guides
What Does 'Transvestigation' Mean, And Who Are 'Transvestigators'? The Conspiracy Theory Alleging That Most Hollywood Actors Are Transgender Explained
Conspiracy theory nuts seem to have evolved from investigating the curvature of the earth to investigating as to what is in people's pants. A growing number of Facebook groups and YouTube channels are now dedicated to the art and craft of "transvestigations," where people analyze a public figure and determine if they have spent the majority of their life lying about not being transgender.
Sound bizarre? It gets weirder. Here's a brief history of "transvestigators" on the internet.
What Are Transvestigators?
"Transvestigator" is a title given to a group of self-appointed "investigators" on the internet that focus on determining if major celebrities are secretly the opposite gender than what they project. The underlying belief for many transvestigators seems to be a genuine satanic panic, where transgenderism is seen as the work of the devil himself. Some of the earliest known targetted victims of transvestigators were Hollywood actress Jamie Lee Curtis and ex-First Lady Michelle Obama.
Famous fashion critic Joan Rivers levied an off-handed insult against Michelle Obama in 2014, calling her a man in disguise, and died soon after. The timing of River's allegation and her subsequent death led transvestigators to believe that Rivers was killed for speaking the truth, setting off a years-long obsession transvestigators continue to have with Michelle Obama. Even Alex Jones joined the pile-on in 2016.
Where Do Transvestigators Operate?
Many transvestigators make YouTube videos about their investigations, with Innana Snow being a major content creator in the scene. YouTuber truthcorps7 is another such YouTuber with content geared towards finding "secretly trans" actors and actresses.
However, Innana Snow also runs a Facebook group for herself and her fellow transvestigators, where members regularly post photos of celebrities they believe are lying about their gender. Snow herself can be seen making an allegation that Henry Cavill, the poster boy for classically handsome male looks, is actually a woman because of his all-too-pretty eyes.
However, in a classic case of the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party, Innana Snow found herself to be the subject of a transvestigation, a trial that she promptly failed, leading to her ousting from her own group. Innana Snow even made a video highlighting all her feminine traits but to no avail — her group even changed their name to include the addendum "FREE FROM INANNA’S CENSORSHIP."
Who Investigates The 'Transvestigators'?
YouTuber Mia Mulder posted a video doing a deep dive into transvestigation theory and explaining the mindset behind it in 2022.
For the full history of Transvestigation, be sure to check out our entry on the term here for even more information.
