Skip to content

media-outlets

The Stranger is an alternative newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. The publication is generally progressive politically, with some issues around anti-trans coverage by Dan Savage, Alice Dreger, and Katie Herzog.

Background

Founded in 1991 as a weekly print publication supported by coupon ads, it switched to a biweekly magazine format in 2017. It suspended print operations in 2020, then resumed them in 2023. In 2024, the paper was sold to Noisy Creek.

Transgender coverage

Since its founding, The Stranger has published a sex column by Dan Savage called Savage Love. Over the years, Savage has published a number of columns about trans and gender diverse people that have been criticized. In addition to work like the It Gets Better project that has helped some in the community, Savage has a long history of supporting and defending sexologists and journalists who have also been accused of bias.

In 2011, The Queer Issue edited by Christopher Frizzelle and Savage included a piece by Alice Dreger, who has long voiced opposition to the affirmative model of care for trans and gender diverse youth, especially any kind of medical options:

The great majority of young children who declare they are a gender that doesn’t match their birth sex grow out of the mismatch. […]

But somehow if we wrap these major interventions around gender identity, we’re supposed to believe they are not that big a deal in terms of planning for a child’s future? And the clinician who tries to get a gender dysphoric kid to learn to like her or his innate body really is a Nazi? Not buying it. […]

I am also sick and tired of trans-rights advocates acting like a certain current-day endocrinologist is ever-so-progressive because he essentially starts prepping genderqueer kids for surgery the moment they are presented by their distraught parents. Reminds me a little too much of Iran, you know?

The Stranger also employed Katie Herzog, whose article on “detransition” was sourced from a group of anti-transgender people associated with the “ex-trans movement.” The Stranger never updated that article to note that major source Ky Schevers has disavowed the views made in the piece.

References

Hiruko, Ashley (July 29, 2024). The Stranger newspaper sold to former state legislator Brady Walkinshaw. KUOW https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-stranger-newspaper-sold-to-former-state-legislator-brady-walkinshaw

Schevers, Ky (June 24, 2024). The Reality Behind the Story I Told The Stranger. The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/queer-issue-2024/2024/06/05/79545098/the-reality-behind-the-story-i-told-the-stranger

Wood, Natalie (June 20, 2018). What Happens After the Person You Married Tells You They’re Transgender. The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/queer-issue-2018/2018/06/20/27820946/what-happens-after-the-person-you-married-tells-you-theyre-transgender

Herzog, Katie (July 3, 2017). A Response to the Uproar Over My Piece, “The Detransitioners.” The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2017/07/03/25262759/a-response-to-the-uproar-over-my-piece-the-detransitioners

Herzog, Katie (June 28, 2017). The Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren’t. The Stranger. https://www.thestranger.com/features/2017/06/28/25252342/the-detransitioners-they-were-transgender-until-they-werent

Savage, Dan (June 7, 2014). About That Hate Crime I Committed at University of Chicago. The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2014/06/07/about-that-hate-crime-i-committed-at-university-of-chicago

Dreger, Alice (2011). Trans Advocates (At Least Where Genderqueer Kids Are Concerned). The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/trans-advocates/Content?oid=8743338

Savage, Dan (August 12, 2010). Golden Oldie. https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=4642012

Savage, Dan (August 12, 2010). Bad Tranny. https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=13054

Savage, Dan (March 26, 2009). Deep Thought. https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=1192438

Resources

The Stranger (thestranger.com)

Wikipedfia (en.wikipedia.org)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

X/Twiiter (x.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Bluesky (bsky.app)

The Guardian is a British media organization. Their transgender coverage has been criticized for anti-trans bias.

Background

The Guardian published an anti-trans piece by Julie Bindel in 2004. Over the following years, the paper became increasingly anti-trans in its stance. A 2018 letter to the editor by anti-trans activist Kathleen Stock and others led to complaints and protests. In 2020, anti-trans contributor Suzanne Moore left following an incendiary piece attacking social constructionist views about sex. More than 200 politicians, journalists, and activists signed a letter denouncing the piece. Moore later said many other comments had been removed because of “denial of female biology.” In 2021, The Guardian censored a comment by Judith Butler:

The Terfs (trans exclusionary radical feminists) and the so-called gender critical writers have also rejected the important work in feminist philosophy of science showing how culture and nature interact (such as Karen Barad, Donna Haraway, EM Hammonds or Anne Fausto-Sterling) in favor of a regressive and spurious form of biological essentialism. So they will not be part of the coalition that seeks to fight the anti-gender movement. The anti-gender ideology is one of the dominant strains of fascism in our times. So the Terfs will not be part of the contemporary struggle against fascism, one that requires a coalition guided by struggles against racism, nationalism, xenophobia and carceral violence, one that is mindful of the high rates of femicide throughout the world, which include high rates of attacks on trans and genderqueer people.

The anti-gender movement circulates a spectre of “gender” as a force of destruction, but they never actually read any works in gender studies. Quick and fearful conclusions take the place of considered judgments. Yes, some work on gender is difficult and not everyone can read it, so we have to do better in reaching a broader public. As important as it is, however, to make complex concepts available to a popular audience, it is equally important to encourage intellectual inquiry as part of public life. Unfortunately, we are living in anti-intellectual times, and neo-fascism is becoming more normalized.

2018 open letter

In 2018 an open letter by critics of the Gender Recognition Act included many key anti-transgender extremists. They are reordered alphabetically by surname below.

