Joel Koss is an American game developer who took medical gender transition steps as an adult for a few months. After deciding that path was not bringing fulfillment, Koss made additional changes back toward an earlier identity.
Koss appears in the 2023 anti-trans film No Way Back, about the ex-transgender movement. Koss has apologized, saying “I didn’t know what I was a part of. Informed consent saves lives.”
Background
Koss has stated “horrible things” happened as a child, adding: “Around the time I was 11 or 12 I developed anorexia nervosa. And then years later, it led me to develop a body dysmorphia, which I falsely, wrongly attributed to being gender dysphoria.” According to Koss:
Ever since I was young, since I could remember, I have had an issue with my identity, mostly the way that I looked, talked, dressed. I think I got into my head growing up I would be happier if I was a woman, I’d be more satisfied with myself if I was a woman, I would love myself more if I was a different person.
I just know like how truly easy it is for you to go and get treatment if you live in an area with informed consent treatment. I literally made an appointment with the doctors office in Chicago. I live in Indiana. So I drove up to Chicago. I went to the doctor’s appointment that I had set up for two weeks prior. It was very quick. And then that day I received estrogen. There was definitely a honeymoon phase. In the beginning of hormone therapy, everything felt great. My body felt great. My mind felt clear. I was also becoming an Internet influencer pretty quickly.
Koss documented the transition on social media.
I am five months on hormones… about 5 1/2 months. And since my last update, there have been a lot of changes. So as many of you know, I take estrogen shots. But this one is particularly important. As I put this into my body., I will be six months on estrogen. Sometimes you never think that the things that you in life that you want are going to happen fully.
Three months later, Koss felt differently:
It turned out to make me more dysphoric. It turned out to make me uncomfortable. The more it happened to my body, the scareder I got. And I came to the realization that I don’t feel like I’m actually transgender. It’s a hell of a realization to have.
Koss soon gave additional updates:
What’s up my beautiful people? How are we doing today? If you’ve been around my channel for a minute, than you know that I am male to female to male. So I went through transition, and then, after about nine months, I came to the realization that, I am not transgender.
In July 2020 I started realizing that hormone therapy was no longer having a satisfactory effect on my mental health and my physical health. But now at this point in time, I had a lot of social media followers, people that looked up to me and made me feel like I was important to them. And I felt like I couldn’t go back. And that the only option was to just keep pushing forward, which led me to spiral into a state of depression and being admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Response to No Way Back
Koss appears in the 2023 anti-trans film No Way Back and is credited as “Joel Kass” in some promotional materials. In April 2023, Koss posted:
I was interviewed for this documentary. I was actually used quite a bit for the documentary. I was told that it would shine a positive light on informed consent. And it did not. […] The full interview and testimony of my experiences that I gave was chopped up into little bits and sprinkled throughout the documentary, not fully reflecting my actual views and thoughts on transgender healthcare. I apologize, and I hope that it did no damage. I would hate to think that something I was a part of could be viewed by a legislator and impractically influence thought-making, decision-making processes, or just scare the shit out of parents of trans kids that come out to them. As always, every single one of you has my love and my support.
Koss later added:
I am an advocate for trans rights, trans healthcare, everything to do with basic equality. I was approached by the director about April of last year. And when I asked about the scope of and the impact of the film, I was told it was going to be a positive film about informed consent. I was told that it was going to take an ethical and responsible perspective of getting proper mental healthcare before informed consent in terms of trans teens and not full-grown adults. I don’t know if I can take legal action because I signed a release. I gave very thoughtful, ethical, correct responses to interview questions, and every single thing I said was taken out of context, cut all apart, piecemealed into something that served the agenda of another party entirely. So I apologize. I didn’t know what I was a part of. I didn’t know what was being done. Informed consent saves lives. That’s it. […] I hope I did nothing damaging, and I that I can be forgiven.
References
Cormier, Alline (February 23, 2023). ‘Affirmation Generation’ tells truths about ‘trans youth’ the media won’t touch. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2023/02/23/affirmation-generation-tells-truths-about-trans-youth-the-media-wont-touch/
Factora, James (June 20, 2023) AMC Canceled Screenings of an Anti-Trans Documentary After Backlash. them. https://www.them.us/story/amc-theatres-no-way-back-documentary
Resources
Instagram (instagram.com)
TikTok (tiktok.com)
Charlie Evans is a British writer and ex-transgender activist. Evans gets money and attention by making it harder for others to get trans healthcare.
Background
Evans was born ~1991. Evans reportedly experienced abuse outside the family as a child. Evans also reportedly experiences generalised anxiety disorder and depression.
