Feminist news site Jezebel is facing fierce backlash after resurfaced reports showed it published an article boasting about paying witches on Etsy to “curse” Charlie Kirk just two days before the conservative activist was assassinated on a Utah college campus.
Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. A person of interest was briefly detained but later released, as the FBI continues investigating.
The Article
On Sept. 8, Jezebel ran a story headlined, “We Paid Some Etsy Witches to Curse Charlie Kirk.”
The piece mocked Kirk as a “far-right misogynist with a bad haircut” and described how a reporter purchased multiple hexes against him, including ones titled “Make Everyone Hate Him” and “Powerful Hex Spell.”
“To ruin his day with the collective feminist power of the Etsy coven would be my life’s greatest joy,” the author wrote.
One witch allegedly sent back “proof” of the spell: a burning photograph of Kirk.
The author said she hoped the curses would cause minor irritations, like microphone malfunctions or breakouts, not physical harm.
Still, the essay closed ominously: “So, did my Etsy curses work? Time will tell … For now, we can only trust in the timing of the great unknown.”
Following Kirk’s murder on Sept. 10, Jezebel quietly added an editor’s note at the top of the piece.
“This story was published on September 8. Jezebel condemns the shooting of Charlie Kirk in the strongest possible terms. We do not endorse, encourage, or excuse political violence of any kind,” it read.
The byline was also changed to “By Jezebel” rather than the original author’s name.
Defense From Publisher
Josh Jackson, president of Paste Media Group, which owns Jezebel, told Variety the article was intended as “tongue-in-cheek” satire about people selling hexes online.
“The writer was very clear that she didn’t want real harm to come to Kirk,” Jackson said. “What happened today is tragic and becoming all too commonplace, and we condemn this awful act of violence.”
Backlash
Critics on social media accused Jezebel of irresponsibility and insensitivity, noting the timing of the story so close to Kirk’s assassination.
Others questioned why the full text of the article remains online, even after Jezebel’s disclaimer.
Jezebel’s Relaunch
Jezebel, once part of G/O Media, was acquired by Paste Media in November 2023 after G/O announced plans to shutter the site.
The outlet relaunched weeks later under Editor-in-Chief Lauren Tousignant, touting its mission as a feminist counterpoint to mainstream media.
