Laci Green

[[File:Vagina Hacker.png|thumb|right|165px|It is unclear if Green's Master of Vaginal Hacking (MVH) came from an accredited institution.]]{{youtubenav}}

'''Laci Green''' {{lived|1989}}, also known as '''GoGreen18''',<ref name=green /> is an American [[YouTube]] content creator who identifies as an [[atheist]] [[pansexual]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv5k9w6Hpi4 Green, Laci (June 28, 2012). "I'M PANSEXUAL?!".] YouTube. Retrieved September 27, 2015.</ref> [[feminist]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwJRFClybmk WHY I'M A...FEMINIST *gasp*], YouTube</ref> and whose purpose on YouTube was nominally as a [[sex education|sex educator]].<ref name=green>[https://www.youtube.com/user/gogreen18/ GoGreen18], ''YouTube''</ref> She joined Discovery Networks' DNews science vlog as one of three presenters discussing general science, and has a show funded and produced by MTV called '''''Braless''''', discussing a variety of feminine issues.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/user/mtvbraless ''Braless''], MTV</ref>

As of December 2018, Laci's main YouTube account had over 1.4 million subscribers and over 156 million page views,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/user/lacigreen/about Laci Green's about page], YouTube</ref> while her other channel is dead.<ref name=green/>

== Content ==
According to her [https://www.youtube.com/user/gogreen18/ Gogreen18 account], her earlier videos dealt with [[theology]], [[atheism]], and her transition from [[Mormonism]] to atheism. However, as time went on, her videos became less about atheism and religion and more centered around relationships, [[women]], and [[sex]] according to Gogreen18's description.<ref name=green/>

{{quotebox|Hi, I'm Laci!  I'm an atheist and secular humanist.
[...]
When I was a teenager, I made the transition from mormonism to atheism.  These are the videos I made during that period of my life.  They are a symbol of my growth, here for reflection, discussion, and because I know they have helped people in similar struggles.  I don't make videos about religion anymore, and in fact, I don't really talk about it much at all.  My 23 year old self has different thoughts about religion than my 18 year old self.  These days, I prefer to focus on the EFFECTS of my experience with religion: self-loathing, sexism, sex negativity, rampant scientific illiteracy, lack of critical thinking, cut throat individualism, and apathy toward social injustice.  I focus on these facets of our culture and my experience through my social justice project called "Sex+".  To keep up with this project, visit youtube.com/lacigreen!}}

She has a significant audience of teenagers, a point brought home in January 2012 when someone flagged her video about the clitoris<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/01/15/a-fabulous-strategy-for-annoying-fundagelicals-and-conservatives A fabulous strategy for annoying fundagelicals and conservatives], ''FreeThoughtBlogs''</ref> as 18+ (a decision that led to mass outrage and [[YouTube]] removing the flag).



== Changes in views==
=== "Taking the Red Pill"===
In May 2017, Green uploaded two videos to her YouTube channel, "TAKING THE [[red pill|RED PILL]]?",<ref name="redpill1">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ1ga8yuM50</ref> and its follow-up, "Caught between extremes. <nowiki>[</nowiki>Red Pill 2]."<ref name="redpill2">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZGVlb9cwYg</ref><ref group='note'>From her attacks on trans women, the "extreme" is trans people wanting to live and the other "extreme" are transphobes who harass trans people. [[Equivocation|False equivalence]] in action.</ref> In the first video, Green discussed how she began talking with [[anti-SJW]] YouTube personalities on [[Twitter]] during her YouTube hiatus, and stated that she planned to launch "a series of live debates with feminists and anti-feminists."<ref name="redpill1" /> She explained that she had gone "down the rabbit hole of anti-SJW videos," and while she found some channels to be "disrespectful," there were others she considered "well-cited" and "reasoned."<ref name="redpill1" />

The videos were met by Internet reactionaries as a welcome attempt by Green at reaching across the aisle to her ideological opponents,<ref name="newsweek1">Alexander Nazaryan, "[http://www.newsweek.com/free-speech-third-rail-identity-politics-sex-positive-youtube-star-shunned-609681 Free Speech, Third Rail of Identity Politics: Sex-Positive Youtube Star Shunned by Fellow Social Justice Warriors]", ''Newsweek''</ref> though it could be argued that, when one side is reasonable and the other isn't, it's hardly the right thing to do for the reasonable side to come over to the unreasonable one. Ian Miles Cheong, a contributor to [[The Sun]] and writing in an article for right-wing news and opinion site ''Heat Street'' favorably described Green's "seemingly newfound rehabilitation from social justice ideology,"<ref>Ian Miles Cheong, "[https://heatst.com/culture-wars/feminist-youtuber-laci-green-speaks-out-against-social-justice-orthodoxy/ Feminist YouTuber Laci Green Speaks Out Against ‘Social Justice’ Orthodoxy]", ''Heat Street''</ref> while writers from [[PJ Media]] and Age of Shitlords also gave her coverage.<ref name="newsweek1" />

