Ibn Sonya
Ibn Sonya Qafi Hassan Al-Baqarah Surah, PhD (commonly known as Sonya Qafi) was a Twitter persona operated by Charlotte Fang from June 21, 2020 to September 5, 2020. Created one month after the May 15, 2020 deletion of Miya Black Hearted Cyber Angel Baby, Sonya Qafi represented a continuation and evolution of Miya's performative methodology, presenting as a genomicist with a PhD who offered "traditionalist PUA" (pickup artist) advice through a heavily satirical pastiche of manosphere content writing. The account operated for approximately 75 days before its deletion following the conclusion of the Nazi Anorexia Cult operation, which represented both Sonya's final and most infamous trolling campaign. The persona's connection to Miya was not officially confirmed until after the account's deletion, maintaining the practice of distributed and ambiguous authorship characteristic of the Remilia milieu.
| Sonya Qafi | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Active Period | June 21, 2020 - September 4, 2020 |
| Platform | Twitter (Money Twitter) |
| Creator | Charlotte Fang |
| Associated With | Miya Black Hearted Cyber Angel Baby, #KALIACC, Remilia Corporation |
| Preceded By | Miya Black Hearted Cyber Angel Baby |
| Succeeded By | Charlotte Fang (public persona) |
Overview
Sonya Qafi emerged on "Money Twitter" (the cryptocurrency and finance-focused segment of Twitter) as a self-described genomicist offering relationship and lifestyle advice grounded in what the persona characterized as traditionalist principles, evolutionary psychology, and syncretic religious philosophy.
The persona represented a more overtly satirical approach than Miya, pastiching the copywriting style associated with manosphere bloggers like G Manifesto and Andrew Tate. Sonya Qafi interpreted the characteristic line-break formatting of this genre into a poetic form, structuring posts as fragmented aphorisms and ending each with the signature "-Ibn Sonya."
The account functioned simultaneously as satire of manosphere discourse, serious theoretical exploration of premodern social structures, and trolling operation. Sonya's advice drove traditionalist premises to their logical extremes, attempting what the persona characterized as genuine historical reconstruction of gender and societal roles through synthesis of evolutionary psychology, René Girard's anthropological theory, Julius Evola's caste philosophy, Daoist science, and Islamic jurisprudence. This syncretic approach positioned the work as implicit critique of superficial "pop traditionalism" prevalent in online right-wing spaces.
History and Creation
Origins and Transition from Miya
Sonya Qafi appeared on Twitter on June 21, 2020, approximately one month after the deletion of the Miya Black Hearted Cyber Angel Baby account on May 15, 2020. While Miya had operated within the art theory and post-internet aesthetics sphere, Sonya Qafi positioned itself within money Twitter, engaging with cryptocurrency enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and the financialized masculinity discourse prevalent in those communities.
The persona maintained strategic ambiguity regarding its relationship to Miya. While participants familiar with Miya's theoretical preoccupations could recognize continuity between the projects, Sonya never officially confirmed the connection during its active period. This compartmentalization allowed the persona to develop independently while maintaining the distributed authorship philosophy central to Miya's practice.
The shift in target audience from art world participants to finance and cryptocurrency communities represented a strategic expansion of the trolling methodology. Where Miya had engaged with art theory and accelerationism, Sonya Qafi engaged with evolutionary psychology, sexual marketplace dynamics, and the emerging discourse around "traditional masculinity" in cryptocurrency spaces.
Active Period and Development
During its 75-day existence, Sonya Qafi produced content that combined genuine theoretical engagement with obvious absurdity, making it difficult for audiences to determine which elements represented sincere positions and which served purely satirical functions. Posts ranged from dense discussions of premodern legal systems to crude sexual advice to coordination of elaborate trolling operations.
The account gained traction within right-wing Twitter circles through a combination of provocative claims, apparent expertise in obscure historical and scientific topics, and willingness to engage in extended arguments with critics. The persona's presentation as a PhD genomicist with deep knowledge of multiple religious and philosophical traditions lent an air of authority that made the satirical elements less immediately apparent to some audiences.
