Daphne Dorman death: Comedian and transgender activist dies from apparent suicide, aged 44

News was confirmed on social media by Dorman's sister

Roisin O'Connor
Sunday 13 October 2019 10:28 BST
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Daphne Dorman death: Comedian and transgender activist dies from apparent suicide, aged 44

Comedian and trans activist Daphne Dorman has died aged 44 by apparent suicide, after posting a message on Facebook that said goodbye to her loved ones.

Dorman’s sister Becky Kugler confirmed the death of her sister and shared a tribute online that read: “Sweet, sweet Daphne. I so wish we could all have helped you through your darkness. We’ll always love you, fly high sweet angel.”

Following the news, the Office of Transgender Initiatives in San Francisco also confirmed Dorman’s death on its Twitter account, and offered counselling for anyone seeking help.

After building her career in the entertainment industry, Dorman was mentioned in Dave Chapelle’s controversial Netflix comedy special, Sticks and Stones, which aired in August.

Speaking about the criticism in an epilogue, Chappelle recalled a story in a “secret” ending to the special, which mentioned Dorman attending his shows and “laughing the hardest” at his jokes.

Dorman then apparently thanked the comedian for “normalising transgenders”.

Before she embarked on a comedy career, the Philadelphia-born entertainer was an accomplished software engineer.

Anyone seeking support or help can contact the Samaritans on their 24-hour helpline on 116 123 .

You can also email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.

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