  • Sophie Allen, Lecturer in Philosophy, Keele University
  • Rosalind Barber, English & Comparative Literature, Goldsmiths, University of London
  • Chetan Bhatt, Professor of Human Rights, Sociology, London School of Economics
  • Michael Biggs, Associate Professor in Sociology and Fellow of St Cross College, University of Oxford
  • Diane Brewster (Retired. ex University of Sussex and Open University)
  • Heather Brunskell-Evans, Academic, Writer and Political Commentator
  • Catherine Butler, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Bath
  • Richard Byng, Professor in Primary Care Research, University of Plymouth
  • Alex Byrne, Head of Linguistics and Philosophy Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • W Burlette Carter, Professor of Law Emeritus, The George Washington University Law School, Washington, DC
  • Jackie Cassell, Head of the Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
  • Clare Chambers, Reader in Philosophy, University of Cambridge
  • John Collins, Philosophy, University of East Anglia
  • Sophia Connell, Philosophy, Birkbeck College London
  • Stephen Cowden, Senior Lecturer in Social Work, Coventry University
  • Rosie Dias, Associate Professor, History of Art, University of Warwick
  • Debbie Epstein, Professor of Cultural Studies in Education, School of Education, University of Roehampton, London
  • Rosa Freedman PhD, LLM, LLB, Professor of Law Conflict and Global Development, Director Global Development Division, Co-Director United Nations and Global Order Research Programme, University of Reading
  • John Gardner FBA, Professor of Law and Philosophy, All Souls College, Oxford
  • Richard Garside, Director, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Senior Visiting Research Fellow, Open University
  • Leslie Green, Philosophy of Law, Balliol College, Oxford
  • Liz Guy, School of Computing, Engineering & Mathematics, University of Brighton
  • Mike Hannis, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Humanities (Ethics and Sustainability), Bath Spa University
  • PM Higgins, Honorary Research Fellow, Royal Holloway University of London; former Professor of Music, University of Nottingham; former Käthe-Leichter Visiting Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Vienna
  • Emma Hilton, University of Manchester (honorary)
  • Sian Hindle, Senior Lecturer, School of Jewellery, Birmingham City University
  • Sheila Jeffreys, Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne
  • Robert Jensen, School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin [emeritus]
  • Jane Clare Jones, independent scholar
  • Julia Jordan, Department of English Language and Literature, UCL
  • Holly Lawford-Smith, Senior Lecturer in Political Philosophy, University of Melbourne
  • Mary Leng, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of York
  • H. Susana Marinho, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, University of Lisbon
  • Susan Matthews, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Department of English and Creative Writing, University of Roehampton
  • Ruth McGinity, Lecturer in Educational Leadership and Policy, Institue of Education, UCL
  • Laura McGrath, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of East London
  • Michele Moore, Patient Safety Academy, University of Oxford
  • Maureen O’Hara, Senior Lecturer in Law, Solicitor, Coventry University
  • Kathryn Oliver, Associate Professor of Sociology and Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • Jo Phoenix, Chair in Criminology, The Open University
  • David Pilgrim, Honorary Professor of Health and Social Policy, University of Liverpool
  • Eva Poen, Lecturer in Economics, University of Exeter
  • Rupert Read, Reader in Philosopher at UEA, and Chair of Green House
  • Kathleen Richardson, Professor of Ethics and Culture of Robots and AI, Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility, De Montfort University
  • Paul Sagar, Lecturer in Political Theory, Department of Political Economy, King’s College London
  • Sophie Scott, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL
  • Lesley Semmens, Senior Lecturer (retired), School of Computing, Leeds Beckett University
  • Holly Smith, UCL Institute of Education
  • Kathleen Stock, Philosophy, University of Sussex
  • Judith Suissa, UCL Institute of Education
  • Alice Sullivan, Sociology, University College London
  • Sian Sullivan, Centre for Environmental Humanities, Bath Spa University
  • Georgia Testa, Teaching Fellow, School of Philosophy, Religion, and History of Science, University of Leeds
  • Patrick Turner, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Bath Spa University
  • Jo Waugh, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, York St John University

References

Hurley, Lee (May 30, 2023). Exclusive: Guardian writers and editor set up group to make Guardian more transphobic. TransWrites https://transwrites.world/guardian-writers-and-editor-set-up-group-to-make-guardian-more-transphobic/

Tani, Max (April 3, 2023). Inside the Guardian’s civil war over trans coverage. Semafor https://www.semafor.com/article/04/02/2023/inside-the-guardians-civil-war-over-trans-coverage

Wareham, Jamie (Jun 11, 2022). The Guardian faces boycott from LGBTQIA+ journalists. QueerAF https://www.wearequeeraf.com/the-guardian-faces-boycott-from-lgbtqia-journalists/

Akrivos D (2022). Transgender reporting in the British press: editorial standards and discursive harms in the post-Leveson era. Journal of Media Law Volume 14, 2022 – Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1080/17577632.2022.2153216

Stone, Gemma (June 7, 2021). The Guardian is Transphobic. Medium https://medium.com/@notCursedE/the-guardian-is-transphobic-eebd0d5ea63a

Gleeson, Jules (September 7 2021 ). Judith Butler: ‘We need to rethink the category of woman.’ The Guardian https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/sep/07/judith-butler-interview-gender pre-censored version: archive

