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Tara Lipsyncki was harassed and doxxed to the point that she had to sell the home her mom left her after she died.
InUtah, far from the progressive West Coast LGBTQ+ communities inSan Francisco or the East Coast queer enclaves likeWashington, D.C., andNew York City, a drag queen’s battle against bigotry in the heart of conservatism has reached a devastating climax. Tara Lipsyncki, 36, was forced to sell her childhood home in Riverton, near Salt Lake City, after relentless harassment from right-wing extremists.
Lipsyncki, who istransgender, is a performer and a fierce advocate forLGBTQ+ rights. She founded Mosaics, an LGBTQ+ resource center in Provo, to provide a haven for her community. However, her mission to create a safe space has made her a target. Lipsyncki’s ordeal, shared with The Advocate in an interview, reveals a grim portrait of the pervasive dangers LGBTQ+ activists face in narrow-minded communities.
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Lipsyncki says the nightmare began in December when the anti-trans hate group Gays Against Groomers doxxed her, exposing her private information, including her home address. The home “was the only thing that I got when my mother passed,” she tells The Advocate. The harassment escalated quickly — suspicious packages, threatening drive-bys, and ominous messages created an environment of perpetual fear. Despite reaching out to local police and the Utah attorney general’s office, Lipsyncki says she found no relief.
In April, a bomb threat targeted Mosaics, amplifying the terror. Lipsyncki says she contacted civil rights organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center, but jurisdictional constraints limited their ability to act. “It led to the home having to be put on the market for the safety of my family,” Lipsyncki explained. The sale of her home, finalized in the first week ofPride Month, marks the end of a 30-year connection to her past.
The Advocate reviewed screenshots and videos of a prolonged, targeted harassment campaign by Gays Against Groomers against Lipsyncki. In one video, Jaimee Michell, the group’s lesbian leader, admitted to targeting Lipsyncki. Correspondence provided by Lipsyncki’s attorney, Don James Knight Ord III, documented repeated outreach to law enforcement to protect her. A letter to the Salt Lake County district attorney’s office revealed a troubling pattern of inaction: While the severity of the threats was acknowledged, no authority seemed willing or able to intervene effectively.
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The continual harassment and lack of protection have taken a severe toll on Lipsyncki and her family. “It’s ruined it, to be completely frank,” she says. Her husband’s health suffered due to stress, resulting in hospitalization. Lipsyncki herself has lost nearly 50 pounds, and her mental health has deteriorated, with thoughts of self-harm becoming distressingly frequent.
This troubling chapter is part of a larger pattern of hostility. In 2023, The Advocatereported on multiple incidents of harassment faced by Lipsyncki, including threats at various drag events. During an all-ages, family-friendly drag show at Tea Zaanti in Salt Lake City, armed members of the far-right Proud Boys disrupted the event, hurling homophobic slurs and menacing patrons. “This was the first show in a while that we didn’t have security,” Lipsyncki recounts, adding that the police response was lackluster, with officers appearing indifferent to the threats posed by the protesters.
Ord’s letters to authorities offer a detailed chronicle of inaction.
In a February letter to Sim Gill, the Salt Lake County district attorney, Ord detailed the breadth of harassment and the systemic failures to address it. “Gays Against Groomers doxxed [Lipsyncki], claiming she was grooming children for sexual interference. Her personal details, email address, social media, and private home address were broadcast for retaliation,” Ord wrote. The letter highlighted the refusal of multiple police departments to take action, leaving Lipsyncki and her husband to fend for themselves against credible threats.
In one instance, the venue hosting the Bes-TEAS drag show, Sweet Hazel, was revealed to have ties to a registered sex offender. Lipsyncki says that the information about the spouse of the venue owner was not disclosed during background checks. The revelation provided fodder for Gays Against Groomers to escalate its attacks, further endangering Lipsyncki and her community. Despite swift action to sever ties with Sweet Hazel, the damage had been done, and the harassment intensified.
Lipsyncki’s sworn police report, included in the correspondence, provided a detailed account of her experiences and requested interventions. She highlighted the failures of multiple police departments, including those in Riverton, Provo, and Midvale, to take her complaints seriously. “As a result of the online harassment and death threats, [Lipsyncki] and her husband have had to list their home and move to an undisclosed location,” Ord wrote. The harassment has also placed her neighbors at risk, further exacerbating the sense of fear and urgency, she says.
On July 2, Jeffrey William Hall, the chief deputy district attorney, responded to an inquiry from The Advocate, explaining the role and limitations of the DA’s office. He acknowledged that he received correspondence from Lipsyncki’s attorney in April. He explained that, except under very specific circumstances, the DA’s office does not conduct investigations into allegations of criminal wrongdoing. "That function is the purview of law enforcement agencies. They conduct fact-gathering investigations and bring the case to the DA’s Office for screening—the consideration of filing criminal charges."
Hall emphasized that the district attorney’s office takes seriously allegations of violence, discrimination, and other unlawful activity, especially when it involves the victimization of a member of a protected class or vulnerable community.
"As of today, the DA’s Office has not received a screening packet regarding these allegations from a law enforcement agency for us to review. If and when we do, at that time, we can fulfill our statutory prosecution functions and address the matter," Hall said.
Despite these harrowing experiences, Lipsyncki’s resolve remains unbroken. “I’m not going anywhere. They’re going to have to literally succeed at killing me to stop me,” she says.
Financial strains add another layer of difficulty. Initially funded through a home equity line of credit, Mosaics is now at risk of closure. Lipsyncki urgently calls on those with disposable income to step up. “People will pay $250 to go and see a stupid gala but won’t give $50 to a local nonprofit that’s actually on the ground doing the work,” she laments.
In her interview with The Advocate, Lipsyncki expressed frustration with the lack of support from wealthy allies and LGBTQ+ community members. “If this had happened to a nightclub or a popular social media influencer, there would have been fundraisers and national attention,” she says.
Yet, despite the personal cost, Lipsyncki continues her advocacy with unwavering dedication. She stresses the urgent need for resources to keep Mosaics open and operational. Donations can be made through the United Drag Alliance, an organization dedicated to supporting the local LGBTQ+ community.
The future of Mosaics and the safety of its patrons depend on the broader community’s support.
Lipsyncki called on those who can make a difference. “Hand me the resources, and I can make it work,” she urges.
