons and smell the coffee for once, STOP hating asap and try life and look for forgiveness in yourself and in others and help those that don’t know where to find help. damn trolls get real.
Cam
Your comment would have been well directed at him and his actions when alive. He was attacking the community, not the other way around.
AussieNk
I’ve been a daily reader of Queerty since the days of AfterElton, but I can’t believe the hate in the comments here. I think his death is really sad, probably just reinforced all the terrible stereotypes and fears his parents already had about ‘the gay lifestyle’. I for one will never celebrate any persons death.
Cam
I’m not celebrating, but you seem far more concerned over what his parents thing about “The Gay Lifestyle” than the fact that this kid had been so twisted he was basically trying to attack the entire LGBT community as a proxy for dealing with his own issues and the bigotry and hatred in his life.
Barefootboyz
My dad was a Pentecostal Preacher and I came out while in the Marine Corps. I did not speak to my father for 5 years and by the time he died last year he had accepted my husband/partner of 26 years as part of the family. I even gave the eulogy at his church with my husband in the front row with family. Anyone can change but it is not hateful to say I will not shed tears for him because I need all of my tears for my own life and my family and friends.
irbaboon
Why is the right wing political party called Liberal National Party?
RamblingManNJ
Liberal in the nineteenth century meaning of the world basically meant being pro free trade and pro capitalism. It is very different from how it came to be viewed in the late twentieth century.
IWantAFullBeard
That’s a good question. The word liberal comes from the Latin word liber, which means “free”. Think of it like libertarians, which ultimately means freedom from government control. For much of history, liberalism was libertarianism. This is because progressives wanted liberation from the monarchy that controlled them. Think “give me liberty or give me death” as a response to the British monarch from early American settlers. Overtime liberalism has changed its meaning to express progressivism, but you can also think of liberation from conservative social control. Interestingly in Britain, liberal is thought of in terms of classic liberalism, and equatable to American Libertarianism, which is why the famous British news magazine The Economist refers to itself as a liberal publication, but most Americans would consider if center-right.
The real question is wtf is with the name National Socialism?
Cam
The bigots in his life, the Republican party, and his religion damaged him so much, that he thought the only way to gain their approval was to attack the very thing he was.
His death is on them.
Barefootboyz
No tears from me. I fought to hard in my life for equal rights to stop and pause for a self hating gay person. That includes you Lindsey Graham.
Joshua333
It’s sad but you can’t overlook the other people he most-likely hurt with his belligerent actions.
IWantAFullBeard
It’s sad that you live in a world where someone should die because they have expressed views that are contrary to yours. That’s civility 101.
rray63
We don’t know what was going through this young man’s mind. That he was tormented in some way, seems obvious. You folks that have no mercy in you should be ashamed of yourselves. It’s hard to read a tragic story and then read that others are happily rejoicing that he is dead. Look in the mirror please.
Trekbike
I regret that there are so many hateful people on here. No one ever knows what kind of baggage someone is carrying around at any given time. It’s shocking to read the comments on here. A young man has taken his own life and that in itself is a tragedy. After reading a few of the comments on here I can understand why so many gay men hate other gay men. I’m 60 years old and a gay disabled veteran. I have a ton of good reasons to be angry but, my heart goes out to this young man who must of been suffering and struggling with many different issues. If so many gays don’t have the ability to have compassion and kindness, we’re all in deep trouble. Just imagine if his friends and family are reading these comments. Have you people no decency!
RamblingManNJ
Hear hear, as the British would say.
IWantAFullBeard
No one should have to feel that suicide is the solution. The guy was 21 – he had a lifetime ahead of him. Maybe you disagree with his views, but he is 21 with a lifetime to learn. I’m 32 and I have made many mistakes and will continue to make mistakes, should I kill myself?
We do not triumph over our enemies by destroying them, we triumph by leading others the right way.
I wish his parents the best and support in this hard time.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Please stop calling him “a kid” he was 21 an adult. Actual kids these days are exposed to a significant more amount of information due to the internets than any generations prior. Some of the disgusting rhetoric he spewed included rallying against Gay marriage, equality, and including any information or mention of anything Gay in schools
He knew he was Gay and being involved in anti-Gay causes surely knew the effects of anti-Gay rhetoric, actions, bullying and shaming. A major tragic effect of the actions he encouraged and supported was GAY CHILDREN AND TEENS COMMITTING SUICIDE.
So I shed nary a tear nor feel slightly bad about his death. The world is a better place without noxious hate spewing monsters like him…