Higgins, Eoin (November 5, 2021). The Guardian Tries To Intimidate Me Into Retracting My Article About Transphobia in Their Newsroom. The Flashpoint https://eoinhiggins.substack.com/p/the-guardian-tries-to-intimidate

Higgins, Eoin (September 9, 2021). The Guardian’s Censoring of Judith Butler Part of a Pattern, Current and Former Staffers Say. The Flashpoint https://eoinhiggins.substack.com/p/the-guardians-censoring-of-judith

Higgins, Eoin (September 7, 2021). Guardian Pulls Judith Butler’s Comments On “Gender-Critical” Anti-Trans Movement. The Flashpoint https://eoinhiggins.substack.com/p/guardian-pulls-judith-butlers-comments

Kearns, Madeleine (January 3, 2022). The Guardian’s Trans Problem. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/the-guardians-trans-problem/

Tobitt, Charlotte (November 17, 2020). Suzanne Moore leaves Guardian months after staff send letter of revolt over ‘transphobic content.’ Press Gazette https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/suzanne-moore-leaves-guardian-months-after-staff-send-letter-of-revolt-over-transphobic-content/

Powys Maurice, Emma (March 3 2020). Yet another trans person dramatically quits The Guardian amid bitter transphobia row. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2020/03/03/the-guardian-another-trans-person-quits-transphobia-coverage-row/

Moore, Suzanne (November 25, 2020). Why I had to leave The Guardian. UnHerd. https://unherd.com/2020/11/why-i-had-to-leave-the-guardian/

Moore, Suzanne (March 2, 2020). Women must have the right to organise. We will not be silenced. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/commentisfree/2020/mar/02/women-must-have-the-right-to-organise-we-will-not-be-silenced

Editors (March 4, 2020). Letters: Differing perspectives on transgender rights. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/mar/04/differing-perspectives-on-transgender-rights

Strudwick, Patrick (August 15, 2019). The Guardian Newspaper Has Lost Two Trans Employees Over Its Reporting On Trans Issues. Buzzfeed https://www.buzzfeed.com/patrickstrudwick/two-transgender-employees-quit-guardian-transphobia

Sam Levin, Mona Chalabi and Sabrina Siddiqui (November 2, 2018). Why we take issue with the Guardian’s stance on trans rights in the UK. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/02/guardian-editorial-response-transgender-rights-uk

Gleeson, Jules Joanne (October 21, 2018). On The Guardian’s Transphobic Centrism. New Socialist https://newsocialist.org.uk/on-the-guardians-transphobic-centrism/

Open letter (October 16, 2018). Aademics are being harassed over their research into transgender issues. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/oct/16/academics-are-being-harassed-over-their-research-into-transgender-issues

Moore, Suzanne (January 9, 2013). I don’t care if you were born a woman or became one. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/09/dont-care-if-born-woman

Bindel, Julie (January 30, 2004). Gender benders, beware. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jan/31/gender.weekend7

Resources

The Guardian (theguardian.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

The Daily Signal is a conservative American media organization. By 2025, they had published over 2,500 anti-trans posts.

Background

The Heritage Foundation started a blog called The Foundry in 2008. In 2014, The Foundry was redirected to The Daily Signal (dailysignal.com) in June 2014. In June 2024, it became an independent publication.

Ad Fontes Media rates The Daily Signal in the Strong Right category of bias and as Unreliable, Problematic in terms of reliability. 

Resources

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

The Daily Signal (dailysignal.com)

  • Transgender
  • https://www.dailysignal.com/?s=transgender

Heritage Foundation (heritage.org)

  • The Foundry
  • blog.heritage.org (2008–2014 – archive]

X/Twitter (x.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

Truth Social (truthsocial.com)

The New York Times is an American media organization. With some notable exceptions, their coverage of transgender issues has been neutral to negative. The Science, Opinion, and Books sections have been particularly biased on trans issues.

No transgender journalist has appeared on the New York Times masthead since its founding in 1851. Due to the hostile work environment, no transgender reporters work there as of 2023 according to a San Francisco Chronicle report.

Assessments

It is considered a paper of record for the United States, along with The Washington Post.

Ad Fontes Media (adfontesmedia.com)

  • New York Times
  • Reliability: 47.50 out of 64 (32+ is “generally good”)
  • Bias: -4.01 (9.5% left-leaning bias)

NewsGuard (as of January 2020)

  • Approximate score: 100
  • Standards failed: None

Anti-transgender coverage crisis

Decades of anti-transgender coverage culminated in a newsroom revolt in 2023:

According to Times sources, there used to be open Slack channels where staff could discuss any issues they had with coverage, and they freely voiced objections at all-hands meetings with the masthead editors. But now, with the advent of virtual meetings, management doesn’t pick the uncomfortable questions during Q&A.

And, that employee said, there are still no out trans reporters on staff at the paper. 

Ho (2023)

Key people

Current

Former

Contributors

Cisgender

Trans+

References

Wilkins, Riki (2024). Bad Ink: How The New York Times Sold Out Transgender Teens. Riverdale Avenue Books, ISBN 9781626016828

Urquhart, Evan (January 8, 2025). Bias at NYT: Trans Former Employee Speaks Out. Assigned Media https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/former-editor-nyt-biased-on-trans-hiring

Bolies, Corbin (March 7, 2023). The New York Times’ Trans Coverage Debacle Was Years in the Making. The Daily Beast. https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-the-new-york-times-trans-coverage-debacle-was-years-in-the-making

Ho, Soliel (August 31, 2023). Inside the New York Times’ trans coverage: ‘I wonder if people at the top fully believe in trans people’s humanity.’ San Francisco Chronicle https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/new-york-times-trans-18214925.php

Resources

New York Times (nytimes.com)

Britannica (britannica.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

WorldCat (worldcat.org)

The Sunday Times is a conservative British publication. It has taken a consistently anti-transgender stance throughout its history.

