Kristen Browde, a 70-year-old white female lawyer, started a viral series on TikTok countering recent claims that transgender people are a danger to children. Browde shares lists of people charged or convicted of sex crimes against children in the popular series, many of whom are reportedly church figures. One of the videos in the series has been viewed over 1 million times.
Browde hopes to challenge the narrative targeting LGBTQ+ people as a danger to children with the viral TikTok video series, using facts to disprove some of what she believes are misplaced concerns.
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Browde was inspired by the former president of the company she works for.
Browde was inspired by a speech given by the outgoing president of the company where she works, as she was preparing to take on the role of vice president, reported Insider. The speech detailed a list of names of people who had harmed children.
Browde paraphrased the speech, saying, "He said, you don't know these names, but let me tell you who they are. These are priests and pastors who've been arrested in the past week on allegations of sexually abusing children," reported Insider.
Many of the names shared are reportedly figures within church communities, not trans people.
In the first viral video of the series Browde posted in late February, she said: “In the past week there have been 17 arrests or convictions of adults accused of having sex with children. Of those 17, 14 were pastors or youth pastors at Christian churches. One was the husband of a youth pastor, one a police officer.” Browde finished the video saying, “None were drag queens."
Over the past four weeks, Browde has listed school officials, police officers, politicians, and 38 religious figures, noted Insider. Browde called it “unsurprising,” because the ones committing the crimes often have “power and access to children."
Browde did add that, “There have been cases of drag queens committing these kinds of crimes in the past, and there will be again. But they're so disproportionately below the occurrence in general society."
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The lawyer said sexual orientation is not a factor in committing crimes.
Browde is not trying to change extremist minds about trans people, including herself, but instead hopes to show others that being trans is “not a factor” in someone being a criminal or committing a crime, reported Insider.
"Being transgender is no more an indicator of whether you're a good person or whether you're a bad person, than whether you're right or left-handed. If you were a good person before you were out, you're probably still a good person afterwards. Just a hell of a lot happier, and probably better dressed," she said.
TikTok users have responded with support.
Overall, Browde has received support from TikTok users regarding her video series.
One user commented: "I’d rather go to a drag show ANY DAY than a church. Just sayin."
"We need to keep updating like this to show the truth," another wrote. "Thanks for the information."
Browde said, "I think that that movement will implode and we just have to help it. I hope these TikToks in some small measure contribute to that."
