An Alabama neighborhood is in shock after the tragic loss of life of an area chief following his involuntary outing as a transgender girl when an area conservative information weblog posted photographs of him embracing his secret gender id.
Smiths Station Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland, who additionally served because the pastor of First Baptist Church in Phenix Metropolis, was discovered useless Friday night, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones confirmed to Columbus, Ga., CBS affiliate WRBL.
“I can verify he took his personal life,” Jones stated.
Moreover his political and non secular affiliations, Copeland was identified regionally for proudly owning a small grocery retailer within the Alabama backwaters. Current scrutiny emerged when Alabama information weblog 1819 Information reported Wednesday that Copeland had been participating in specific on-line actions, allegedly posting pornography, memes, and photographs of himself in ladies’s clothes on-line underneath the pseudonym “Brittini Blaire Summerlin.”
The report shared screenshots from Copeland’s now-deleted Instagram and Reddit accounts, the place he overtly explored his transgender id. Copeland additionally reportedly shared transgender-specific fiction and erotica that he authored, based on revealed stories.
The Advocate honors folks’s chosen names and pronouns. As a result of Copeland didn’t publicly come out earlier than his loss of life, The Advocate is referring to him because the particular person he offered publicly.
The revelation rapidly spiraled right into a community-wide controversy, eliciting many empathetic and derogatory reactions. Considered one of Copeland’s pals, former Phenix Metropolis College Superintendent Larry DiChiara, expressed his anguish and assist for Copeland on social media after the mayor’s loss of life.
In a Fb put up, DiChiara wrote, “Please naked with me whereas I vent. I’m so offended proper now and heartbroken. I witnessed man be publicly ridiculed and crucified over the previous couple of days…to the purpose that he simply took his personal life in the present day.” He revealed that he had reached out to Copeland providing “assist and encouragement,” and Copeland had acknowledged going via some “darkish days.”
In a pointed message to those that ridiculed Copeland, DiChiara requested, “Are you cheerful now? What crime did he commit? A few of you folks make me sick. I hope you might be actually proud.”
He ended his put up with a prayer for Copeland: “For our brother, F.L. Bubba Copeland, Might God bless your soul and forgive those that took pleasure in your struggling. They need to all be ashamed!”
The Lee County Sheriff’s Workplace and the Lee County District Legal professional’s Workplace are presently investigating the loss of life.
The scenario took a tragic flip when deputies responded to a request for a welfare verify on Copeland, recognizing him driving his truck on a county highway close to his grocery retailer. Upon trying to drag Copeland over, he stopped, exited his truck, and fatally shot himself, Jones instructed WRBL.
The distressing particulars surrounding Copeland’s demise spotlight the stark actuality of the societal pressures and the customarily harsh judgments people could face when their non-public lives, significantly regarding their sexual orientation or gender id, are involuntarily thrust into the general public area, particularly in conservative communities.
In case you are having ideas of suicide or are involved that somebody you already know could also be, sources can be found to assist. The 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline at 988 is for folks of all ages and identities. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming folks, might be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline additionally gives sources to assist with different crises, equivalent to home violence conditions. The Trevor Venture Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and youthful), might be reached at (866) 488-7386. Customers may also entry chat providers at TheTrevorProject.org/Assist or textual content START to 678678._