Background

The publication was founded in 1821 as The New Observer. In 1822 it was renamed The Sunday Times

Open letters

The Sunday Times has published several anti-trans letters to the editor. Notable letters include.

We stand with JK against hate (2020)

Press pause on Conversion Therapy Bill (2022)

References

John, Tara (October 9, 2021). Anti-trans rhetoric is rife in the British media. Little is being done to extinguish the flames. CNN https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/09/uk/uk-trans-rights-gender-critical-media-intl-gbr-cmd/index.html

Signatories (September 27 2020). We stand with JK against hate. The Sunday Times [archive] https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/letters-to-the-editor-banish-empire-and-make-us-all-proud-5tl06tt6h

Signatories (April 10, 2022) Press pause on Conversion Therapy Bill. The Sunday Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/press-pause-on-conversion-therapy-bill-g7vbtvc7h

Resources

The Sunday Times (thetimes.co.uk/?sunday)

  • thesundaytimes.co.uk (2010-2023) [archive]
  • thetim.es

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Twitter (twitter.com)

  • TransHatred (documented transphobic coverage from 2017-2020)
  • TheSundayTimes (deleted)
  • thetimes
  • https://twitter.com/timesonline
  • https://twitter.com/thetimeslive
  • https://twitter.com/ST_Newsroom

These were the people leading The Atlantic when they published a transphobic article by anti-transgender activist Jesse Singal in 2018.

No transgender journalist appeared on The Atlantic masthead since its founding in 1957.

In July 2021, the publication stopped listing those accountable for their output.

  • David G. Bradley: Chairman
  • Bob Cohn: President

  • Jeffrey Goldberg: Editor in Chief
  • Scott Stossel: Editor, Magazine
  • Matt Thompson: Executive Editor
  • Adrienne LaFrance: Editor, TheAtlantic.com
  • Don Peck: Deputy Editor, Magazine
  • Swati Sharma: Deputy Editor, TheAtlantic.com
  • Denise Kersten Wills: Features Editor
  • Ann Hulbert: Literary Editor, Magazine
  • Sarah Yager: Deputy Executive Editor
  • Adrienne Green: Managing Editor
  • Katherine Wells: Executive Producer, Podcasts
  • Jon Batiste: Music Director

National Correspondents

  • Mark Bowden, Ta-Nehisi Coates, James Fallows, Franklin Foer, Hanna Rosin, Graeme Wood

Senior Editors

  • Ross Andersen, Yoni Appelbaum, David Barber (Poetry), Ronald Brownstein, Krishnadev Calamur, C. Michael Curtis (Fiction), Ellen Cushing, Richard Florida, Caitlin Frazier, David Frum, Kathy Gilsinan, James Hamblin, Kate Julian, Jane Yong Kim, Corby Kummer, Christopher Orr, Christi Parsons, Yvonne Rolzhausen, Rebecca J. Rosen, Adam Serwer, John Swansburg, Alan Taylor, Derek Thompson, Lauren N. Williams, Gillian B. Whit

  • Washington Editor at Large; Editor, AtlanticLIVE
    Steve Clemons

  • Staff Writers
    Russell Berman, Natasha Bertrand, McKay Coppins, Rachel Donadio, Ashley Fetters, Conor Friedersdorf, Uri Friedman, Megan Garber, Sophie Gilbert, Hannah Giorgis, David A. Graham, Rosie Gray, Emma Green, Adam Harris, Olga Khazan, Spencer Kornhaber, Alexis C. Madrigal, Robinson Meyer, Vann Newkirk, Elaina Plott, Alana Semuels, David Sims, Alia Wong, Ed Yong, Sarah Zhang

  • Senior Associate Editors
    Julie Beck, Michelle Ciarrocca, Nora Kelly, Marina Koren, Eleanor Smith, Amy Weiss-Meyer

  • Associate Editors
    Paul Bisceglio, Lenika Cruz, Stephanie Hayes, Emily Jan, Siddhartha Mahanta, Caroline Mimbs Nyce, Joe Pinsker, Sigal Samuel, Stephanie Schwartz, Kevin Townsend

  • Assistant Editors
    Priscilla Alvarez, Lolade Fadulu, Elaine Godfrey, Annika Neklason, Yasmeen Serhan, Rosa Smith

  • Copy Editors
    Janice Wolly (Chief), Karen Ostergren (Senior), Jake Pelini
  • Premium Membership
    Editor: Matt Peterson
  • Associate Editor: Caroline Kitchener
  • Art
    Creative Director, The Atlantic: David Somerville
    Art Director: Paul Spella
    Associate Art Directors: Katie Martin, Arsh Raziuddin
  • Production
    Director: John Kefferstan
    Associate Director: Jennifer Adams
  • Executive Staff Manager
    Kim Jaske

