Current Events > Alabama Mayor, Pastor Dies by Suicide After Being Involuntarily Outed

(+) Yeah! (+)

An Alabama community is in shock after the tragic death of a local leader following their involuntary outing as a transgender woman when a local conservative news blog posted photos of them embracing their secret gender identity.

Smiths Station Mayor F.L. Bubba Copeland, who also served as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Phenix City, was found dead Friday evening, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones confirmed to Columbus, Ga., CBS affiliate WRBL.

I can confirm he took his own life, Jones said.

Besides his political and religious affiliations, Copeland was known locally for owning a small grocery store in the Alabama backwaters. Recent scrutiny emerged when Alabama news blog 1819 News reported Wednesday that Copeland had been engaging in explicit online activities, allegedly posting pornography, memes, and photos of themself in womens clothing online under the pseudonym Brittini Blaire Summerlin.

The report shared screenshots from Copelands now-deleted Instagram and Reddit accounts, where the openly explored their transgender identity. Copeland also reportedly shared transgender-specific fiction and erotica that they authored, according to published reports. Copeland discussed hormone replacement therapy in some of their online posts

The Advocate honors peoples chosen names and pronouns. Because Copeland did not publicly come out before their death, The Advocate is referring to them as the person they presented publicly.

The revelation quickly spiraled into a community-wide controversy, eliciting many empathetic and derogatory reactions. One of Copelands friends, former Phenix City School Superintendent Larry DiChiara, expressed his anguish and support for Copeland on social media after the mayors death.

In a Facebook post, DiChiara wrote, Please bare with me while I vent. I am so angry right now and heartbroken. I witnessed a good man be publicly ridiculed and crucified over the last few daysto the point that he just took his own life today. He revealed that he had reached out to Copeland offering support and encouragement, and Copeland had acknowledged going through some dark days.

In a pointed message to those who ridiculed Copeland, DiChiara asked, Are you happy now? What crime did he commit? Some of you people make me sick. I hope you are really proud.

He ended his post with a prayer for Copeland: For our brother, F.L. Bubba Copeland, May God bless your soul and forgive those who took pleasure in your suffering. They should all be ashamed!

The Lee County Sheriffs Office and the Lee County District Attorneys Office are currently investigating the death.

The situation took a tragic turn when deputies responded to a request for a welfare check on Copeland, spotting them driving their truck on a county road near their grocery store. Upon attempting to pull Copeland over, they stopped, exited their truck, and fatally shot themself, Jones told WRBL.

The distressing details surrounding Copelands demise highlight the stark reality of the societal pressures and the often harsh judgments individuals may face when their private lives, particularly concerning their sexual orientation or gender identity, are involuntarily thrust into the public domain, especially in conservative communities.

Nothing will change in the Bible Belt.

That is absolutely tragic.

I mean, my own family didn't really change when I came out as transgender.

Hell, my brother calls out my gender dysphoria as "misguided angst".

Are you still forced to live with them?

"An Alabama community is in shock after the tragic death of a local leader following their involuntary outing as a transgender woman "

"For our brother, F.L. Bubba Copeland, May God bless your soul and forgive those who took pleasure in your suffering. They should all be ashamed!

...

Disrespecting this person even in death.

Slightly unrelated question: why do people say "died by suicide" now? Thats like saying I fell off a building by jumping.

Committed suicide sounds like a criminal act. Died by suicide is a more human-centered (and more accurate) way to verbalize what happened.

Whoever wrote that post should be held accountable. They did it maliciously and knew that, at a bare minimum, it would ruin this person's life. It's fucking sociopathic that these people consider "triggering" the other side to be more important than having even a smidge of human decency.

So as a pastor, was she preaching the same hate that led to her death?

How is it more accurate to remove the suicide victim's culpability?

That is absolutely tragic.

"An Alabama community is in shock after the tragic death of a local leader following their involuntary outing as a transgender woman "

"For our brother, F.L. Bubba Copeland, May God bless your soul and forgive those who took pleasure in your suffering. They should all be ashamed!

...

Disrespecting this person even in death.

I feel like that's pretty obvious when it comes to suicide

It's possible she was more liberal than most pastors. Might be what got some conservative mad and to look into her secrets. Some conservative Christians really hate liberal Christians

How is it more accurate to remove the suicide victim's culpability?

tf are you on homie, and what culpability is being removed?
suicide by definition is self inflicted
do you think anyone is unclear on that?
the verbiage used in the wake of a tragedy is paramount to the victim's loved ones

They person I'm responding to agrees that the phrase "committed suicide" sounds like culpability, specifically culpability for a crime. Go harass them instead.

You're the person bringing up the term "culpability."

They addressed that in the article. They use the pronouns that the deceased used in their public life.

The Advocate honors peoples chosen names and pronouns. Because Copeland did not publicly come out before their death, The Advocate is referring to them as the person they presented publicly.

Whether that is the correct decision or not, I don't know, but there doesn't seem to be any disrespectful intention.

Please bare with me while I vent. I am so angry right now and heartbroken. I witnessed a good man be publicly ridiculed and crucified over the last few daysto the point that he just took his own life today. He revealed that he had reached out to Copeland offering support and encouragement, and Copeland had acknowledged going through some dark days.

In a pointed message to those who ridiculed Copeland, DiChiara asked, Are you happy now? What crime did he commit? Some of you people make me sick. I hope you are really proud.

He ended his post with a prayer for Copeland: For our brother, F.L. Bubba Copeland, May God bless your soul and forgive those who took pleasure in your suffering. They should all be ashamed!

They person I'm responding to agrees that the phrase "committed suicide" sounds like culpability, specifically culpability for a crime. Go harass them instead.

How is it more accurate to remove the suicide victim's culpability?

They looked really happy here... Why take that away from them?
https://twitter.com/kevinmyoung/status/1720625579509068231

and you said

implying you believe culpability for a crime exists
so nah imma grill you on it thx

https://twitter.com/TheDaleJackson/status/1720803306811851107
using photos of underage boys from his community in memes about transitioning? And he was writing erotic fan fiction about killing real people?

Conservatives indirectly led this person to their demise. There is nothing more sinister than religious bigotry.

Conservatives indirectly led this person to their demise.

Copeland was elected to be mayor of Smiths Station, a town of about 5,000 near the Georgia state line, in 2016. He was thrust into the national spotlight in 2019 when a string of tornadoes ravaged the area and then-President Donald Trump visited. Copeland was photographed with Trump and used the picture to campaign for re-election in 2020.

In a Facebook post, DiChiara wrote, Please bare with me while I vent.

Nothing will change in the Bible Belt.

Another face eating leopards tragedy. Really unfortunate.

So as a pastor, was she preaching the same hate that led to her death?