Student who went viral after storming drag queen story event and ‘scaring’ children has died by suicide
Wilson Gavin, who led a demonstration against a Drag Queen Story Time event in Australia, has repeatedly died by suicide. (Screenshot via Twitter)
The leader of a protest against a drag queen story time event in Brisbane, Australia, has reportedly died by suicide just a day after he and his fellow disrupters stormed a library.
The doors of Brisbane Square Library blew open on Sunday as around 15 to 20 students from the University of Queensland Liberal National Club aggressively accosted two drag queens reading books to children.
Wilson Gavin, the club’s gay president, was found dead at Chelmer Railway Station this morning at 7:07am. Ambulance officers rushed to the scene, but said he died from critical injuries, Buzzfeed News reported.
No other details were provided by medics.
Drag queen demonstrated against expresses her grief over Wilson Gavin’s death.
The then 19-year-old jolted into the public for his passionate opposition against same-sex marriage – actively campaigning against the postal survey in 2017.
Aged 21, he was at the helm of a protest that proved a lightning rod for criticism last weekend, as video footage showed he and other demonstrators shouting, “Drag queens are not for kids,” and police later being called.
Demonstration detractors denounced Gavin and thew Liberal National Club, with one witness saying: “What they did today was add to the bigotry, division and trauma young children are left to face in today’s society.”
Drag queen story shows are gaining popularity as a fun and educational way to celebrate diversity, giving children a space to see people who defy gender restrictions.
But UQ Liberal National Club views such events as “moral filth,” condemning the drag queens as “sick individuals” in a statement posted to Facebook.
“SHAME on the Brisbane City Council,” they wrote. “What people do behind the closed doors of a nightclub is their business, but this event is designed to indoctrinate and sexualise young children. Our kids deserve better than this!”
Johnny Valkyrie, who performs as the drag queen Queeny, was one of the readers at the Story Time event. She posted on Facebook that she had been alerted to the news and she extended her support to Gavin’s loved ones.
“If the family are reading this please know that I support you, and I am here to gather support and I know you are good people,” she said.
“To those of you who follow me, if you require support please reach out to community services and hotlines which are freely available to the community.
“I cannot say anymore at this stage. I have to reflect on the events, heal and extend my love to the community.”
If you are in the US and are having suicidal thoughts, suffering from anxiety or depression, or just want to talk, call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255. If you are in the UK, you can contact the Samaritans on 116 123.
If you are in Australia, you can contact Lifeline at 13 11 14.