  • Contributing Editors
    Marc Ambinder, Peter Beinart, Ian Bogost, Kate Bolick, Bianca Bosker, David Brooks, Andrew Cohen, Eliot A. Cohen, Michelle Cottle, Wayne Curtis, Ross Douthat, Gregg Easterbrook, Garrett Epps, David H. Freedman, Lori Gottlieb, Barbara Bradley Hagerty, Michael Hirschorn, Nancy Jo Iacoi, Wendy Kaminer, Robert D. Kaplan, Mary Louise Kelly, Adam Kirsch, Toby Lester, Sandra Tsing Loh, Annie Lowrey, Thomas Mallon, Charles C. Mann, B.R. Myers, MoisĂŠs NaĂ­m, P.J. O’Rourke, James Parker, Virginia Postrel, Jonathan Rauch, David Rohde, Jeffrey Rosen, Reihan Salam, Eric Schlosser, Jeffrey Selingo, Ellen Ruppel Shell, Burt Solomon, James Somers, Alison Stewart, Sage Stossel, Jeffrey Tayler, Dominic Tierney, Chuck Todd, Jerry Useem, Robert Vare, Alex Wagner, Emily Yoffe, Fareed Zakaria, Ben Zimmer

  • Fellows
  • Sarah Elizabeth Adler, Jordan Bissell, Catherine Daniels, Isabel Fattal, Abdallah Fayyad, Lena Felton, Rachel Gutman, Taylor Hosking, Steven Johnson, Tori Latham, Elijah Lee, Annabelle Timsit, Kevin Volkl

  • Atlantic Studios
    Executive Producer & General Manager: Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg
  • Senior Producer: Ashley Bloom Kenny
  • Production Manager: Brian Jimenez
  • Art Director and Animator: Jackie Lay
  • Producer: Jeremy Raff
  • Associate Producers: Daniel Lombroso, Nicolas Pollock
  • Curator: Emily Buder
  • Animator: Caitlin Cadieux
  • Assistant Animator: Tynesha Foreman
  • Fellows: Atthar Mirza, Sophia Myszkowski, Brianna Pressey

  • CityLab
    General Manager: Robert Bole
  • Editor: Nicole Flatow
  • Executive Editor: David Dudley
  • Bay Area Bureau Chief: John Metcalfe
  • Senior Associate Editors: Mark Byrnes, Jessica Leigh Hester, Adam Sneed
  • Assistant Editor: Linda Poon
  • Social Media Editor: Gracie McKenzie
  • Staff Writers: Laura Bliss, Kriston Capps, Tanvi Misra, Brentin Mock
  • Fellows: Alastair Boone, MartĂ­n Echenique, Sarah Holder, Teresa Mathew, Benjamin Schneider

  • AtlanticLIVE Editorial
    Executive Producer: Rob Hendin
  • Producers: Margaret Barthel, Kelly McCoy
  • Assistant Producers: Gloria Oh
  • AtlanticLIVE Business
  • Managing Director, Business Development: Emily Akhtarzandi
  • Executive Director, Business Development: Patrick Garrigan
  • Executive Director of Partnerships: Noelle Thorn Rinner
  • Director of Events and Experience: Logan Elsass
  • Director of Marketing: Elizabeth Stoll
  • Director, Business Development: Melodie Brown Thomas
  • Associate Directors, Business Development: Jen Baca, Molly Holmes, Jocelyn Miller, Casey Pallenik
  • Associate Director, National Events: Rachel Alben
  • Associate Director, Operations: Emily Gottschalk-Marconi
  • Senior Designer: Eliud Arbelo
  • Senior Managers, N
  • ational Events: Sherene Joseph, Danielle Sopp
  • Senior Events Manager: Stacey Berger
  • Event Managers: Emma Lowenstein, KC Packer
  • Marketing Manager: Gillian Murdock
  • Designer: Gabby Riccardi
  • Senior Events Coordinators: Carly Spraggins, Grace Harvey
  • Events Coordinators: K.C. Packer
  • Executive Assistants: Ben Schwartz
  • Fellows: Daniel Moynihan, Virginia Walcott
  • Editor Emeritus William Whitworth
  • Publisher & Chief Revenue Officer Hayley Romer
  • Senior Vice President & Head of Business Development Kimberly Lau
  • Vice President & President, AtlanticLIVE Margaret Low
  • Vice President, Brand & Customer Growth Sam Rosen
  • Vice President, Data & Growth Brian Muller
  • Vice President of Marketing & Head of Atlantic Re:think Michael Monroe
  • Vice President, Advertising Partnerships, East Ryan McRae
  • Vice President, Advertising Partnerships, West Liz Lorenzoni
  • Executive Director, Business Operations Ryan McConaghy
  • Head of Revenue Operations Lindsey Emanuel
  • Executive Director, Business Strategy, Planning & Ad Operations Jesse Waldele