Evans has resided in Margate and Newcastle and reportedly has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology, with plans to seek a doctorate.
Ex-trans activism
Evans announced the Detransition Advocacy Network in November 2019.
Six months later, Evans reportedly took a full-time job as a COVID tester and announced a “retirement from the gender wars.” The website was deactivated in late 2021.
References
Stone, Gemma (April 23, 2021). Where is The Detransition Advocacy Network now? Medium https://medium.com/@notCursedE/where-is-the-detransition-advocacy-network-now-f01ec9c9682d
Comerford, Aidan (January 29, 2021). Update thread. https://twitter.com/AidanCTweets/status/1355188820854104069
Staff report (May 12, 2020). The media lies: “100’s of detransitioners” scam EXPOSED. Transiness https://www.transiness.com/post/the-media-lies-100-s-of-detransitioners-scam-exposed
Lockwood, Sally (October 5, 2019) ‘Hundreds’ of young trans people seeking help to return to original sex. Sky News https://news.sky.com/story/hundreds-of-young-trans-people-seeking-help-to-return-to-original-sex-11827740
Heuchan, Claire (January 23, 2020). I Am No Less of a Woman: Charlie Evans Interview. AfterEllen https://afterellen.com/charlie-evans-interview/
Walsh, Joani (November 16, 2019). Meet the ‘detransitioners’: the women who became men – and now want to go back. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/meet-detransitioners-women-became-men-now-want-go-back/
Staff report (November 2, 2019). News in detransition. Gender Health Query https://www.genderhq.org/blog/2019/10/17/news-in-detransition
Media
Women’s Declaration International (WDI) (October 27, 2019). Charlie Evans, Detransition Advocacy Network at WHRC “Inventing the Transgender Child” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I7hS3qrwXQ
Resources
Detransition Advocacy Network (detransadv.com) [archive]
Detransition Advocacy Network (detransadv.net)
Detransition Advocacy Network (thedetransitionadv.wixsite.com)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Medium (medium.com)
- @charlie.evans/ [deleted]
- https://medium.com/@charlie.evans/the-medicalization-of-gender-non-conforming-children-and-the-vulnerability-of-lesbian-youth-10d4ac517e8e
Patreon (patreon.com)
Crowdfunder UK (crowdfunder.co.uk)
- Website for ‘The Detransition Advocacy Network’
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/website-for-the-detransition-advocacy-network
- Fundraiser for Debbie Harries
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-debbie-harries
- Sookie’s Travel to UK [2nd Detrans Meet]
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/sookies-travel-to-uk-2nd-detrans-meet
Keira Bell is a British ex-transgender activist. Bell gets money and attention by making it harder for others to get trans healthcare.
Background
Bell was born in 1997. At 15, Bell was referred to the Gender Identity Development Service, at the Tavistock and Portman clinic in London. At 16, Bell was prescribed puberty blockers, and at 17, Bell began taking hormones. Bell chose the name Quincy.
As an adult, Bell chose to get top surgery. Bell later had regret and made additional changes in identity and expression.
Bell brought a lawsuit against the Tavistock which ultimately helped lead to its closure in favor of the decentralized approach used in other countries.
Anti-transgender activism
Bell is an advisor to anti-trans groups Genspect and Sex Matters.
References
Bell, Keira (April 7, 2021). My Story. Persuasion https://www.persuasion.community/p/keira-bell-my-story
Resources
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Sinéad Watson is an ex-transgender activist. Watson gets money and attention by making it harder for others to access trans healthcare. Watson is affiliated with anti-transgender organization Genspect.
Background
Watson was born in ~1991 and reports being repeatedly sexually assaulted as a teen.
made a gender transition as an adult. Watson socially transitioned at age 20 and began medical transition at age 24. Watson had top surgery at age 26. In October 2019, at age 28, Watson made additional changes in identity and expression.
Ex-trans activism
Rather than taking personal responsibility for medical decisions made as an adult, Watson blames “the trans lobby.” According to anti-trans activist Julie Bindel:
Watson self-referred to the Sandyford in 2014, having spent time in a psychiatric unit following a severe mental breakdown. “I burned my house down while trying to kill myself,” she says, “and made out to the doctor it was because I was really a trans man and needed to transition. That was bullshit.” Watson was suffering from depression, dependent on alcohol, and struggling to accept that she was a lesbian.