Feminists and social-justice-leaning observers, on the other hand, received the videos far less favorably. Many saw Green's attempt at "[[debate|opening a dialogue]]" as, at best, misguided and futile, and at worst, giving legitimacy to bigots and bullies. As [[Steve Shives]], a left-leaning YouTuber, told Green on Twitter: "I'm not advocating political censorship. I'm advocating not wasting time making nice with abusive, dishonest, opportunistic people."<ref>https://twitter.com/steve_shives/status/862851312186216449?lang=en</ref>

Green also drew criticism for equating [[no platform|de-platforming]] (the practice of denying a host for controversial speakers' opinions) to the suppression of [[free speech]] and for downplaying the impact of [[hate speech|hateful speech]].

Not too long after the release of the videos, Green confirmed she is dating [[Chris Ray Gun]], a noted anti-feminist YouTuber and [[Gamergate]]r, and had been doing so for a few months.<ref>http://archive.ph/L764S</ref> Many fans were shocked and upset at the news, seeing it as a betrayal of her professed feminist values, and an implicit validation of Chris Ray Gun's views and actions.<ref>"[http://www.wetheunicorns.com/news/laci-green-rogue-feminist-chris-ray-gun/#VEe1iutYMbtI60d3.97 Feminist YouTuber Laci Green Is At The Centre Of An Alt-Right Online Firestorm]", ''We The Unicorns''</ref>

=== 180 on Social issues ===
Green has since associated with the anti-SJW movement beyond just open dialogue. She has shared common anti-SJW talking points on her Twitter account, such as lecturing empty platitudes about how people need to get over their "hurt feelings" and be open to "civil dissent."<ref>https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/872541389728251904</ref> This civil dissent apparently included calling Kat Blaque, a feminist Youtuber, a sociopath after Blaque produced a parody of Green's initial "red pill" video.<ref>Katelyn Burns, "[https://theestablishment.co/the-sad-case-of-laci-green-feminist-hero-turned-anti-feminist-defender-322515344297 The Strange, Sad Case Of Laci Green — Feminist Hero Turned Anti-Feminist Defender]", ''The Establishment''</ref> Lindsay Amer, another YouTuber, reported that she privately sent Green the "kindest response I could" on [[Facebook]], asking her to "step back" and consider that the people whose criticism she was "dismissing" were "largely poc, queer, and trans/non-binary." Green reportedly responded with only "Lol. Y'all are just so oblivious." and immediately blocked Amer.<ref name="amer">https://www.facebook.com/lindz.amer/posts/10209583611491614</ref> Despite all her talk about discourse, when it comes to negative reactions to her apparent ideological about-face, Green has been hostile to friendly dialogues and dissenting views. [[Psychological projection|Pot, meet kettle.]]

There was a time when infamous reactionary YouTuber [[Sargon of Akkad]] and Green absolutely could not stand each other. But at VidCon 2017, the two were reconciled, with Sargon tweeting a photo of them sharing a chummy embrace.<ref>http://i.imgur.com/kapKpWR.jpg</ref> This revelation was followed by a two-part video tweet from Green, in which she explained that she'd spent fifteen minutes "crying, hugging, and talking" with Sargon. She stated that Sargon had "demonstrated a real understanding of the pain he had caused [her]" and a "willingness to stop doing that kind of shit."<ref name="sargon2">https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/878673441158594564?lang=en</ref> Meanwhile, Sargon showed his newfound self-awareness by rounding up a bunch of his anti-feminist buddies and deliberately packing the front row of a VidCon panel on the harassment women face online, which included his long-time target, [[Anita Sarkeesian]]. During the first question alone, Sarkeesian immediately referred to Sargon's continued harassment against her, and called him a "garbage human."<ref>Colin Campbell, "[https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/6/27/15880582/anita-sarkeesian-garbage-human-vidcon-interview Anita Sarkeesian's astounding 'garbage human' moment]", ''Polygon''</ref><ref>Tim Mulkerin, "[https://mic.com/articles/181083/patreon-is-investigating-youtuber-sargon-of-akkad-over-anita-sarkeesian-vidcon-harassment#.NEqxLTGgb Patreon investigated YouTuber 'Sargon of Akkad' over Anita Sarkeesian VidCon harassment]", ''Mic''</ref> At the very least, Green was able to recognize why this incident looked like a provocation on Sargon's part.<ref>https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/878055248308219905</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/879776267121250304</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/879782482920341504</ref><ref group=note>It doesn't help he still has a video up on his Youtube channel attacking Laci.</ref>