  • Re:think
    Head of Editorial: Rafi Kohan
  • Content Strategist: Danielle Elliott
  • Content Writer: Atoosa Moinzadeh, Tessa Kramer
  • Head of Design & Development: Dante Meick
  • Designers: Drew Campbell, Ariel Curtis, Eric Hartman, Devin Rochford, Brenan Stetzer
  • Developers: Sam Chi, Ashley Hartt
  • Associate Creative Director, Video: Sarah Sherman
  • Associate Video Producer: Margaret Lindon
  • Brand & Insights
  • Senior Director: Gina Bulla
  • Manager: Jaclyn Fitzpatrick
  • Coordinators: Hershlay Raymond
  • Creative Strategy
  • Director: Jeremy Elias
  • Senior Managers: Dane Bjorklund, Stephanie Parker, John Peabody
  • Managers: Claire Friedman, Kaila Robertson, Lev Ratnofsky
  • Creative Solutions
  • Associate Director: Drew Tillman
  • Managers: Justin Dean, Mary McGee, Monica Shmelzer, Meghan Sutherland
  • Coordinator: Robbie Tanner
  • Integrated Advertising Sales
    Executive Director, Advertising Partnerships West: Chloe Johnston, [email protected]
  • Senior Advertising Partnerships Director, West: Moira McDonald, 415-291-8072, [email protected]
  • Advertising Partnerships Director: David Flynn, [email protected]
  • Advertising Partnerships Director: Julia Smith, [email protected]
  • Client Partnerships Director: Brad Girson, [email protected]
  • Senior Directors, Cross Platform: Elena Mehas ([email protected]), Deirdre Torrance ([email protected])
  • Senior Director, Washington, D.C.: Jocelyn Miller, [email protected]
  • Senior Director, San Francisco: Caroline Black, [email protected]
  • Senior Directors, New York: Rashi Miller ([email protected]), Lisa Harvey ([email protected]), Peter St. John ([email protected])
  • Director, New York: Caroline Gioia, [email protected]
  • Executive Director, EMEA: Jemima Villanueva, [email protected]
  • Senior Director, EMEA: Jeremy Butchers, [email protected]
  • Book Publishing: Gloria Bruere, 718-473-5452, [email protected]
  • Direct Response and Emporium: Marie Isabelle, Manager, 800-280-2069, [email protected]
  • Associate: Susan Boucher
  • Advertising Operations & Programmatic
    Associate Director, Ad Operations: Elias Adepoju
  • Ad Operations Manager: Ariel Beteta
  • Senior Trafficker: Corey Cunningham
  • Ad Operations Specialist: Steven Song
  • Programmatic Analyst: Jessica Spencer
  • Programmatic Sales: Erica Gottlieb
  • Trafficker: Kelly Lee
  • Associate Director, Planning: Alexandra Bellows
  • Assistant to the Senior Vice President & Publisher: Rebecca Bellan
  • Account Managers: Lauren Gibbons, Melissa Meily-Golez
  • Sales Planners: Brandon Blum, Jacqueline Campbell, Marti Fox, David McManus, Emi Suzuki
  • Communications
    Senior Director: Anna Bross
  • Senior Communications Manager: Sydney Simon
  • Foundation Relations
    Executive Director: Blake Truitt
  • Director of Strategy and Planning: Caroline Jarboe
  • Data & Growth
    Senior Director: Emilie Harkin
  • Director, Audience & Data: Harris Cullinan
  • Manager, Customer Insights: Sera Herold
  • Operations Coordinator: Carson Trobich
  • Customer Experience Associate: Anna Hoffman
  • Fellows: Laith Elkurd, Lora Kelly
  • Digital Products & Technology
    Executive Director, Digital Product & Technology: Betsy Cole
  • Director, Product and Planning: Clarissa Matthews
  • Senior Product Managers: Anika Gupta, Andrew McGill
  • Product Design Lead: Dwight Brinkerhoff
  • Product Designer: Chris Sullivan
  • Product Design Fellow: Thanh Do
  • Director, Product Engineering: Josh West
  • Lead Platform Developer: Frankie Dintino
  • Senior Platform Developers: Chris Davis, Jason Goldstein
  • Platform Developers: Obssa Bizuwork, Colin Fleming
  • Lead Front End Developer: Jeremy Green
  • Front End Developers: Kevin Mahoney, Joey Nichols, Rekha Tenjarla
  • Fellows: Meghan Babla, Ana Carano
  • Associate Director, Digital Analytics: Adam Felder
  • Analyst, Digital Content: Karen Simpson
  • Senior Counsel: Marisa M. Johnson
  • Atlantic Media, Inc.
    Michael Finnegan, President
    Emily Lenzner, SVP, Global Communications & External Relations
    Aretae Wyler, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel

Resources

The Atlantic (theatlantic.com)

  • Masthead [archive]
  • theatlantic.com/masthead/

In 2022, New York Times writers Megan Twohey and Christina Jewett co-wrote a scaremongering article on puberty blockers for gender diverse youth that culminated in a 2023 newsroom revolt against Times leadership.

The article promoted and popularized several anti-trans talking points about gender affirming care for minors, including “bone density” and “low quality evidence.”

The piece is part of a strategy by anti-trans hate groups like Genspect to get FUD propaganda (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) about gender affirming care into mainstream media. Focusing on uncommon side effects and unknown risks is a long-used pretense to restrict or ban similar healthcare like contraception and abortion, especially for minors.

Background

The story is about “emerging evidence of potential harm” and the “long-term physical effects and other consequences” of Lupron and other medications that can manage onset of puberty. Any drug carries a risk of side effects, which the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks via adverse event reports. FDA approved Lupron for central precocious puberty in 1993. It has since been used for trans and gender diverse youth experiencing unwanted puberty. Doctors have wide latitude to use approved drugs “off label,” including use to delay puberty for trans and gender diverse youth.

