‘If You’re Not Getting Attacked … You’re Doing Something Wrong,’ Libs of TikTok Creator Says
Samantha Aschieris /
Chaya Raichik, creator of the Libs of TikTok account on Twitter, says she has “had to file a few police reports from threats” that she received.
“That’s really part of the reason why I was anonymous to begin with, because as I started exposing all this stuff, the Left started coming after me, and their reaction is not something that I ever expected,” Raichik, author of the children’s book “No More Secrets: The Candy Cavern,” says.
“And then, when I saw that, the backlash and the way that they just wanted to silence me in any way they can,” Raichik says, “I was like, ‘I think I’m going to stay anonymous because this is actually pretty scary.'”
“But then of course, I was doxxed, so my name was shared, and I couldn’t really be anonymous anymore. But I think at this point, I view it as sort of a compliment,” she says, adding:
If you’re not getting attacked—whether that’s in the form of death threats or just in the form of name-calling, harassment, insulting, bullying—if you’re not being the victim of any that on the Right, then I think you’re doing something wrong.
Raichik joins today’s episode of “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss what she thinks has contributed to her site’s success since it started less than two years ago, the most outrageous video she’s ever seen on TikTok, and her response to people who say that she’s “anti-LGBTQ.”
Listen to the podcast below or read the lightly edited transcript.
Samantha Aschieris: Chaya Raichik is joining today’s show. She’s the creator of Libs of TikTok and the author of the children’s book “No More Secrets: The Candy Cavern.” Thanks for joining us.
Chaya Raichik: Hi. It’s great to be here.
Aschieris: Now, before we get any further, can you remind our audience members what Libs of TikTok is and why you started it?
Raichik: Basically, Libs of TikTok now just focuses on protecting childhood innocence. So, I just basically expose the far-left agenda that is coming after our children to sexualize them, to confuse them about their identity and to steal childhood innocence. So, that’s what Libs of TikTok does, basically every single day. I just curate content, I research stories, and I expose that across every institution.
So, our schools, colleges, hospitals, doctors’ offices, companies; so, basically across America. And how it started was, really, during COVID, I stumbled on TikTok, so the world was turned upside down, obviously. And then, I started seeing all of this really bizarre content. And originally, it was just the sort of COVID- themed stuff, because I thought those videos were really entertaining, and they were really funny.
So, I was like, “Oh, I’ll take these videos, post it to Twitter.” And I just thought it was a fun hobby. And then while being on TikTok, I stumbled across the other part of it, which was all of the predators, activists groomers who were basically targeting kids on TikTok to sexualize them, and the whole radical gender ideology being spread on TikTok, the anti-American sentiments being spread there. So, I basically, sort of, that’s when Libs of TikTok became the mission to protect children.
Aschieris: And earlier this week, you were actually supposed to hold a book event in New York City with your publisher, but it was canceled. What happened there?
Raichik: So, I posted a story about how the attorney general of New York, Letitia James, was holding a drag story hour, together with a number of other elected officials. So, our tax dollars are actually funding the sexualization of our kids. And I was like, “Let me hold a counter event,” which is a story hour for kids that is not about sexualizing kids or confusing them about their gender, with my new book.
So, we announced that it was going to be down the street from hers at the same time. And then we had a team of online security experts sort of look out for any chatter about my event, and they had recommended that we cancel it, because they were seeing a lot of talk of violent threats, in addition to people threatening to come dressed up inappropriately and distribute inappropriate materials to kids.
So, they felt that we had to cancel it to protect the children that would’ve come.
Aschieris: Wow. And you just brought up violent threats. Have you personally ever been threatened?
Raichik: Oh, yeah. I’ve had to file a few police reports from threats that I’ve received. And that’s really part of the reason why I was anonymous to begin with, because as I started exposing all this stuff, the Left started coming after me, and their reaction is not something that I ever expected. And then when I saw that, the backlash and the way that they just wanted to silence me in any way they can, I was like, “I think I’m going to stay anonymous, because this is actually pretty scary.”
But then of course, I was doxxed, so my name was shared, and I couldn’t really be anonymous anymore. But I think at this point, I view it as sort of a compliment. If you’re not getting attacked, whether that’s in the form of death threats or just in the form of name-calling, harassment, insulting, bullying, if you’re not being the victim of any that on the right, then I think you’re doing something wrong.
Aschieris: I’m curious, what were the nature of the threats, and did you ever feel like you were in immediate danger?
Raichik: So, the only time I felt like I was in immediate danger was the day I was doxxed. So, I went into hiding. There was actually one other time where the Left pushed this narrative that I was somehow responsible for bomb threats. And so, there was two times that I actually was scared for my safety, and I went into hiding.