According to Fang's retrospective account, the Sonya period served as experimentation with how the Miya methodology could be adapted to different communities and discourse environments. Where Miya had operated in spaces with accelerationism and theory-fiction, Sonya Qafi engaged with audiences less equipped to recognize performative irony, producing different dynamics of engagement and trolling opportunity.
Conclusion and Legacy
The account concluded on September 5, 2020, following the completion of the Nazi Anorexia Cult operation, with a final post serving as both epitaph for the persona and commentary on the nature of the absurdist trolling operations it had orchestrated:
What is Kaliacc? Kaliacc is the excuse I yell mid-sprint back at the bystanders gathered around my abandoned car after I drunk drive onto the curb and into a group of neotenic teens.
The timing of the account's deletion—immediately following the Nazi Anorexia Cult reveal—suggested that the operation represented the intended culmination of the Sonya project. Having demonstrated the ease with which fabricated narratives could mobilize collective belief and moral panic, the persona had fulfilled its function as both satire and critique.
Philosophical Framework
Sonya Qafi's content operated on multiple levels simultaneously, making it difficult to disentangle genuine theoretical positions from satirical exaggeration and trolling:
Traditionalist Synthesis
The persona claimed to pursue authentic reconstruction of premodern social arrangements through synthesis of multiple intellectual traditions:
- Evolutionary Psychology: Arguments grounded in claims about reproductive strategies, sexual dimorphism, and mate selection pressures
- Girardian Anthropology: References to René Girard's theories of mimetic desire, scapegoating, and sacred violence in structuring social hierarchies
- Evolian Caste Theory: Borrowing from Julius Evola's concepts of spiritual hierarchy and caste-based social organization
- Daoist Philosophy: Integration of concepts from Daoist texts regarding natural order, complementarity, and wu wei (effortless action)
- Islamic Jurisprudence: Citations of Islamic legal traditions and Quranic interpretation regarding gender roles and social organization
This syncretic approach distinguished Sonya from mainstream manosphere content, which typically drew from narrower intellectual sources. The persona's emphasis on historical and cross-cultural comparison implicitly critiqued what it characterized as "pop traditionalism"—superficial appeals to tradition without serious engagement with premodern legal, religious, and philosophical systems.
Controversial Theses
Several of Sonya's recurring arguments generated particular controversy:
- Universal Fornication Prohibition: The claim that premodern legal systems nearly universally prohibited extramarital sex, with the persona arguing through etymology and comparative legal analysis that contemporary distinctions between "fornication" and other sexual activity represented modern innovations rather than historical categories
- Female Virginity and Marriage Prerequisites: Arguments for female virginity before marriage and requirements for parental consent in marriage, positioned as reconstruction of historical norms rather than normative prescription
- Caste-Based Sexual Dimorphism: The thesis that preferences for sexual dimorphism vary by caste, with higher castes exhibiting and preferring more androgynous characteristics, while lower castes exhibit and prefer more sexually dimorphic traits
- High Caste Polygyny: Documentation of polygyny as common reproductive pattern among elite males across premodern societies, with analysis of how this pattern shaped sexual marketplace dynamics
The presentation of these theses combined apparent academic rigor—citations of historical texts, linguistic analysis, cross-cultural comparison—with obvious provocation. Critics debated whether the arguments represented genuine historical claims, satirical exaggerations meant to expose contradictions in contemporary traditionalist discourse, or pure trolling designed to generate controversy.
Stylistic Innovation
Sonya Qafi's distinctive writing style adapted and parodied manosphere copywriting conventions:
- Line-Break Poetry: Interpretation of the fragmented, line-break-heavy style common in manosphere content as a poetic form with specific aesthetic properties
- Aphoristic Structure: Brief, declarative statements presented as self-evident truths, mimicking the confident pronouncement style of pickup artist and masculinity gurus
- "-Ibn Sonya" Signature: Each post concluded with this signature, acting as a humorous punchline by proudly signing an absurdist or extreme post
- Technical Jargon: Liberal use of terminology from evolutionary psychology, genetics, anthropology, and religious studies, lending an air of scientific authority
This stylistic approach made the work more overtly parodic than Miya, which had employed theory-fiction conventions that could be read more seriously within accelerationist contexts. Sonya's obvious pastiche of manosphere style signaled its satirical nature to some audiences while remaining legible as genuine commentary to others.
