MrBeast hits back at transphobic hate against YouTube bestie Chris Tyson
YouTube superstar MrBeast has come out in support for his close friend and frequent collaborator Chris Tyson, who has recently been on the receiving end of unacceptable transphobic abuse online.
The social-media hate frenzy came after Tyson, 26, revealed that they have been receiving gender-affirming care in the form of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), in early April 2023.
Tyson, who is happy to be referred to by any pronouns for now as per their Twitter bio, has begun a brave and incredibly scary journey, especially given their close proximity to one of YouTube’s biggest content creators. Coming out to the internet is never easy, and as per the trans experience, internet trolls wasted no time in digging into the main host of the Beast Reacts YouTube channel.
Thankfully, tree-planting MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, came to the defence of his close friend. This comes at a pivotal moment in America’s history as Republican legislation further dismantles the progress that had been made in granting the LGBTQIA+ community access to gender-affirming care.
The support came after an unpleasant, invasive and inflammatory video was uploaded by the commentary channel SunnyV2, detailing why “Chris [Tyson] will soon be a nightmare for MrBeast.” The video elaborates on Tyson’s separation from his wife following their transition, as well as reinforcing the rumour that they had abandoned their two-year-old son.
Fake fans, trolls, TERFs and misogynists alike were quick to use the drama surrounding Tyson’s private life to reinforce negative views and stereotypes against the trans community.
MrBeast affirmed his supportive position on Twitter by saying that Tyson wasn’t his “nightmare” in response to the SunnyV2 video, and that they would always remain his “fucking friend.” It’s nice to see the YouTuber be so openly in support of Tyson’s transition, especially in light of the bigoted fans choosing to unfollow the two content creators over this. The transphobic comments are pissing us off too, MrBeast.
Given the homophobic language that MrBeast has been guilty of using in the past, his latest Twitter outburst came as a pleasant surprise to many. That being said, other netizens made a point of stating that the incredibly wealthy internet sensation should put his money where his mouth is, and try to support the trans community in more meaningful ways.
The YouTuber turned philanthropist is well-known for his charitable donations and altruistic tendencies. Thanks to Tyson’s transition, MrBeast is closer than ever to positively impacting the lives of young LGBTQIA+ people globally, as well as beginning to change the internet’s incredibly toxic attitude towards gender identity, thanks to his own influence.
Whether he actually will take that extra step is a whole other thing, but at the very least, we’re happy that Tyson has the support and backing of their friends while undertaking this journey.
It’s fair to say that this was certainly an interesting development, especially out of a YouTube circle that essentially dominates the feeds of the male presenting, cis world. It’s reassuring to see the first responses be so positive, and we hope that MrBeast’s clique continues to promote a positive mentality regarding their friend’s transition.
