Chaya Raichik is a former American real estate agent and is currently a right-wing social media influencer. She got famous after she shared some LGBTQ TikTok content on her TikTok and mocked it in captions. She owns the right-wing Twitter account called Libs of TikTok where she kept her identity a secret until she revealed it in April 2022, gaining more popularity.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Chaya Raichik was born in Los Angeles, California. She went to a girls’ school but did not get a high school diploma.
A childhood picture of Chaya Raichik with her sisters
She got a scholarship at UCLA. However, she is a college dropout. [1]Chaya Raichik – Instagram She started making her TikTok videos in lockdown “just for fun.”
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 7″
Weight (approx.): 56 kg
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Body Measurements (approx.): 32-26-32
Family
Parents & Siblings
While her father’s name is not known, her mother’s name is Miriam Raichik.
Chaya Raichik with her father and mother
She has one older and three younger siblings. One of her sisters is Sara Raichik-Hershberg.
Chaya Raichik with her mother and sisters
Husband & Children
Raichik had been married when she was 21 but the marriage lasted for only 10 months. She met her current husband, Marcus on a dating app and they got married in Israel.
Chaya Raichik with her husband
The couple has two children together, their daughter, Leora (elder), and their son, Lynn (younger).
Chaya Raichik’s children
Religion
She is an Orthodox Jew. [2]Washington Post
Career
Raichik started building her brand anonymously, but her identity was uncovered by the Washington Post in April 2022. On December 27, 2022, she revealed her face for the first time during an appearance on Carlson’s Fox News show and pledged to organize more in-person events.
Chaya Raichik on Carlson’s Fox News
Initially, using the handle @shaya69830552, she downplayed the severity of COVID-19, propagated skepticism regarding the election results, and spread a dubious narrative about child sex trafficking. She has made several derogatory remarks about the LGBTQ community, labeling them as a “cult” and comparing them to “groomers.” Raichik claimed in a February interview with the New York Post that she had caused several teachers to be fired from their schools by sharing their content on her social media account, citing their choice to teach sex education. She also expressed her opinion that adults who educate children about LGBTQ+ identities are engaging in abusive behavior. Raichik then switched to a new handle, @shaya_ray, and identified herself as a real estate investor in Brooklyn in November 2020. She began to intensify her promotion of election fraud conspiracy theories, employing QAnon-related language and joked about launching a clothing line called “voter fraud is real” in early December. Between November 2020 and April 2021, Raichik experimented with different avenues and usernames for her Twitter account, including @cuomomustgo, where she demanded the resignation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and @houseplantpotus, where she parodied President Joe Biden. On April 19, 2021, she rebranded herself as @libsoftiktok and promised to provide “your daily dose of cringe.”
Instagram account of Libs of TikTok
Twitter account of Libs of TikTok
Additionally, Libs of TikTok sells merchandise on Shopify and offers subscriptions on the online newsletter platform Substack.