=== TERF war ===
In her initial "red pill" video, Green discussed the then-recent controversy surrounding the publication of an article in the feminist philosophy journal ''Hypatia'', in which author Rebecca Tuvel, a philosophy professor, compared Caitlyn Jenner, a [[transgender|trans woman]], to Rachel Dolezal, a white woman who identifies as black.<ref name="redpill1" /> The article led to widespread criticism from trans activists, who saw it as drawing a [[false equivalency]] and promoting harmful, [[transphobia|transphobic]] ideas. An open letter was published calling for the journal to retract the paper.<ref>Rogers Brubaker, "[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/opinion/the-uproar-over-transracialism.html The Uproar Over ‘Transracialism’]", ''The New York Times''</ref> Green defended Tuval, calling the open letter a "complete misrepresentation of her argument," accusing it of trying to censor the paper and ruin Tuval's academic reputation.<ref name="redpill1" />

Green followed her "red pill" videos with a pair of videos looking at the debate over [[gender identity]]: "HOW MANY FREAKIN GENDERS," uploaded on June 21, 2017,<ref name="genders1">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8S4hMjFTSI</ref> and "HOW MANY FREAKIN GENDERS - part 2 (feminism & my take)", uploaded on July 11.<ref name="genders2">"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPdVDjQ9BE8"</ref>

The second video came under fire for Green's blatant misrepresentation of a tweet by trans activist and YouTuber Zinnia Jones.<ref name="gunz">Rafaella Gunz, "[https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/youtuber-laci-green-attacks-trans-rights-blogger-social-media/ YouTuber Laci Green attacks trans rights blogger on social media]", ''Gay Star News''</ref><ref name="valens">Ana Valens, "[https://www.dailydot.com/irl/laci-green-trans-activist-creepy/ YouTube sex vlogger Laci Green bullies trans activist with misinformation]", ''The Daily Dot''</ref> In the video, Green stated that she had seen "trans YouTubers" telling "lesbians" on Twitter that they "need to be willing to sleep with someone with male genitals, otherwise they're transphobic."<ref name="genders2" /> She then accused one of these YouTubers of advocating "rubbing her dick and balls all over a straight guy's face until he's into it," presenting a screencap of Jones's tweet, with her name and avatar blacked out.<ref name="genders2" />

After Jones stated that she had no issue telling heterosexual [[cisgender|cis]] men who are "exclusionary of trans women partners" that "they should try to work through [their reservations],"<ref>https://twitter.com/ZJemptv/status/881284028548173824</ref> a user going by the moniker Count Slambo asked, "Work through a DICK? How does THAT work exactly?"<ref>https://twitter.com/goodlyRun/status/881364005734019072</ref> Jones replied with a suggestion of how such a man could attempt to work through his reservations: "Have your trans girlfriend rub her balls and dick on your face until you realize how awesome it is? I don't know dude."<ref>https://twitter.com/ZJemptv/status/884964123670458368</ref> Jones took issue with Green's singling her out and misrepresenting what she said. She personally responded "Excuse you, @gogreen18. I said "your trans girlfriend". As in new things to try with a partner. So much for sex-positivity."<ref>https://twitter.com/ZJemptv/status/884964123670458368</ref> Green referenced the original tweet again in a Twitter thread, saying that "rubbing genitals on someone's face [without] consent is not OK," and when someone asked whether the tweet was a joke, she outed Jones as the author on the grounds that her Twitter history suggested the tweet was serious.<ref>https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/888101875257556992</ref><ref group=note>And further potentially alienating her original trans allies, she referred to the hypothetical "trans girlfriend" as [Jones's] bf."</ref>

