By: Naomi Etienne

Gypsy Rose Blanchard, age 23, has quickly risen to internet fame after being released from prison on Dec 28, 2023.

After pleading guilty to second-degree murder, Gypsy served seven years of her 10-year sentence before being released on parole. Now, Gypsy is using her newfound popularity and platform to advocate for Munchausen by proxy syndrome.

Gypsy’s mother, DeeDee Blanchard, was affected by Munchausen by proxy syndrome, putting Gypsy through a childhood of abuse. Ultimately, Gypsy and her boyfriend at the time killed DeeDee, which is how Gypsy ended up incarcerated.

Now out of prison, Gypsy has gained over 8 million followers on Instagram. Mt. Hebron senior Hazel Faherty shared how Gypsy’s rapid-growing platform can be used for good.

“It’s a big transition from being in prison to having millions of eyes on you, but Gypsy can use her platform for good to advocate for her story and other things like that,” stated Faherty.

As Gypsy’s fanbase and internet fame continue to grow, it is easy for people to forget the reason she became famous in the first place.

“I don’t think it would be appropriate for people to glamorize her actions [murder], but I think as long as she is not preaching negativity or influencing people to be criminals, then it is okay,” Faherty added.

In agreement, Mt. Hebron senior Janice Lee stated, “At the end of the day, she committed a serious crime and paid her time for it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her social media fame, but people should also be cautious of how much they look up to her.”

Social media provides a variety of entertainment and a platform for influencers to reach millions of people. However, this can be an evil as much as a blessing, with obsessive fan bases and strong opinions clashing.

“I only see Gypsy as a source of entertainment on social media. I don’t really look up to her or look down on her. She’s just another social influencer to me, and I think that’s how other people should probably view it, too,” stated Lee.

As one of the first and most famous recently incarcerated social media personalities, Gypsy has sparked a new conversation with a broad audience on whether ex-convicts can be good influencers or even idols.