Bindel (2022)
References
Thomas, Kim (April 29, 2023). The troubling truth about ‘gender affirming’ mastectomies. The Spectator https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-troubling-truth-about-gender-affirming-mastectomies/
Bindel, Julie (September 15, 2022). Scotland’s Tavistock must fall. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2022/09/scotlands-tavistock-must-fall/
Watson, Sinead (August 2, 2023). The trans lobby pushed me to have a double mastectomy and I bitterly regret it. That’s why Costa’s advert is so dangerous. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12366421/The-trans-lobby-pushed-double-masectomy-bitterly-regret-Thats-Costas-advert-dangerous-writes-SINEAD-WATSON-detransitioned-woman-double-mastectomy.html
Resources
Twitter (twitter.com)
Substack (substack.com)
Daisy Strongin is an American ex-transgender activist. Strongin gets money and attention by making it harder for other people to get trans healthcare.
Background
Daisy Marie Chadra was born in April 1998. Chadra came out as trans on May 29, 2015 at age 17, using the name Oliver “Ollie” Chadra. As an adult, Chadra obtained hormones at Planned Parenthood. At age 20, Chadra had top surgery.
After graduating York Community High School, Chadra earned an associate’s degree from College of DuPage in 2019. Chadra then attended North Central College.
Chadra made additional changes in identity and expression in October 2020, at age 22.
Jason Strongin and Daisy Strongin were married on December 12, 2021. They had a baby named Gabriel in 2022.
Daisy Strongin converted to Catholicism in 2023.
Ex-trans activism
Stongin appears in the 2023 anti-trans media piece DETRANS by PragerU and has also appeared on shows by anti-trans activists Benjamin Boyce and Preston Sprinkle.
References
Bolar, Kelsey (September 22, 2022). After ‘Top Surgery’ & Hormones, Female Detransitioner Decided She Wanted to Be A Mom. Independent Women’s Forum https://www.iwf.org/identity-crisis-daisy/
Media
Benjamin Boyce (December 6, 2020). DeTrans Stories: The Authenticity Quest | with Daisy Chadra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EtS0146uQk
Benjamin Boyce (January 3, 2022). Authenticity Quest 2 | with the Ever Evolving Daisy Chadra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAPMCmnTToA
Preston Sprinkle (July 13, 2021). From Trans to Detrans: Daisy Chadra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k2IXBvuoM4
Time Capsule Show (Jun 2, 2021). What is Detransitioning? | Being FTMTF | Daisy Chadra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr2dNbLIKJ8 |
PragerU (October 25, 2023). DETRANS: The Dangers of Gender-Affirming Care. https://www.prageru.com/video/detrans
Independent Women’s Forum (September 22, 2022) Identity Crisis: After Top Surgery & Hormones, Female Detransitioner Decided She Wanted to Be A Mom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkj05vi94RY
Resources
Instagram (instagram.com)
Twitter (twitter.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
Calvin Lunt aka Cal Fox aka Calvin Fox is a British ex-transgender activist.
Background
Calvin Lunt was born in 1990 and has lived in the Fairfield area of Liverpool.
Fox was a contestant on MTV’s Beauty School Cop Outs in 2013.
Lunt performed in drag as Cal Fox in Liverpool clubs. Fox began a gender transition as an adult at age 24, documenting the steps on Facebook.
After about a year of hormones, Lunt made additional changes in identity and expression.
Ex-trans activism
In a podcast description, Lunt said:
“It has been 6 years now since I de-transitoned (returned back to my birth gender) and during these past 5 years I have spent my time learning more about myself, the reasons why I wanted to take the journey of completely changing my body and also exploring the reasons why so many young people are feeling the same.
I am not sitting here writing this saying that everyones story will be like mine but I will be honest and transparent and say I do believe there are many more people out there like me who maybe making choices based on false thoughts and feelings.”
Fox has become a favored source for anti-trans activists like Stella O’Malley and Sasha Ayad of Genspect.
