Gypsy Rose Blanchard Launches Kenan’s Law Petition After Partner Ken Urker’s Death
Gypsy-Rose Blanchard launched a Change.org petition supporting Kenan’s Law on Oct. 4, urging social media platforms to be held accountable for handling online harassment following the death of her 34-year-old partner, Ken Urker, in Raceland, Louisiana. Variety reported that Urker was found dead at a residence on Double H Drive at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, on his 34th birthday, according to Captain Brennan Matherne of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Department.
Petition for Kenan’s Law Targets Social Media Platforms
Blanchard turned her focus to online accountability three days after Urker’s death, sharing the petition for Kenan’s Law across social media platforms. She stated that she contacted a lawyer out of New Orleans to help refine the proposal. Variety noted that Blanchard and Urker repeatedly reported harassment and cyberbullying across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Reddit prior to his death, only to receive frequent responses of “No violation.” Blanchard wrote in the petition that the content crossed the line from criticism into targeted abuse. “Being a public figure does not mean you stop being human,” she stated, emphasizing that fame does not erase humanity.
While a cause of death has not yet been released in Variety’s coverage, deputies with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office located paraphernalia, specifically syringes and a spoon next to a brown powdery substance, along with a syringe, two shot glasses, and a handgun in the bedroom. Blanchard told PEOPLE that she believed Urker overdosed and noted he was not in a good state of mind lately and had been drinking to cope. She stated that she did not know whether the overdose was intentional.
Cyberbullying and Public Scrutiny Affected Ken Urker
Urker appeared on the reality series “Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup,” which ran for two seasons on Lifetime, as reported by Variety. The couple shared a baby girl named Aurora. Blanchard told PEOPLE that she wants her daughter to know her father for the person he was rather than through online commentary, adding that Urker endured an overwhelming amount of public scrutiny and relentless cyberbullying.
Ken endured an unimaginable level of public scrutiny and relentless cyberbullying across social media platforms, including TikTok and Reddit. I believe the tremendous weight of that scrutiny and harassment had a profound impact on him, and I hope his passing serves as a reminder that there is a real person behind every screen, every headline, and every comment.
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