Green also claimed in her second video on gender identity that colleges are banning ''[[The Vagina Monologues]]'' because it "implies some women have vaginas."<ref name="genders2" /> The citation she offered was an article from the ''[[National Review]]'', a right-wing news and opinion site, which reported on a 2017 incident in which a student group at American University voluntarily chose not to perform the play as it had in previous years.<ref>"[http://amptoons.com/blog/?p=23237 No, Colleges Aren’t Banning The Vagina Monologues]", ''Alas, A Blog''</ref> The student group, who were concerned that the play did not include trans and non-binary people, decided to perform an alternate play they wrote instead.<ref>Maria Carrasco, "[http://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2016/10/womens-initiative-diversity Women’s Initiative aims to increase diversity and inclusion]", ''The Eagle''</ref>

Immediately after her ''Vagina Monologues'' claim, Green stated that "feminist blogs" are full of [[pseudoscience]], such as the claim that "males get [[menstruation|menstrual]] cramps too."<ref name="genders2" /> She featured an [[quote mining|out-of-context quote]] from an article.<ref name="riedel">Sam Riedel, "[https://www.themarysue.com/laci-green-terf-impression/ Laci Green Does a Really Good TERF Impression]", ''The Mary Sue''</ref> The author of the article in question, Sam Riedel, hit back against Green in a piece on the geek feminist site ''The Mary Sue''.<ref name="riedel" /> Riedel explained that her original article, published in 2016 on the site ''The Establishment'', explored reports of period- and PMS-like symptoms experienced by trans women undergoing [[hormone replacement therapy]], including herself.<ref name="riedel" /> These included bouts of "nausea, intense abdominal cramps, heavier-than-usual mood swings, and weird cravings" that seemed to follow a monthly cycle.<ref name="riedel" /> Riedel could not find any medical studies documenting this apparent phenomenon, and thus she conducted an informal survey on Tumblr.<ref name="riedel" />

To very few people's surprise, Green is being defended by right-wingers, who have quickly rallied together to smear the trans community as "cult-like."<ref name="valens" /> Unsurprisingly the irony is lost on them.

== Persecution ==
=== Death threats ===
Laci publicly answered a question on On July 6th, 2012, that stated the following:

{{cquote|Hi Laci. Why do you use the word “tranny” in your video about Haters from 2009? (The one talking about Miley Cyrus, Fred, and Chris Crocker). You really shouldn’t be using that word as a cis girl and it’s really disappointing for the people who look up to you.|||honeyedlife<ref name=tumblr>[http://lacigreen.tumblr.com/post/26604628311/hi-laci-why-do-you-use-the-word-tranny-in-your#_=_ Hi Laci why do you use the word 'tranny' in your post?], ''tumblr''</ref>}}

Laci answered with the following: 

{{cquote|Probably because I was 18 and ignorant.  You are totally right and I sincerely apologize for my mistake.  Before I educated myself about trans issues I had not the slightest inkling of how the word is used to dehumanize nor its place in the cycle of violence against transfolk.  Now I have seen people hurt by it and seen it used as a nasty slur.  Words have power, and “tranny” is not a word for anybody but transfolk themselves to use because only they can reclaim it.  If I knew that was in a video, it would have been long long ago removed.  Consider it banished forever.|||Laci Green<ref name=tumblr/>}}

Fans on her tumblr began sending her death threats.{{Citation Needed}} Ironically, if she hadn't apologized, the haters probably wouldn't have known about her slip-up. Later, Laci posted on her blog stating she would be taking a break from tumblr after receiving violent threats and pictures of her apartment.

{{cquote|hey peeps,

i am going to be taking a break from tumblr.  i’m not sure how long. i have been getting a slew of people (who i can only guess are from “social justice” tumblr) telling me to kill myself, making violent threats, sending me my home address they somehow found.  my inbox this morning was graced with pictures of my apartment building. 

i honestly have no words.  

love you all.

lace|||Laci Green<ref>[http://lacigreen.tumblr.com/post/26843554247/hey-peeps-i-am-going-to-be-taking-a-break-from Hey peeps I am going to be taking a break from tumblr], ''tumblr''</ref>}}

Considering the massive amount of threats, it's not very surprising that she later revealed she went through depression in the past.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnh3NPqIZ2c depression], ''YouTube''</ref>

=== Persecution by theists ===
She's been criticised for being anti-[[Islam]] and anti-[[Mormon]]. Her mother was a Mormon and her father was a Muslim from Iran, and she has had negative experiences with both, citing their piss-poor track record on women's rights. Her opponents try to use these claims as "[[Bullshit|proof]]" that she is a [[misandry|misandrist]]. 