But on a day-to-day basis, I’m not afraid. I’m not going to cower. I’m not going to be afraid because that’s their whole goal. They use fear as a weapon to silence their opponents. They’re trying to. And that’s really what they did with the doxxing. They were trying to intimidate me and scare me into silence, and it’s just never going to happen.
So, I’m not going to cower. I’m not going to give into them. I’m going to keep fighting, and they can call me any names they want. They can send me death threats. They can do whatever they want. I’m taking the precautions I have to on my end, but it’s not going to stop me.
Aschieris: I wanted to talk a little bit more about just the growth and reach you’ve had on Twitter. You have 2 million followers as of this recording. As you mentioned, you started during COVID, so about two-and-a-half years ago or so. What do you think has contributed to your page’s success since you started?
Raichik: So, the page started actually a little less than two years ago. I think that the content was just so absolutely shocking to Americans. And also, we were in the midst of this sort of argument with the Left where we’re saying, “Look, they’re teaching critical race theory and gender ideology in schools,” and they’re having these really sexually explicit shows.
And the Left is saying, “That’s not happening. You’re making it up. You’re a conspiracy theorist.” And also the “gender-affirming care” is what they call it. We’re like, “Look, they’re chopping off the breasts of physically healthy teenagers. They’re giving kids puberty suppressants, which are irreversible and which damage them for the rest of their life.” And the Left is like, “No, that’s not happening.”
So, we’re in this fight of words. And I think that what I was able to do with Libs of TikTok was to comment and show the firsthand evidence that actually, “This is happening.” And it’s indisputable. They can’t defend it, because you have a teacher who’s openly bragging about doing those things that the Left is saying is not happening, and they can’t justify it. They can’t defend it anymore. They can’t deny it.
So, I think that Libs of TikTok, I think that’s one of the reasons why it was so effective, because I was able to come and show all of this evidence. They’re teaching critical race theory in K to 12. They’re teaching gender ideology. They’re purposely confusing students about their gender in elementary schools. They are giving minors sex-change operations. They’re giving kids puberty blockers. They’re giving kids cross-sex hormones. All of these really harmful things that the Left would like to say and pretend is not happening, and I was able to prove it.
Aschieris: I wanted to also ask, what [was] the most outrageous video that you’ve come across, or maybe top two most outrageous videos.
Raichik: So, my No. 1 that I always go to, and it has a little bit of a happy ending, is there’s a video of, I mean, the kid looks about 4, and she’s basically holding the hand of a stripper, and they’re walking down, I guess, the area where the stripper performed. And there’s adults on both sides clapping and laughing along. And I mean, it’s absolutely shocking. It’s a shocking video.
And because we moved beyond the drag and the sexualized performances, and they’re actually bringing kids to stripper shows now. So, that’s a whole new level. Totally inappropriate. I mean, this is not even debatable. This is not even a partisan issue. It’s like stripper shows for kids is inappropriate.
And I think that video is definitely the top most insane video I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately for the venue, it was in Florida, and [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis was not going to have any of that garbage. So, they actually lost their liquor license.
Aschieris: Wow.
Raichik: Yeah.
Aschieris: Wow.
Raichik: It was a bar. And DeSantis went after them. They lost their liquor license. So, there’s a little bit of a happy ending, but I think that would have to be No. 1.
Aschieris: And also, how do you get through watching these videos? You’ve posted so many videos, I’m sure you’ve screened a lot of videos that you have posted, obviously. So, how do you get through watching?
Raichik: Oh, I mean, I’ll admit it’s tough sometimes. There are days when I’m like, “I just cannot look at these videos anymore.” It is so sad, and dark and depressing, and I have to go into the depths of this depravity every single day. And I mean, I choose what to post, but the videos I actually go through and sift through is, there’s a lot more content there that I have to go through.
And I think what keeps me motivated is just the knowledge that what I’m doing is super-important. I feel like I have a moral obligation to continue because we have to expose this. I mean, it’s an agenda, a harmful agenda that is affecting our children, and we just have to keep exposing it and stop it.
Aschieris: I wanted to get your thoughts on this [Insider.com] article that says some of your content focuses on anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. What’s your response to people who say that you’re anti-LGBTQ?
Raichik: So, I think, and I mentioned this earlier, one of the weapons that the Left uses to paint their opponents in a negative way, or to even try to silence them, to censor them, is to do name-calling slurs and harassment campaigns. So, I think that’s what they’re trying to do. And look, you can call me whatever you want. Call me whatever name you want. Call me whatever slur you want.
It doesn’t have any basis in reality, and it’s not going to stop me. It’s not going to slow me down. It’s not going to scare me. So, to me, that’s just noise. And I mean, is it defamatory? Possibly. But I just don’t really pay any attention to that.
Aschieris: Mm-hmm. And as we’ve been talking about, you’ve been able to unearth so many videos. What have you been hearing from parents or even teachers about what you’ve been able to expose through your videos?