References
Staff (June 2, 2015). Cal Fox discovers she’s transgender by accident. news.com.au https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/cal-fox-discovers-shes-transgender-by-accident/news-story/65c4eea38c8e032981c627c1a43c49a2
Tweedy, Jo (June 1, 2015). Aspiring model realised she was transgender by ACCIDENT after dressing up in hot pants and blonde wig for night out. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3105504/Aspiring-model-realised-transgender-ACCIDENT-dressing-hot-pants-blonde-wig-night-out.html
Collinson, Dawn (January 22, 2016). I’m a transgender woman but I still want to have my own child. Liverpool Echo https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/real-lives/im-transgender-woman-still-want-10775477
Collinson, Dawn (January 22, 2016). 5 awkward questions every transgender woman gets asked. Liverpool Echo https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/real-lives/5-awkward-questions-every-transgender-10776171
Hoyle, Antonia (June 1, 2023). ‘Social media encouraged me to be a trans woman… the truth is I was gay’: Man reveals how he was lambasted for de-transitioning by siren voices online. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12150451/Man-reveals-lambasted-transitioning-siren-voices-online.html
Toureille, Claire (May 11, 2023). Man who lived as a trans woman for two years before detransitioning admits he was influenced by staying ‘current’ on social media. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12071685/Why-detransitioned-living-transgender-woman-two-years.html
(September 16, 2021). Three trans journeys: ‘I spent so long hiding.’ BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-58255156
Media
Stella O’Malley and Sasha Ayad (July 21, 2023). EP 123: Drag, Drinking and Taking Off the Mask with Calvin Lunt. Gender: A Wider Lens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5kz3cYMnOw
Will Reusch (July 26, 2023). Transgenderism, Homophobia and Self-Hatred with Calvin Lunt | Cylinder Radio #149 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvRPYVdRGfM
Resources
Calvin Lunt (calvinlunt.com) [archive]
Instagram (instagram.com)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
Jesse Jermaine Hinty (born November 20, 1998) is an American ex-transgender activist and member of Pique Resilience Project.
Background
Hinty grew up in Ohio. After moving to a new school at age 15, Hinty met trans and gender diverse peers. Before identifying as trans, Hinty briefly identified as nonbinary at 16, then trans at 17. Hinty did not take medical steps until adulthood, starting testosterone injections in 2016 at age 18. On April 4, 2017, Hinty’s name change petition was granted.
Hinty attended Otterbein University from 2016 to 2017, studying computer science. While there, Hinty was Student Program Coordinator for the Office of Social Justice & Activism.
Hinty moved to Chicago in 2017 and began a long-term relationship with future ex-trans activist Helena Kerschner, holding a number of service jobs following an internship on the docu-series America In Transition.
After 14 months of hormone use, Hinty stopped and briefly identified as nonbinary before identifying as a “bi lady with C-PTSD who finds relief from brain stuff through gaming and medical cannabis!”
Hinty worked at Argo Tea and Starbucks for about one year each. From 2019 to 2022 Hinty worked at cannabis dispensary GreenGate Chicago (now ZenLeaf) before embarking on a freelance graphic design career.
Pique Resilience Project
In 2019 PRP created a number of videos and made several media appearances in its year of operation. The project disbanded in 2020 after Hinty and Kerschner broke up.
Media appearances
Benjamin Boyce (March 16, 2019)
Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF)
- Gender Hurts Panel with Sheila Jeffreys
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdEVpW88A4k
Resources
Much of Hinty’s extensive online presence before and during identifying as trans has been deleted. It is not currently included here as a courtesy.
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Tumblr (tumblr.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
DeviantArt ()deviantart.com)
Soundcloud (soundcloud.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA9GhyM2r9A
Note: In 2025, this site phased out AI illustrations after artist feedback. The previous illustration is here.
Dagny Walton is an American artist and “ex-transgender” activist involved with the Pique Resilience Project. Members of the group have spoken at anti-trans conferences and appeared on fascist/conservative media outlets.
Background
Walton was born in 1996, grew up in Colorado, and graduated from Poudre High School in Fort Collins. Walton read a lot as a child and never identified with feminine characters. From age 15 to 19, Walton identified as non-binary, then as a trans man, then briefly back to nonbinary before identifying as a woman again.
Walton was diagnosed with “gender dysphoria” and had about 25 weekly therapy sessions over the course of 6 months, after which the options of hormones and surgery were available. After a long time of “breaking down” parental resistance, Walton then visited an endocrinologist but never opted for surgery. Walton was on hormones from age 17 (“six months before turning 18”) for just over 2 years before deciding to stop at age 19.
Walton earned an undergraduate degree in classical studies from University of British Columbia in 2018. After moving to Montana, Walton took a job at Sun Mountain Sports and began a graduate arts program at University of Montana in Missoula. Walton got engaged to another graduate of University of British Columbia.
Walton also claims there is a dominant narrative that suggests hormones are the only path to happiness and the only cure for “gender dysphoria.” Despite the best efforts of helping professionals and loved ones, Walton would not listen to those who suggested alternatives to medical options. Walton describes ignoring suggestions from the therapist to explore options like getting into a relationship.
The protocols for trans youth did not fail Walton. Walton gamed the system through deception and even self-deception. As I have said on this site since before Walton was born, there’s never a happy ending to an unhappy journey. With luck, Walton will one day stop blaming others and making it harder to get trans healthcare for young people who need it.