Controversies
Death Threats
In June, Raichik reported receiving multiple death threats, including a specific warning that a pipe bomb might be thrown into her house. [3]Daily Dot
Cancellation of Drag Queen Storytime
Drag Shows
In June, Raichik voiced her concerns about drag performers interacting with children and posted the locations of several all-ages drag shows across the US. One of the shows she posted was invaded by the far-right extremist group, the Proud Boys, just an hour later. [5]LGBTQ Nation
Chaya Raichik’s tweet against the Drag Shows
Gender-Affirming Care at Hospitals
In August, Raichik posted a tweet regarding the transgender care being provided at Boston Children’s Hospital, alleging that the hospital was offering “gender-affirming hysterectomies.” Her post led to the medical staff at the hospital receiving threats. The hospital issued a statement clarifying that Raichik’s tweets were based on misinformation and a lack of understanding and respect and that hysterectomies were never performed on individuals under the age of 18 as part of gender-affirming care. Following the tweet, the hospital received a bomb threat by phone, leading to a temporary lockdown. Raichik has been charged with making a false bomb threat via telephone and could face up to five years in prison. [6]Washington Post
A tweet about Boston Children’s Hospital
Reinstating Facebook Account
On August 17th, Libs of TikTok was suspended by the platform for violating its community standards. Raichik claimed that she was informed the suspension was permanent. However, the account was reinstated in less than a day, with Facebook acknowledging that the suspension was made in error. The decision to reinstate the account was criticized by the LGBT organization GLAAD. [7]Los Angeles Blade
Shopify’s Defense of Libs of TikTok
Activists initiated a campaign on August 30th to push the e-commerce platform Shopify to remove Libs of TikTok from their platform. The activists argued that Raichik’s store violated Shopify’s acceptable use policy, which prohibits hateful content, as well as goods or services that contribute to harassment, bullying, or threats. As of September 1st, over 4,300 users had submitted reports to Shopify requesting the removal of Libs of TikTok. In response, Shopify defended its decision to host Libs of TikTok, stating that they host businesses with diverse views and from all walks of life. [8]Business Insider
Spreading Litter Box in Schools Hoax
Criticism has been directed towards the Libs of TikTok account for disseminating hoaxes, such as the litter boxes in schools hoax which claimed that bathroom accommodations were being made for students who identified as cats. Additionally, the account has been accused of spreading false information, such as the claim that second-grade students in Austin, Texas were being taught about furries, which was later debunked as fake news. [9]Mashable
A tweet by Chaya on Furries
Resignation of Oklahoma Teacher
In 2021, an 8th-grade English teacher in Owasso, Oklahoma shared a TikTok video expressing his support for LGBT students. In the video, he declared, “If your parents don’t accept you for who you are, f*** them. I’m your parents now. I’m proud of you. Drink some water. I love you.” The clip was reposted by Libs of TikTok in April 2022 and quickly went viral. The teacher faced a wave of online harassment and death threats and subsequently resigned from his position. [10]Fox News
Misinformation on Pedophilia
On August 10, 2022, a video of a therapist working with incarcerated sex offenders was reposted by Libs of TikTok. The therapist mentioned their pronouns and suggested using the term “minor-attracted persons” (MAPs) instead of “pedophiles”, as they believed the latter term had become a hurtful insult. The therapist also argued that individuals with pedophilic tendencies did not choose their attraction and should not be defined solely by that aspect of themselves. However, Libs of TikTok only shared the first two minutes of the video, which gave the impression that the therapist was advocating for the acceptance of pedophilia and encouraging people to be kinder to child sex abusers. In reality, the therapist condemned child sex abuse crimes in the full version of the video. After the repost, the video was promoted by disinformation networks in Russia and Europe, including Tsargrad TV. The repost led to a backlash against the therapist and Libs of TikTok. [11]Libs of TikTok – Twitter
Chaya Raichik’s tweet about the therapist controversy
Misjudged Identity
In April 2022, Chaya Raichik, a stay-at-home mom who grew up in Los Angeles and shares the same name as the person behind Libs of TikTok, received hundreds of negative messages from people who mistakenly identified her as the controversial TikTok account owner. [12]Forward
Chaya Raichik’s homonymous
Car Collection
She owns a Mercedes Benz
Chaya Raichik posing with her car
Facts/Trivia
- There have been allegations that Libs of TikTok may have connections to extremist groups such as the Proud Boys.
- Elon Musk has shown support for the account, having “liked” one of Raichik’s tweets in April and responding to a tweet by the account in November. Raichik has not faced any suspensions from Twitter since Musk took over the company.
- Her account has gained support from public figures such as Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, Donald Trump Jr., Glenn Greenwald, and Laura Ingraham. Joe Rogan played a significant role in promoting the account to his millions of podcast listeners, calling it “one of the greatest f—ing accounts of all time.” However, these claims and affiliations have not been confirmed.
A picture of Chaya with Donald Trump
- Christina Pushaw, the press secretary for DeSantis, acknowledged that Libs of TikTok played a role in changing her perspective. Pushaw publicly stated that she follows, likes, and shares content from the account, and also expressed her support for its purpose.