Notable Trolling Operations
Sonya Qafi orchestrated several high-profile trolling operations that demonstrated the persona's methodology and influenced subsequent work:
Virgin E-Girl Blood Sale
One early operation involved Sonya publicly advertising the sale of a vial of "virgin e-girl blood" for cryptocurrency. The persona posted a fabricated screenshot showing a 1 BTC (Bitcoin) transaction from a purported buyer, complete with transaction hash and timing details that gave the hoax verisimilitude.
The operation satirized several targets simultaneously: the commodification of female sexuality in e-girl culture, the conspicuous consumption and absurd purchases common among cryptocurrency nouveau riche, and the quasi-occult aesthetics that had become popular in certain online subcultures. The obvious absurdity of the claim—that someone would pay significant cryptocurrency for a vial of blood, or that the sale would take place openly on the timeline—was undermined by the apparently genuine transaction evidence, creating uncertainty about whether the sale had actually occurred.
E-Girl Juror
The "e-girl juror" operation represented one of Sonya's most successful viral trolling campaigns. Sonya directed a female fan to create a post claiming to have been one of the jurors who convicted Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd—one of the most closely watched trials in recent American history.
The post was strategically boosted by accounts in Sonya's network until it achieved viral spread, generating widespread outrage and media attention. Critics accused the supposed juror of jury misconduct for posting about the case, while others questioned whether the claim was genuine. The operation succeeded in generating controversy and media coverage before being revealed as fabricated.
The operation demonstrated several elements of Sonya's methodology: coordination with community members to amplify content, strategic timing to maximize engagement with current events, and exploitation of moral panic dynamics to ensure viral spread. The choice to claim involvement in such a politically charged trial represented the persona's characteristic approach of selecting the most provocative possible targets.
Asterisk of Obesity
Sonya orchestrated the fabrication and spread of the Asterisk of Obesity copypasta—a satirical text about obesity and body image. The operation involved faking a screenshot appearing to show rapper Azealia Banks posting the text on her Instagram story alongside an image of her bare stomach, as if she had written and shared it herself.
The fabricated screenshot was shared across social media platforms and continues to be reposted years later, with many users believing it represents Banks's authentic statement. The operation demonstrated how easily false attributions could be created and maintained through selective screenshot sharing, particularly when the attribution seemed plausible given the public figure's known persona and posting style.
The ongoing circulation of the fake screenshot—long after Sonya's deletion and despite periodic debunkings—exemplifies the persona's interest in creating persistent archival artifacts that would outlive the original context and continue generating confusion and controversy.
Nazi Anorexia Cult
The Nazi Anorexia Cult operation represented Sonya Qafi's final and most infamous trolling campaign. Conceived as a defensive maneuver to protect London-based cosplay influencer Nyabeat from online cancellation, the operation involved fabricating an entire "pro-anorexia neonazi cult" called #KALIACC that supposedly manipulated young women into eating disorders and extremist beliefs.
According to Fang's April 2022 retrospective, the operation began when Nyabeat faced cancellation for controversial content liked on her private Twitter account. Sonya suggested she deflect the cancellation by claiming her behavior resulted from manipulation by a fictional cult. The operation expanded through spontaneous coordination with other participants, creating fake exposé accounts, fabricated victim testimonies, and false media coverage that successfully convinced Nyabeat's cancellers of the cult's existence.
After approximately two weeks, the operation concluded with a reveal announcing it had been a "sociological study" orchestrated by Miya. The Nazi Anorexia Cult became Sonya's most documented and misunderstood work, later being cited as evidence of Miya running a genuine cult in 2022 during the Milady Cancel, despite the operation's fabricated nature being publicly documented.
The operation's scale and sophistication represented the culmination of trolling methodologies developed across both the Miya and Sonya periods, demonstrating the viability of distributed authorship in creating elaborate hoaxes and the ease with which moral panic could be manufactured through strategic coordination.