Media appearances
Benjamin Boyce (2019)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o1_QDB9VZM
- [taken private in 2022 immediately after this profile went live]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o1_QDB9VZM
Helena Kerschner / Pique Resilience Project (2019)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22CyGXHPUSc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22CyGXHPUSc
Resources
Walton’s extensive online presence under another name and identity has been omitted as a courtesy.
Instagram (intagram.com)
- detransstories [deleted in 2022]
- dagr.goo [deleted in 2022]
- dagnywalton [deleted in 2022]
University of Montana (umt.edu)
https://svma.umt.edu/current_grads/dagne-walton
- Dagny Walton
- https://svma.umt.edu/current_grads/dagne-walton/
Creatively (creatively.life)
Reddit (reddit.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Note: In 2025, this site phased out AI illustrations after artist feedback. The previous illustration is here.
The Gender Care Consumer Advocacy Network (GCCAN) is a “ex-transgender” organization that seeks to limit trans healthcare options.
“Ex-trans” activists are similar to “ex-gay” activists who claim they have changed. Many claim they were cured via “desistance” (as minors) or “detransition” (as adults).
Background
Lee Leveille was one of the founding members and original Vice President. Leveille describes GCCAN’s founding
In August 2019, a detransitioned family therapist named Carey Callahan put out an organizing call to build bridges between trans and detrans people who had experienced medical trauma. The two of us teamed up with Grace Lidinsky-Smith and Corinna Cohn, where we worked to found an advocacy organization aimed at broadening the discussion on effective transgender-related health care. We also sought to do so without any political allegiance, purposefully maintaining distance from individuals or organizations that could weaponize the group’s message for their own gain. It was, by and large, a patient rights organization meant to be by the people for the people. That December, the group went live under the name Gender Care Consumer Advocacy Network, or GCCAN.
Leveille resigned in March 2020 due to “the direction I saw the group going in and what damage it could do to people they claimed to represent.”
Members of the group have gone on to testify in support of banning trans healthcare for young people.
Current
Former
In 2024 the site went offline.
References
Leveille, Lee (May 19, 2022). My Resignation Letter to Gender Care Consumer Advocacy Network (GCCAN). Medium https://thatweirdolee.medium.com/my-resignation-letter-to-gender-care-consumer-advocacy-network-gccan-59596eb53f96
Leveille, Lee (January 18, 2021). I’m A Trans Person That Helped Found a “Detransition Advocacy” Organization. Medium https://thatweirdolee.medium.com/im-a-trans-person-that-helped-found-a-detransition-advocacy-organization-57d18572be32
Ring, Trudy (May 4, 2021). 60 Minutes Story Focuses on Transition Regret, Gets Slammed. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2021/5/24/60-minutes-story-focuses-transition-regret-gets-slammed
Lidinsky-Smith, Grace (June 25, 2021). There’s No Standard for Care When it Comes to Trans Medicine | Opinion Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/theres-no-standard-care-when-it-comes-trans-medicine-opinion-1603450
Resources
Gender Care Consumer Advocacy Network (gccan.org) [archive]
- Who We Are [archive]
- gccan.org/who-we-are
X/Twitter (x.com)
Rethink Identity Medicine Ethics (ReIME) is a conservative American anti-transgender organization.
ReIME supports the ex-transgender movement and trans-exclusionary queer separatism.
Background
ReIME was created by Jane Chotard Wheeler, a lawyer who believes in the great replacement conspiracy that transgender people and “gender ideology” are causing so-called lesbian erasure. Wheeler identifies as lesbian and began a committed relationship with filmmaker Lesli Klainberg in around 1992.
ReIME is a Delaware-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with EIN: 83-3053400.
Associated people
Officers
Advisory board
Media promoted
Books
Video
Articles
- Colin Wright
- Michael Biggs
- Lisa Littman
- Lisa Marchiano
- Marcus Evans
- Susan Bewley, Damian Clifford, Margaret McCartney and Richard Byng
- Roberto D’Angelo, Ema Syrulnik, Sasha Ayad, Lisa Marchiano, Dianna Theadora Kenny & Patrick Clarke
- Varun Warrier, David M. Greenberg, Elizabeth Weir, Clara Buckingham, Paula Smith, Meng-Chuan Lai, Carrie Allison & Simon Baron-Cohen
- Riittakerttu Kaltiala-Heino, Maria Sumia, Marja Työläjärvi, and Nina Lindberg
- Anastassis Spiliadis
Podcasts
David Crowe interviews William Malone
Resources
Trans Data Library (transdatalibrary.org)
Rethink Identity Medicine Ethics (rethinkime.org)
