Whitney Chewston
Other name(s)Homophobic Dog
SpeciesCanis familiaris
BreedMiniature dachshund
SexFemale
Born (2016-09-08) September 8, 2016 (age 7)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
OccupationInternet celebrity
Years active2021–present
Known forInternet meme
OwnersLogan Hickman and Ben Campbell
ResidenceScottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
AppearanceWhite miniature dachshund
Named afterWhitney Houston
Instagram information
Page

Whitney Chewston (born September 8, 2016),[1] also known as the homophobic dog, is a miniature dachshund who has become an influencer and brand ambassador as a result of her fame.[2] After becoming associated with an internet meme in 2021, Whitney has gained a significant following with over 193,000 followers on Instagram as of November 2023.

Biography

Whitney Chewston was born on September 8, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio, and was adopted by her owners Logan Hickman and Ben Campbell. Hickman recalls that his sister had initially wanted to get another dachshund from a breeder, but was dissuaded by her husband. Instead, she convinced Hickman to visit the breeder, where he spotted a newly born Whitney.[3]

Career

2016–2021: Instagram account

Whitney began her social media journey on Instagram as a result of her owners wanting to share puppy photos with their families. After several complaints, Whitney was given a personal account to post from.[4] She had gained notable traction within Columbus, becoming a local internet celebrity and having multiple articles written about her, all while hovering at around 40 thousand followers in early 2021.[5]

2021–present: "Homophobic dog" meme

In March 2021, an Instagram user added the text "not too fond of gay people" to a 2019 photo of Whitney beside a glass of red wine. This initial image later circulated on social media and grew in popularity in early 2022 on Twitter, gaining Whitney the nickname of "Homophobic Dog".[6] The format of the meme adapted as it spread; users, who were often LGBT,[6][7] superimposed homophobic captions on other photos of Whitney "often looking sassy or suspicious".[8]

While the meme continued to grow, users discovered that Whitney's owners were a married gay couple.[6] Her owners have expressed that she is an advocate of LGBT rights, and recent pictures have shown her donning rainbow attire.[3] Her owners have also expressed support for the meme, saying it uses satire to "[shed] light on things and people who actually are homophobic".[6]

On May 15, 2022, a tweet of a fake Washington Post article titled "This dog is the new face of online homophobia" supposedly written by Taylor Lorenz accrued nearly 450,000 likes in 24 hours.[9][10] Several accounts responded to the fake headline with criticism of The Washington Post and Generation Z,[citation needed] with one of the most high-profile cases being Christina Pushaw, the spokesperson of Florida governor Ron DeSantis.[11] Lorenz responded to Pushaw, writing "I would have assumed a press secretary could recognise the difference between a fake screenshot from a meme page and a real news story, but apparently not".[11] On May 16, the fake title was used as the headline for an article about Whitney in LGBTQ Nation.[7]

In June 2022, Lil Nas X posted an image of Whitney to promote his and YoungBoy Never Broke Again's single "Late to da Party".[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Whitney on Instagram: 'Today is my 5th birthday! Thankful for another year of love from all my furiends on here. 🎂🥂🙏🏼🤍🐾'". Instagram. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "Meme jokes dog Whitney Chewston has become 'new face of online homophobia'". The Focus. May 17, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "'Homophobic Dog' Whitney Chewston's Owners Tell Us How Their Dog Became An LGBTQ+ Icon". Know Your Meme. May 17, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  4. ^ Dispatch, Megan Sharp The Columbus. "Columbus area dogs, cats and owners thrive on Instagram". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  5. ^ Ghose, Dave. "Columbus Pets Guide: Meet the Petfluencers". Columbus Monthly. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Robinette, Ashlyn. "Whitney Chewston, the 'homophobic dog,' isn't actually homophobic". teenscreate.net. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Bollinger, Alex (May 16, 2022). "This dog is the new face of online homophobia". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  8. ^ Stein, Lucia (July 29, 2022). "The Homophobic Dog isn't actually homophobic – she's a gay icon". GCN. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "Taylor Lorenz of Washington Post did not write article about homophobic dog meme; viral screenshot is satire". verifythis.com. May 17, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  10. ^ Douglas, Zachary. "Instagram Marketing Companies". Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Spocchia, Gino (May 18, 2022). "DeSantis press secretary 'duped' by fake story about 'homophobic dog'". The Independent. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  12. ^ i am reading all that [@LilNasX] (June 19, 2022). "Do it now for a chance to see him live! calling you the famous word as seen on auntie diaries by kendrick lamar! hurry! presave: https://t.co/qsB86RPTXN https://t.co/OzZmj5QxDQ" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2023 – via Twitter.
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