Reception and Discourse
Contemporary Reception
During its active period, Sonya Qafi generated divided reactions within money Twitter. Some users engaged with the content seriously, debating the persona's historical and scientific claims about traditional social structures. Others recognized the obvious satirical elements and engaged with the account as performance art. A third group remained uncertain about which elements represented sincere positions and which served purely trolling functions.
The account's presentation as a PhD genomicist with expertise in multiple religious and philosophical traditions lent credibility to some audiences while raising suspicion among others. Critics pointed to the obvious provocations and absurd claims as evidence of trolling, while defenders argued that the controversial theses represented genuine if uncomfortable historical analysis.
The trolling operations generated particular controversy, with the e-girl juror and virgin blood sale campaigns achieving viral spread beyond Sonya's immediate audience. These operations introduced wider audiences to the persona, though often without context regarding its satirical nature and relationship to broader net art practices.
Post-Deletion Interpretation
Following the account's September 2020 deletion and Fang's subsequent confirmation of the connection to Miya, retrospective interpretation has focused on situating Sonya within the broader trajectory of Fang's work. The persona is now understood as a transitional project between Miya's accelerationism and the later development of Remilia Corporation.
The Nazi Anorexia Cult's subsequent misinterpretation during the May 2022 Milady cancellation attempts has retroactively increased interest in the Sonya period. Critics attempting to establish patterns of harmful behavior have pointed to Sonya's trolling operations, while defenders have characterized them as legitimate artistic practice and critique of cancel culture dynamics.
Cultural Impact
Contribution to Cancel Culture Critique
The Nazi Anorexia Cult operation represented a significant contribution to practical critique of cancel culture dynamics. By fabricating an extreme cancellation target and then revealing its fictional nature, Sonya demonstrated what Fang has characterized as the arbitrary and performative mechanics underlying online moral panics.
The operation's subsequent misinterpretation—being cited as evidence of genuine harmful behavior despite documented fabrication—arguably validated Sonya's critique by demonstrating how cancellation narratives persist regardless of factual basis. This dynamic influenced Remilia's approach to controversy and contributed to the community's rejection of disavowal and apology as responses to cancellation attempts.
Archival Challenges
Like Miya before it, Sonya Qafi exemplifies challenges in documenting internet-native performance art. The account's deletion resulted in loss of most primary material, with only scattered screenshots and secondhand accounts remaining. The trolling operations' reliance on fabricated screenshots and false attributions further complicates efforts to establish authoritative historical accounts.
The Asterisk of Obesity operation in particular demonstrates how deliberate archival manipulation can create persistent historical confusion. The fake Azealia Banks screenshot continues circulating years after creation, with many users unaware of its fabricated nature. This outcome reflects Sonya's conscious strategy of creating archival artifacts designed to outlive their original context and maintain ambiguity regarding authenticity.
Legacy
Sonya Qafi represents a crucial transitional moment in the development of the artistic practices that would culminate in Remilia Corporation. The persona's adaptation of Miya's methodology to new audiences and discourse environments demonstrated the flexibility and applicability of distributed authorship and performative trolling across different online subcultures.
The account's brief existence—just 75 days—belied its significant influence on subsequent work. The trolling operations orchestrated during the Sonya period, particularly the Nazi Anorexia Cult, established templates for large-scale collaborative hoaxes and demonstrated the potential of strategic cancellation mechanics as artistic medium.
The account's final post—characterizing Kaliacc as an "excuse" yelled while fleeing the scene of a drunk driving accident—captured the persona's ethos of strategic irresponsibility and rejection of accountability. This stance, controversial among critics but celebrated within the community, influenced Remilia's approach to controversy and established patterns that persist in the collective's work.
References
- Fang, Charlotte. "Cancel Miya to me or I'll fucking kill you." Mirror, April 28, 2022. https://goldenlight.mirror.xyz/Cv9P0xIWmyBWQOPJgcTiVRr8Dki54igVuvZ3hc5Rqgg
- "Debunking the Milady Maker Allegations." Miladytruth, accessed 2024. https://miladytruth.substack.com/p/milady
- Armor, Sierra. Exhibition Text for Sven Loven's Humiliation Ritual, 2022-2023.