Raichik: I have messages every single day from very thankful parents, and especially a parent who maybe sent me something from their kids’ school and was like, “Can you please help me expose this?” And they’re just so thankful that I’m shining a light, because even if I don’t directly impact the school where their kid is, they know that because of the work that I’ve done, there is a more concentrated effort, and people are more looking out for what’s going on in the schools.
So, I think we’re seeing an impact across all schools, not just the ones … . And I’ve gotten a couple teachers fired. We’ve gotten porn removed from libraries. We’ve had schools have to change their curriculums, thanks to the work I’ve done. And it’s all great and everything, but I think on a larger scale, it was just sort of a catalyst for focusing on the problems in education across the country. So, parents are super-grateful, and I’m very humbled when I receive those messages that I’m able to be in this position and to help so many people.
Aschieris: Yeah, absolutely. And you know, you have, as I mentioned, so many followers on Twitter, and you’re really exposing so many various videos that we’re getting from all over the country. Would you consider yourself a journalist, based on the work that you’re doing?
Raichik: Yes, I am absolutely a journalist. I think that I talk about topics that are important to the national conversation. I do research, and I investigate, and I put out content that people want to see. So yes, I would absolutely consider myself a journalist.
Aschieris: And your page is on Twitter for our listeners if they want to check it out, Libs of TikTok, on Twitter. Have you ever been censored by social media before?
Raichik: So, I got permanently banned from TikTok, and I was also permanently banned from Facebook and Instagram, who both later reversed that after a lot of backlash. And Twitter itself temporarily suspended me about seven or eight times. And then, thank God never permanently.
But it’s interesting because then, when we had all the Twitter files, this interesting memo came out where the Twitter employees basically admitted that I wasn’t violating the rules. And I knew I wasn’t violating the rules. I was very careful not to violate the rules. The last thing I wanted was to lose my Twitter account. And it was so validating to see that. And it just shows how terrified they are of their own views and opinions, because that’s all I’m doing. I’m sharing their own videos, their own content, and they just can’t handle seeing it.
They want to live in their little bubble, where everybody agrees with them. So, yeah, I’ve definitely been censored a lot. And I think, like I said, it’s a compliment. It just means that I’m on the right track.
Aschieris: Just a few more questions. I mentioned earlier that you have a new children’s book, and I just wanted to give you the opportunity to tell our audience about it, and why you wrote it.
Raichik: Yeah. So, I spent about two years basically exposing this agenda and exposing the sexualization of our children. And I decided that it’s time, not just to keep exposing it, but to actually give parents and children a tool that they can use to combat it.
So, my book basically teaches about having a trusting relationship between parents and children, and having a strong family unit. And I think that it could actually help a lot of children. So, one of the first steps of a predator is to sever the parent-child relationship, and to cut out the parent so they could isolate the child and prey on them.
And we’re seeing this now with a lot of trusted adults. So, a teacher, a doctor, a social worker, even a relative, so that you have these trusted adults in all of these positions of authority or power over children, and they actually might be predators.
And my book basically teaches that if a trusted adult tells a kid, “Don’t tell your parents this. We can keep this a secret from them. This is just between us.” The kids should know that that is a red flag, that’s predatory behavior. And they could go to their parent with that information, and hopefully not fall into the trap of being groomed or being preyed upon. And the way to do that, obviously, is to have the trusting relationship between parents and children.
So, it’s a really great tool. It’s available on lottbook.com or on Amazon.
Aschieris: Perfect. And I also wanted to give you the chance to tell our audience members if they have something going on at their school that they want you to potentially expose, how can they get in contact with you?
Raichik: Yes, I am always open to submissions. I want to help as many people as I can. And the thing is that if you see something, you have to say something, because otherwise, it’s just going to keep going on. So, if you see something in your kid’s school or in your community, please send it over, you can [direct message] it to me on Twitter. My DMs are open, or email [email protected], and we do check those.
Aschieris: Awesome. Well, just one final question. We’re having this conversation right after there was a (congressional) hearing on TikTok, and there’s been these bipartisan pushes to ban the app. I know you get a lot of your content from TikTok—obviously Libs of TikTok. So, if this app were to be banned, how would you continue to expose the craziness that you’ve been able to over the last few years?
Raichik: So, at this point, the TikToks are probably about half the content. So, there’s a lot of other stuff that I’m exposing. And in addition, I mean, a lot of the LGBTQ activists on TikTok, they also are on Instagram, and they’re on Facebook, and they have YouTube channels.
So, my goal is to expose the agenda targeting our children to tear down our childhood innocence. So, I’ll do that on whatever platform is available.
Aschieris: All right. Well, thank you so much for joining us. I really appreciate it.
Raichik: Yeah, it was a pleasure.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect when the Libs of TikTok account started.
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