Several years earlier, Jewett began reporting on cisgender people who believe puberty blockers which they took as minors led to short- and long-term adverse side effects. Children whose puberty starts at 5 to 8 years old often face social problems, and those capable of pregnancy are at higher risk of sexual harassment and assault. Doctors work with parents to weigh the risks and benefits before getting informed consent. As with any medical treatment, some people will be harmed more than they were helped.

Headlines used for the story include:

  • They Paused Puberty, but Is There a Cost?
  • Puberty Blockers Can Help Transgender Youth. Is There a Cost?

Below are anti-trans talking points that were promoted and popularized via this article.

Bone density

Puberty involves a release of hormones that affect bone deposition throughout the body. Puberty blockers affect that process, so bone health is monitored in adolescent patients, usually with a baseline measurement before treatment followed by scheduled measurements.

One of the three young people profiled had to stop puberty blockade due to done density issues. While this is a well-known risk and uncommon side effect, it can usually be monitored and managed. Having to stop hormone blockade altogether due to bone density is rare.

Via USPATH/WPATH:

The anecdote provided of an adolescent who began, and then stopped pubertal suppression due to bone density loss lacks important details, including age and pubertal stage at initiation of puberty blockers, length of time on blockers, baseline bone density (“Z-score”), and whether the bone density comparison was made to identified gender or birth-assigned sex. Additional important information not provided includes calcium intake, and vitamin D intake and level, as well as level of physical activity, all of which play a substantial role in maintenance of bone mineral density.

“Low-quality evidence”

Jewett and Twohey also parrot the “low-quality evidence” claim put forth by anti-trans activists, based on a scale devised by Gordon Guyatt. Federal judge Sarah E. Geraghty rejected these claims in a 2023 Georgia case where anti-trans activists Paul Hruz, Michael Laidlaw, and James Cantor testified against Yale University professor of pediatrics Meredithe McNamara:

The undisputed record shows that clinical medical decision-making, including in pediatric or adolescent medicine, often is not guided by evidence that would qualify as “high quality” on the scales used by Defendants’ experts. 30 (Doc. 70-1, McNamara Decl. ¶¶ 23–28; Tr. 74:11–75:1 (McNamara Testimony); Tr. 133:614 (Hruz Testimony).) In fact, the record shows that less than 15 percent of medical treatments are supported by “high-quality evidence,” or in other words that 85 percent of evidence that guides clinical care, across all areas of medicine, would be classified as “low-quality” under the scale used by Defendants’ experts. (Doc. 70-1, McNamara Decl. ¶ 25; Tr. 74:11–75:1.) Defendants do not refute Dr. McNamara’s testimony on this point, and indeed they “concede” that “low-quality” evidence “can be considered.” 31

Geraghty (2023) [emphasis mine]

Geraghty also noted the obvious biases of Hruz, Laidlaw and Cantor:

Defendants’ experts’ insistence on a very high threshold of evidence in the context of claims about hormone therapy’s safety and benefits, and on the other hand their tolerance of a much lower threshold of evidence for claims about its risks, the likelihood of desistance and/or regret, and their notions about the ideological bias of a medical establishment that largely disagrees with them. That is cause for some concern about the weight to be assigned to their views, although the Court does not doubt that those they express are genuinely held.

(“Dr. [Paul] Hruz fended and parried questions and generally testified as a deeply biased advocate, not as an expert sharing relevant evidence-based information and opinions. I do not credit his testimony.”); Eknes-Tucker v. Marshall, 603 F. Supp. 3d 1131, 1142–43 (M.D. Ala. 2022) (explaining that the court gave Dr. James Cantor’s “testimony regarding the treatment of gender dysphoria in minors very little weight”); C. P. by & through Pritchard v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, No. 3:20-CV-06145-RJB, 2022 WL 17092846, at *4 (W.D. Wash. Nov. 21, 2022) (noting that it was a “close question” as to whether Dr. Michael Laidlaw was qualified to testify about the medical necessity of gender-affirming care because he has treated only two patients with gender dysphoria and has done no original research on gender identity).

Geraghty (2023)

Mentioned

  • Emma Basques (gender diverse youth), Emma’s doctor, and parents Cherise and Arick
  • Jacy Chavira  (gender diverse youth)
  • [unnamed] (gender diverse youth and parent)
  • Norman Spack, endocrinologist
  • Sundeep Khosla, bone researcher
  • Hilary Cass, pediatrician
  • Catherine Gordon
    • We were surprised to see reference to a subjective statement from Dr. Catherine Gordon, MD regarding “getting behind” on bone density, and we question whether this comment was taken out of context. Dr. Gordon is a long-standing advocate for trans youth care, and in her June 2022 single-author commentary published in Pediatrics, she stated that, “The duration of pubertal suppression with gonadotropin hormone releasing hormone agonists varies, but can extend up to 4 years for younger patients who are not able to provide consent until age 16 for receipt of gender-affirming therapy. Puberty blockers represent an invaluable intervention for these children and adolescents, to reduce anxiety and ‘buy time’ until final decisions can be made about gender assignment.” A subsequent commentary co-authored by Dr. Gordon and published in November 2022 in JAMA Open Access stated, “Concerns about skeletal losses become less significant in an adolescent with active suicidal ideations. Although the significance of the risks may be unclear, there is strong evidence regarding the benefits of GnRHa in transgender youth: it can be a life-changing and lifesaving treatment for a vulnerable population who is at high risk for anxiety, depression, and suicide.”
  • Peggy Cohen-Kettenis, psychologist
  • WPATH
  • Walter Meyer, pediatric endocrinologist and psychiatrist
  • Jenn Burleton
  • American Academy of Pediatrics and the international Endocrine Society, which in 2017 had described the limited research on the effects of the drugs on trans youth as “low-quality.” 
  • more than 50 doctors and academic experts around the world
  • Models: Dutch, US, UK, Sweden, Finland

