Two months after right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated during a university debate in Utah, conspiracy theorists have now turned their attention toward his widow, Erika Kirk. Following her husband’s death, Erika stepped into the role of CEO at Turning Point USA while raising their two young children. But instead of sympathy, a fringe group has begun targeting her with a bizarre and unfounded theory.

According to the publication them., these conspiracists are engaging in what’s known as “transvestigating,” a transphobic practice in which people accuse public figures of secretly being transgender. This discredited conspiracy relies on pseudoscience like phrenology, with believers overlaying skeletal diagrams onto photos and “analyzing” things like posture, jawlines, and collarbones to justify their claims.

Despite having no scientific basis, the conspiracy continues to attract followers. Online groups with tens of thousands of members have begun circulating photos from Erika’s past as a Miss Arizona pageant contestant, pointing to her features as supposed “evidence” that she is trans. Some posters have even made offensive comments about both Erika and the late Charlie Kirk, spinning increasingly unhinged narratives about their marriage.

The attacks are part of a larger trend in which conspiracists target celebrities, politicians, and other public figures with baseless rumors that often reinforce harmful stereotypes about the transgender community. While the claims have been widely debunked, they continue to spread online. Support is available for anyone affected by such discrimination through organizations like the LGBT Foundation.