Trans Comedian Daphne Dorman Dies by Apparent Suicide at 44
Editor's Note
If you experience suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide, the following post could be potentially triggering. You can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741741.
Transgender comedian Daphne Dorman died by apparent suicide at the age of 44 on Friday after posting a concerning message on Facebook, according to a tweet from San Francisco’s Office of Transgender Initiatives.
To our TGNC community, we love you.
We are saddened to learn about of loss of Daphne Dorman today who was a beloved community member.
If you need support, please reach out to @TransLifeline and @TRANSTHRIVE will be open for drop ins today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday).
— TransCitySF (@TransCitySF) October 11, 2019
Dorman, a comedian, actress and activist, recently garnered national attention for being mentioned in Dave Chappelle’s August Netflix special, “Sticks and Stones,” which many criticized as being transphobic. In a stand-up extra, Chappelle said when he tested his controversial jokes, a trans woman “was laughing the hardest.” Dorman shared on social media she was the person Chappelle was referencing.
Dorman’s death highlights the fact that people in the LGBTQ community, the trans and gender non-conforming community especially, are more likely to attempt and die by suicide. According to a recent national study by the Trevor Project, more than half of trans and non-binary youth seriously considered suicide in the last year. Another study found 40% of trans adults have attempted suicide, highlighting the need for additional support and access to mental health services for the LGBTQ community.
Fans and friends reacted to her death on Twitter and shared condolences.
Sad to hear of the passing of activist and amazon @DaphneDorman. May her friends and family find peace, solace, healing.
— Shannon Cole (@oshanada) October 12, 2019
It was a very sad day. Rest In Peace, power and Glory @DaphneDorman. I’ll never forgot our hilarious photo shoot for the chappelle Sticks & Stones Epilogue. pic.twitter.com/nMnSW3wwh7
— Mathieu Bitton (@candyTman) October 12, 2019
Rest in Power @DaphneDorman – you humor and giving spirit will be missed in the world. I hope you found peace. Sending love to all her family and friends. Please reach out for support if you need support. ❤️ https://t.co/6dpOaXKwrs pic.twitter.com/8xZJe4LdSD
— Clair Farley (@ClairJoyFarley) October 12, 2019
Heartbreaking to hear that comedian @DaphneDorman has died by suicide in San Francisco. ????#translivesmatter #lgbtq #tdor
If you need someone to talk to:
US: @TransLifeline @TrevorProject @800273TALK
UK: @switchboardLGBT @Samaritans pic.twitter.com/4JjW1rpprh— Sarah O'Connell (@SarahO_Connell) October 12, 2019
If this news is hard for you, know you are not alone — and there is help for people who feel suicidal. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 or text “START” to 741-741. Head here for a list of crisis centers around the world.
Header image via Daphne Dorman’s Facebook page
Renée Fabian was the features editor at The Mighty. She has also written for The Washington Post, VICE, Healthline, Talkspace, The Fix, The Establishment, The Culture Trip, and GRAMMY.com, among others. Renée was named a 2019 AHCJ Comparative Effectiveness Research fellow, a 2020 USC Center for Health Journalism California fellow, and holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles. You can follow her on Twitter @ryfabian.
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