Joey Mannarino Wants to "Lock Away and Study" Trans People After Minneapolis Shooting

On August 27, 2025, right-wing media commentator Joey Mannarino took to social media in the wake of a school shooting in Minneapolis to issue a series of inflammatory posts targeting transgender people. Mannarino asserted, without evidence, that transgender individuals are responsible for violence against children, and called for the United States Department of Health and Human Services to “immediately violate the HIPAA laws to forward every transgender and transgender-questioning person to local law enforcement for IMMEDIATE detainment until we can figure out why they keep killing children in schools” .

In one widely circulated post, Mannarino wrote: “They must be locked away and studied.” He further demanded that “anyone enabling their transitions should be immediately expelled from the medical profession,” and compared the treatment of transgender people to how the federal government responds to terror organizations . Screenshots of these posts were widely shared across platforms such as Instagram, amplifying the reach of his remarks .

Mannarino’s statements did not stop at calls for mass detention. In subsequent posts, he argued that the United States does not need gun control but rather “transgender control,” explicitly stating he would be “fine with taking away the Second Amendment rights for anyone who is a transgender” . He described being transgender as a “dangerous mental illness” and “sickness,” and called for lawmakers to classify transgender identity as a mental illness requiring inpatient treatment.

He went further, stating: “Anyone who prescribes puberty blockers should immediately lose their medical license. Anyone who performs surgeries to transition individuals must be immediately jailed for a minimum of ten years. Transgenders cannot coexist in polite society any longer” .

Mannarino’s rhetoric has been widely condemned by queer advocates, civil rights groups, and many in the medical community. Critics have labeled his statements as “fascist ideology masquerading as political commentary” and warn that such rhetoric fuels hostility and violence against transgender people . Advocacy organizations have called on social media platforms to enforce their policies against hate speech and on political leaders to denounce such rhetoric unequivocally.

Notably, as of this writing, there has been little public response from Republican leadership, prompting further concern among LGBTQ+ rights organizations about the normalization of extreme anti-transgender rhetoric in political discourse .

Medical professionals have pushed back strongly against Mannarino’s characterization of transgender identity as a mental illness and his attacks on gender-affirming healthcare. The American Psychiatric Association and World Health Organization do not classify being transgender as a mental disorder, and reputable medical organizations support gender-affirming care as medically necessary for many transgender people. Mannarino’s call for the violation of HIPAA protections and denial of medical care are in direct opposition to established ethical standards and federal privacy laws.

Legal experts also warn that proposals for mass detention based solely on gender identity would be unconstitutional and represent a clear violation of civil rights. Such rhetoric, they argue, undermines both the rule of law and the foundational principles of equal protection.

The amplification of these statements on social media has raised concerns about the impact on transgender individuals’ safety and well-being. Mental health professionals and LGBTQ+ organizations highlight that hostile rhetoric, especially from public figures, correlates with increased discrimination, stigma, and violence against marginalized communities . Community leaders are urging allies to speak out, support affected individuals, and press for responsible leadership.

Mannarino’s posts have reignited debates over the boundaries of free speech, the responsibilities of social media companies, and the role of public figures in shaping public opinion. Platforms such as Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) are under renewed pressure to enforce their own guidelines on hate speech and misinformation, particularly when posts target vulnerable populations .

Advocates stress that while open debate is vital in a democratic society, calls for mass detention or criminalization of an entire population based on identity cross well-established lines and pose real risks to both safety and democracy.