Worth noting is the [[Courtier's Reply]]-ness of the criticism, ignoring the fact that as an atheist, she doesn't believe [[YHWH]]/[[Allah]] exists to begin with, rendering the [[Qur'an]], the [[Hadith]], and the huge body of Islamic apologetics irrelevant for her purposes.

=== Persecution by others ===
As an outspoken feminist, she has attracted a ridiculous amount of harassment, abuse and general -- often by other atheists who think she isn't as rational as they are.<ref name=declination>[https://archive.ph/hJk0n Idiot of the Week: Laci Green]. 14 October 2015. Archived from the original at thedeclination.com. Note: This post was [https://thedeclination.com/deleted-post-on-laci-green/ deleted by the author in 2017,] who stated "I don’t usually delete my posts, even if I’m in error. And in this case, I’m actually correct, except on one point, which has proven to be of significance."</ref>

{{quotebox|Today our Idiot is Laci Green, a self-described “public sex educator” and a prominent critic of GamerGate. Naturally this means she is a raging SJW and she apparently considers women shaving their armpits to be some kind of gross conspiracy hatched by the Patriarchy and thus refuses to do it on the off chance that she may be doing the bidding of a man.<ref name=declination />}}

== View of Trump ==
{|
!Before Trump wins
|{{cquote|Regardless of the outcome, we are clearly a '''*deeply*''' divided and broken country. So much work ahead to mend, heal, and restore the U in USA.|||@gogreen18, 8 November 2016<ref>[https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/796204428814450688 Twitter] archived https://archive.ph/aoG5d</ref>}}
|-
!Four hours later
|{{cquote|We are now under total Republican rule. Textbook fascism. Fuck you, white America. Fuck you, you racist, misogynist pieces of shit. G'night.|||@gogreen18<ref>[https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/796259238590824449 Twitter] archived https://archive.ph/294NF</ref>}}
|}

In her video suitably titled "TRUMPOCALYPSE", Green elaborates on her (unsurprisingly) negative view of [[Donald Trump|Trump]] after he was elected president for the first time. Being part of the [[reality-based community]], she is critical of Trump's disastrous cuts to climate change research, education, planned parenthood, and health insurance. She has also called out Vice President Mike Pence on his belief that EST cures homosexuality.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJXE8R1gByM TRUMPOCALYPSE], ''YouTube''</ref>

==See also==
*[[Blaire White]] - The first trans anti-SJW Laci debated before she had officially declared taking the red pill, and now loves Blaire's "gives-no-fucks" attitude.
*[[Chris Ray Gun]] - It was learned that the two had been dating for a few months prior to her announcing her political shift. They have since broken up.
*[[Christina Hoff Sommers]] – Her Baby Boomer counterpart following her red pill conversion
*[[Sargon of Akkad]] - He made a few (rather provocative) videos about her (prompting his fans to barrage her with less-than-nice feedback) before they, per her red pill conversion, made up and became good friends at VidCon.
*[[Shoe0nhead]] - Livestreamed Cassie Jaye's pro-[[MRA]] film ''The Red Pill'' with her and [[Armoured Skeptic]] before regularly associating with each other on a friendly basis.

== External links ==
=== By Green ===
*[http://lacigreen.tumblr.com Laci's blog site], including extra content not made public in her main YouTube channel (older material is at [http://lacigreen.tv lacigreen.tv])
*[http://youtube.com/lacigreen Her main video site], home to her weekly series ''Sex+''
**[http://youtube.com/gogreen18 Her earlier videos on atheism]
*[https://twitter.com/gogreen18 Her Twitter page]
*[http://youtube.com/dnewschannel DNews on YouTube]
=== On Green ===
*[http://theestablishment.co/the-sad-case-of-laci-green-feminist-hero-turned-anti-feminist-defender-322515344297 The Strange, Sad Case Of Laci Green — Feminist Hero Turned Anti-Feminist Defender], The Establishment
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8-Dv_Frc3A&t=212s Youtube "Anti-SJW" response]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Green, Laci}}
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:Bloggers]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Feminists]]
[[Category:Gender]]
[[Category:Leftists who turned right with age]]
[[Category:LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sexuality]]
[[Category:Skeptics]]
[[Category:Transphobes]]
[[Category:TERFs]]
[[Category:YouTube]]

Categories: Atheists, Bloggers, Criticism of Islam, Feminists, Gender, Leftists who turned right with age, LGBTQ people, Living people, Sexuality, Skeptics, Transphobes, TERFs, YouTube