Christina Pushaw’s tweet on Libs of TikTok
- Although her username includes “TikTok,” Raichik’s account on the platform has been permanently suspended. Additionally, she has received multiple temporary suspensions from Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Specifically, Twitter has temporarily suspended the Libs of TikTok account five times. Some LGBT advocates on Twitter have called for a permanent suspension of the account.
- Her account boasts over 65,000 followers on Instagram and almost 10,000 on YouTube. Additionally, it has a strong presence on Rumble, a right-wing YouTube alternative, as well as other right-wing apps like Gab and GETTR. The account is also expanding its email database through the newsletter platform Revue.
- On December 27, Raichik made her first on-camera appearance on “Tucker Carlson Today,” a show on the Fox News streaming service Fox Nation, after her name was publicly revealed by Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz. Raichik stated that she was doxxed and had her name and location shared, but her photo was not shared. She also mentioned that she had never done any in-person events before, but she was doing so now because of her recent accomplishments. Tucker Carlson credited Libs of TikTok and Pushaw’s support of it for Florida’s passage of the 2022 Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay bill,” which prevents instruction on sexuality and gender identity in inappropriate ways for children from kindergarten to third grade in public schools.
Christina Pushaw’s Tweet on Parental Rights in the Education bill
- Libs of TikTok has a significant presence on various social media platforms, including over 65,000 followers on Instagram, almost 10,000 subscribers on YouTube, and a strong presence on right-wing platforms such as Rumble, Gab, and GETTR. The account is also using the newsletter platform Revue to build an email database. However, Libs of TikTok has been temporarily suspended five times by Twitter, and some advocates for LGBT rights have called for the account to be permanently suspended.
- Raichik has been a guest on the Slightly Offensive podcast hosted by conservative YouTuber Elijah Schaffer.
Raichik on YouTuber Elijah Schaffer’s podcast
- When asked about her reasons for posting certain videos, Raichik claimed that she was working to protect children by targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. She expressed her belief that many of these individuals were struggling with mental or emotional issues and required assistance. Raichik added that she hoped they would receive the necessary help.
Chaya’s tweet about calling Liberalism a mental disorder
- As per The Daily Dot, Raichik was also the operator of the now-defunct Twitter handle @NewYorkIsShitty.
- Glenn Greenwald, an online influencer with more than 2 million Twitter followers, has promoted Libs of TikTok while referring to himself as the account’s “Godfather.”
- Libs of TikTok has been covered by various right-wing news outlets including the New York Post, The Federalist, The Post Millennial, and Fox News.
- The CEO of conservative Christian satire website The Babylon Bee, Seth Dillon, announced a partnership with Libs of TikTok in April 2022, and later pledged financial support to the account.
- YouTuber Tim Pool and CEO of The Daily Wire Jeremy Boreing rented a Times Square billboard to accuse Taylor Lorenz of doxxing Libs of TikTok.
- A Massachusetts preschool worker was fired from her job after her OnlyFans account was exposed by Libs of TikTok. The account featured photos of her creating content while at work, which she had also sent to the school. Although school officials confirmed that an employee had been terminated, they did not disclose the employee’s identity or specify if she had resigned or was fired.
Chaya Raichik tweeted about the Longmeadow teacher’s OnlyFans account
- Her daughter, Leora is an asthmatic patient.
Chaya Raichik shared a post revealing her daughter’s asthmatic condition
- In an Instagram video, she admitted to being a less-than-perfect student and getting expelled almost every year. She also confessed to setting fire to the school and vandalizing the dormitory. [13]Chaya Raichik – Instagram
- About her personal life, Raichik said that she has dated a lot and even calls herself a “serial dater.” [14]Chaya Raichik – Instagram
- She is an animal lover and had a pet dog when she was younger named Charlie.
A picture of Chaya Raichik with her pet dog Charlie
- Raichik is a non-vegetarian and consumes alcoholic beverages.
Chaya Raichik having an alcoholic beverage with her friends
