Who is Chris Chan?
Christian Weston Chandler – aka Chris Chan – was born on 24 February 1982, in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. She is an Internet personality who gained notoriety for several reasons – creating the webcomic “Sonichu”, for her active presence on various online forums, particularly on 4chan and later on Kiwi Farms, and she identifies as a transgender woman, expressing a strong attachment to her fictional character Sonichu, who she believes is real and has a special connection to her.
Chris is also known for her personal life, and has been the subject of controversy and criticism for her behavior and actions, including alleged incidents of animal cruelty, trolling, and sexual misconduct. In 2021, Chris Chan was arrested and charged with incest after she admitted to having a sexual relationship with her mother, who has dementia.
Early life
Chris was born to Robert ‘Bob’ Franklin, who was an electrical engineer for General Electric, and Barbara Ann Weston, the former secretary in the finance department of Virginia Power. Chris’ parents were aged 54 and 40 years old respectively, at the time of her birth. As a child, she experienced a significant delay in language development, and suffered from partial hearing loss.
According to Chris’ story, at 18 months old she spent a lot of time with an abusive babysitter, who apparently locked her in her room alone nearly every day. Chris claims that this incident caused her autism symptoms, however, there is no scientific evidence that supports any non-genetic cause of autism.
Chris did not speak until the age of seven, when she began receiving speech therapy at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Due to her autism, doctors predicted that she wouldn’t make it to high school, or even be able to write her name. However, Chris gradually achieved these cognitive milestones, and at the age of seven she was finally able to speak.
Chris was pulled out of school by her parents in fourth grade, after claiming that she was forced to sit on her teacher’s lap. She was then homeschooled until the family relocated to another town.
“Sonichu” webcomic
Chris gained Internet fame through her controversial webcomic “Sonichu”, which combines elements of the “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Pokémon” franchises. Chris created the character in 2000 for a school project, by combining the features of Pikachu and Sonic. She released her first comic in 2005, quickly gaining the attention of Internet forums such as 4Chan and Something Awful.
The story of “Sonichu” follows the adventures of the titular character and his allies, as they battle against various villains, including the evil organization “Team Rocket.” The comic also includes elements of Chris’ personal life, such as her experiences with autism, and her relationships with family members and friends.
However, some Internet users mocked her art and her supposed mental health issues, and she became a target of online harassment. Since her webcomics became popular, Internet trolls have been tracking Chris’ digital footprint and real-life movements, all of which have been recorded on a dedicated Wiki, called CWCki, now known as Kiwi Farms.
Coming out as transgender
In 2011, Chris revealed to her fans that she had been experiencing gender dysphoria, but that her parents were disapproving of her new identity. She publicly came out as a transgender woman in 2014, when she posted a video on her YouTube channel announcing her transition, in which she talked about her gender dysphoria and her desire to live as a woman. She also mentioned that she had been cross-dressing and exploring her gender identity since her teenage years. After coming out, Chris started presenting herself as a woman online, and using female pronouns to refer to herself. She also changed her legal name from Christian to Christine Weston Chandler.
However, she has faced criticism and backlash from some members of the trans community for her behavior, the way she’s portrayed herself, particularly in relation to her obsession with her fictional character Sonichu. In addition, Chris claims that her gender began changing after watching high-frequency videos, which convinced her to mutilate her genitals, resulting in a severe infection.
Unsurprisingly, Chris’ gender identity and transition have been a source of debate and controversy among many members of the online community. While she identifies as a transgender woman, some people have questioned the sincerity of her transition, and have accused her of using it as a means of attention-seeking, or trolling.
Incest charges
In August 2021, Chris Chan was arrested and charged with incest following allegations that she had engaged in a sexual relationship with her 79-year-old mother, who has dementia. The allegations came to light after audio recordings were leaked online, in which Chris appeared to admit to the relationship.
Chris started living alone with her mother Barbara in 2011, following her father’s passing. People who had been monitoring her online activity at the time had noted that she had an unusual relationship with her mother. Five years later in 2016, Chris wrote a lengthy Facebook post defending a son and mother from Mexico who reportedly claimed to be in love. She also revealed that she had ‘dreams of having sex’ with her mother, although she said that she had never acted on them.
On 30 July 2021, a nine-minute phone call between Chris and a Kiwi Farms user pretending to be a woman named ‘Bella’ was leaked online. During the call, Chris Chan stated that she had engaged in sexual activity with her mother on multiple occasions, and that her mother had initiated the contact. The recordings also contained disturbing details about the nature of the alleged relationship, including descriptions of sexual acts and discussions about how to keep the relationship secret.
Authorities said they received "information involving sex crimes against a family member" and arrested Christine Weston Chandler over the weekend. https://t.co/tCnpWzOXMe
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) August 3, 2021
Following the release of the recordings, Chris Chan was arrested and charged with incest, a felony offense in the state of Virginia where she lives. She was initially held without bond, but was later granted bail.
The case has generated significant controversy and media attention, with many people expressing outrage and disgust at the allegations. Others have raised concerns about the way Chris has been treated, and the impact that the publicity surrounding the case may have on her mental health. The case is still ongoing, so will be up to the legal system to determine the final outcome.
As of February 2023, Chris is currently in Central Virginia Regional Jail, and is awaiting another court case which is set to take place in August.
Other controversies
Despite being a target of online harassment herself, Chris has also been accused of bullying other individuals online, particularly in the early days of her Internet presence.
One of the most notable incidents involving Chris and online harassment occurred in 2007, when a group of trolls began targeting her for their amusement. The trolls created fake social media profiles, and pretended to be interested in Chris, leading her to share personal information and engage in embarrassing behavior. They also sent her sexually explicit images and messages, and encouraged her to engage in inappropriate behavior.
Chris’ response to the trolling was highly controversial, as she publicly shared personal information about herself and her family members, in an attempt to defend herself. She also engaged in numerous online arguments and flame wars, which further escalated the situation.
Furthermore, Chris was reportedly kicked out of college after verbally assaulting her teachers and classmates by shouting racist remarks – she claimed that she was expelled due to her autism.
Chris was also accused of hoarding, and animal cruelty. In 2018, a YouTuber named The Captain’s Log posted a video in which he claimed to have visited Chris’ home, and found that her cats were living in unsanitary conditions. The video showed evidence of urine-soaked floors, dirty litter boxes, and cats with matted fur and overgrown claws. The cats were also shown to be overweight, which can be a sign of overfeeding or lack of exercise. The Captain’s Log claimed that he attempted to report the situation to local animal welfare authorities, but was unable to get a response.
Following the release of the video, Chris faced significant criticism from the online community, with many people accusing her of animal cruelty and neglect. Chris initially denied the allegations, but later released a statement acknowledging that her cats had been living in unsanitary conditions, and promising to take better care of them.
This sad story probably hasn’t reached its end; we will endeavour to publish updates as events unfold.
