A bizarre internet conspiracy theory targeting actress Sydney Sweeney and conservative figure Erika Kirk has gained traction online. The claims alleged the two women were secretly born male and have become part of a growing trend known as “transvestigations.”
The baseless theories often rely on distorted photos, pseudoscience, and speculation about women’s physical features.
Highlights
- Conspiracy theorists targeted actress Sydney Sweeney and Erika Kirk with "transvestigation" claims.
- Rumors about Erika Kirk intensified after Candace Owens’ "Bride of Charlie" series shared childhood photos of Kirk with short hair.
- Critics pointed to Sydney Sweeney's recent 30-pound muscle gain for her role as boxer Christy Martin as "proof" of masculine traits.
- Experts noted that these conspiracies often target women in positions of power or those who deviate from traditional beauty standards.
While such rumors have circulated for years about public figures, the latest wave has surprised many observers as it has now targeted people across the political spectrum.
Conspiracy theorists are targeting Erika Kirk and Sydney Sweeney with “transvestigation” claims
Image credits: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Online conspiracy communities have recently turned their attention toward Kirk and Sweeney, spreading unfounded claims that both women were secretly born male.
The accusations fall under a conspiracy trend known as “transvestigations,” where internet users claim that celebrities or public figures are secretly transgender. These claims typically rely on pseudoscientific ideas about body structure, facial features, and posture.
Supporters of the theory often circulate edited images, skeletal overlays, and comparisons meant to highlight supposedly “masculine” traits.
Image credits: Earl Gibson III/GettyImages
The tactic has been used for years against well-known figures, including former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif, who faced false accusations about her gender after winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Experts claimed the trend blends conspiracy thinking with prejudice.
“Transvestigation is premised on stereotypes of trans women as freakish, deceptive, and untrustworthy,” explained Jay Daniel Thompson, a senior lecturer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology who studies conspiracy theories and digital hostility.
“These conspiracies target women in the public eye, seeking to demean those women and diminish their credibility,” he added.
Rumors surrounding Erika Kirk gained traction after conservative commentator Candace Owens launched a multi-part YouTube series titled Bride of Charlie
Image credits: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images | Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
As reported by Bored Panda, the series focuses on Kirk’s background following the passing of her husband, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was slain in September 2025.
During an episode, Owens shared childhood yearbook photos that allegedly showed Kirk with short hair in elementary school. While Owens did not claim that Kirk was born male, some viewers quickly used the images to fuel online speculation.
One conspiracy account posted on X, “Candace found Erika’s actual yearbook photos… and in one of them, Erika is dressed as a boy. Full boy’s outfit. Short hair.”
Image credits: sydney_sweeney
Other posts pointed to Kirk’s body structure, referencing her “male hips” or “male clavicles,” while some users claimed they had never seen footage of her pregnant.
Another theory emerged after conspiracists resurfaced an old video in which Kirk described herself as a “tomboy” during her childhood.
Despite the speculation, none of these claims has been supported by evidence.
Observers also noted that the rumors intensified after Kirk stepped into a leadership role following her husband’s passing, becoming CEO of Turning Point USA.
According to Samantha Lux, a transgender activist and content creator, this reflected a broader pattern in far-right online communities.
“The far right explicitly wants women to pursue submissive lifestyles,” Lux explained.
“If a woman is in a position of power or success, she is not fulfilling the role they’ve been prescribed her.”
Besides Erika Kirk, Sydney Sweeney also became a surprising target of transvestigation
Image credits: Win McNamee/Getty Images
One viral X post that gained millions of views questioned the actress’s appearance, writing, “Why is Sydney Sweeney’s neck so much wider than her head? I’m starting to get really worried that she’s actually a man.”
The post was widely mocked online, but it still sparked a wave of similar speculation across social media.
Some conspiracy groups pointed to Sweeney’s “narrow hips” or clavicle structure as supposed proof, despite the claims being baseless.
The accusations emerged shortly after Sweeney underwent an intense physical transformation for the upcoming sports biopic Christy, where she trained for months and gained around 30 pounds to portray legendary boxer Christy Martin.
Sweeney has also faced controversy in recent years over her perceived political leanings. In 2025, she appeared in a campaign for American Eagle, where she delivered a line that sparked debate online.
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring… My jeans are blue.”
The advertisement led to arguments about whether the campaign referenced ideas tied to eugenics, while others defended the ad as harmless wordplay.
Sweeney previously addressed speculation about her politics after photos from her mother’s birthday party, where guests wore MAGA hats, sparked backlash.
“You guys, this is wild,” she wrote on social media. “An innocent celebration for my mom’s milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement.”
Experts explained that “transvestigation” conspiracies are rooted in misogyny and transphobia
Image credits: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Researchers argued the rise of transvestigation theories reflected a broader pattern of digital conspiracy culture.
The practice often involves users acting like amateur detectives, analyzing celebrity photos and videos to search for supposed clues.
“Conspiratorialism is not new,” Thompson explained, “but the fact that it’s become so ubiquitous reflects social upheaval and an increasingly interactive internet where information travels faster and wider than before.”
Experts also emphasized that these conspiracies disproportionately target women.
Historically, Black women and women of color have often been the focus of such claims, including Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, and Olympic athletes.
The accusations frequently rely on outdated pseudoscientific ideas similar to phrenology, a racist and discredited theory that attempted to judge people based on skull shape.
Lexi Webster, a gender and queer studies scholar at the University of Southampton, shared that the conspiracy thrives on fear and misinformation.
“If even the right has been infiltrated by ‘gender inverts,’ the idea becomes that nobody is safe,” Webster explained. “We are all in danger, and something must be done about it.”
For transgender advocates, the impact goes beyond celebrity gossip.
“Transvestigations further the narrative that being transgender is deceptive,” said Lux. “It perpetuates the notion that underneath our transness, we’re really men in disguise.”
Despite repeated debunking, “transvestigation” claims continue to spread across social media.
Part of the reason has been the way conspiracy communities thrive on speculation and viral content.
"A taste of their own medicine," wrote one user
