University ‘gun girl’ goes viral again
Kaitlin Bennett made a name for herself when she carried an assault rifle onto a university campus to protest against laws prohibiting students carrying weapons to school.
The conservative ex-student posed for her graduation photos at northern Ohio's Kent State University in a white dress with the weapon draped across her.


It was intentionally confronting and part of a brand the 23-year-old hardcore Trump supporter has established for herself.
But the in-your-face style of activism doesn't always hit its mark.
In a series of video interviews with university students for libertarian media outlet Liberty Hangout - which she founded - Bennett questions whether it is morally irresponsible to put tampons and pads in mens' bathrooms or urinals in womens' bathrooms for transgender students.
The videos aimed to evoke outrage from the student cohort at the University of Kentucky but were instead met with progressive attitudes.
One male student told her he saw no problem with pads in the mens' bathrooms.
"The general use ones in Willy T (William T Young library on campus) have pads, I use them pretty often, so …," he says.
The exchange was retweeted more than 70,000 times.
You could not make this better if you tried pic.twitter.com/sTyUBAmq7z
— James Ray (@MakeItRayn_) January 12, 2020
Others were left wondering why Bennett was so interested in what other people do with their bodies.
Stay mad @KaitMarieox pic.twitter.com/WB0V6D8rue
— Thot Chocolate (@ayeayerontron) January 15, 2020
TikTok is really pulling through with these videos on this JOKE Kaitlin Bennett pic.twitter.com/wa6eFpqWAR
— meghan (@meehanoel_) January 18, 2020
this guy seems so uncomfortable and i feel like she is PRESSURING him to change how he thinks when he’s really unbothered and people can do what they want and it’s not his problem. i don’t like kaitlin bennett pic.twitter.com/cCHqDB9AXv
— kayla (@kaylalange9) January 16, 2020
why is @KaitMarieox so obsessed with other people’s genitalia? like no one cares, let them eat their damn chicken pic.twitter.com/iqjUKWU0Xd
— kira (@KiraBinkowski) January 15, 2020
Bennett acknowledged the backlash she had received, writing: "While everyone on Twitter was hating on me, I was busy getting a tour of the White House. Thank you to the Trump administration for letting me see where the greatest President in our nation's history makes America great!"
While everyone on Twitter was hating on me, I was busy getting a tour of the White House. Thank you to the Trump administration for letting me see where the greatest President in our nation's history makes America great! pic.twitter.com/mkfEfXWJUK
— Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) January 19, 2020
Tours of the White House are available to everyone.
Bennett made headlines in May last year when she graduated from Kent State University and took the firearm with her to school.
She told The Washington Post she had only one regret - she should've taken a smaller gun.
"I believe that if the government has it, we should have it. Machine guns - any weaponry," she said.
"To make sure the government can't go against the citizens," she said. "We should be able to protect ourselves against a tyrannical government."
Students at Kent State University were unable to protect themselves in 1970 when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed alumni who were protesting the Vietnam War.
Four students were killed and nine others were seriously wounded.
For posting the photograph, Bennett was met with death threats. She said it was "exactly why people carry".
Thanks to all who have sent me death threats for taking a picture. You're the biggest advocates for gun rights. You proved exactly why people carry.
— Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) May 16, 2018