Supporters

Critics

  • WPATH and USPATH
  • GLAAD
  • Melissa Gira Grant of New Republic
  • Erin Reed of Erin in the Morning
  • Kate Sosin of 19th News
  • Molly Redden of HuffPost
  • Trans author Jennifer Finney Boylan
  • Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder in Slate
  • Kaiyti Duffy in Teen Vogue
  • Erin Rook in LGBTQ Nation
  • AJ Eckert in Science Based Medicine
  • Trans journalist Dawn Ennis
  • Child psychiatrist Jack Turban

References

Twohey, Megan; Jewett, Christina (November 14, 2022). They Paused Puberty, but Is There a Cost? New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/14/health/puberty-blockers-transgender.html [archive]

WPATH / USPATH (November 22, 2022). USPATH and WPATH Respond to NY Times Article “They Paused Puberty, But Is There a Cost?” published on November 14, 2022. [PDF] https://www.wpath.org/media/cms/Documents/Public%20Policies/2022/USPATHWPATH%20Statement%20re%20Nov%2014%202022%20NYT%20Article%20Nov%2022%202022%20CORRECTION.pdf

GLAAD (February 14, 2023). 180+ journalists, New York Times contributors call out biased coverage of transgender people in joint letter as 100+ organizations and notables echo call, citing pattern of inaccurate, harmful trans coverage in the New York Times https://glaad.org/releases/new-york-times-contributors-call-out-biased-coverage-of-transgender-people-in-joint-letter/

2022 NYT story links

  • The Mental Health of Transgender Youth: Advances in Understanding Maureen D. Connolly, M.D.   • Marcus J. Zervos, M.D. • Charles J. Barone II, M.D. • Christine C. Johnson, Ph.D. • Christine L.M. Joseph, Ph.D. Published:August 18, 2016•DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.06.012•
  • Jody L. Herman Senior Scholar of Public Policy Andrew R. Flores Affiliated Scholar Kathryn K. O’Neill Policy Analyst How Many Adults and Youth Identify as Transgender in the United States? June 2022 https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/
  • Cass Review Interim report: Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People -https://cass.independent-review.uk/publications/interim-report/
  • Public consultation Interim service specification for specialist gender dysphoria services for children and young people 20 October 2022 -https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/specialised-commissioning/gender-dysphoria-services/supporting_documents/B1937iiInterimservicespecificationforspecialistgenderdysphoriaservicesforchildrenandyoungpeople22.pdf
  • Emily Bazelon https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/15/magazine/gender-therapy.html
  • Azeen Ghorayshi https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/04/health/florida-gender-care-minors-medical-board.html
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6647755/
  • Johanna Olson-Kennedy, MD,corresponding author1 Yee-Ming Chan, MD, PhD,2 Robert Garofalo, MPH, MD,3 Norman Spack, MD,2 Diane Chen, PhD,4 Leslie Clark, PhD,1 Diane Ehrensaft, PhD,5 Marco Hidalgo, PhD,1 Amy Tishelman, PhD,2 and Stephen Rosenthal, MD5 Impact of Early Medical Treatment for Transgender Youth: Protocol for the Longitudinal, Observational Trans Youth Care Study JMIR Res Protoc. 2019 Jul; 8(7): e14434. Monitoring Editor: Gunther Eysenbach; Reviewed by James Lykens and Adrienne Pichon. doi: 10.2196/14434
  • CHAD TERHUNE, ROBIN RESPAUT, and MICHELLE CONLIN (Oct. 6, 2022). https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-transyouth-care/
  • Dani Blum (July 18, 2022). -https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/18/well/live/endometriosis-symptoms-treatment.html
  • Putting numbers on the rise in children seeking gender care By ROBIN RESPAUT and CHAD TERHUNE Filed Oct. 6, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-transyouth-data/
  • GORDON, CATHERINE M Skeletal Health and Bone Marrow Composition Among Youth Project Number 5R01HD101421-03 Contact PI/Project Leader .Other PIs Awardee Organization BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL https://reporter.nih.gov/search/VccdwST9P0yW2AM-BR598g/project-details/10401768
  • Uppdrag granskning Mission: Investigate: Trans children -https://www.svtplay.se/video/33358590/uppdrag-granskning/mission-investigate-trans-children-avsnitt-1?info=visa
  • ,Stephen M. Rosenthal, M.D. statement-https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/rosenthal-in-alabama-court-case/f616e90a9b4bfe2d/full.pdf
  • Rick Rojas https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/14/us/alabama-transgender-law.html
  • Consensus Parameter: Research Methodologies to Evaluate Neurodevelopmental Effects of Pubertal Suppression in Transgender Youth Diane Chen, John F. Strang, Victoria D. Kolbuck, Stephen M. Rosenthal, Kim Wallen, Deborah P. Waber, Laurence Steinberg, Cheryl L. Sisk, Judith Ross, Tomas Paus, Sven C. Mueller, Margaret M. McCarthy, Paul E. Micevych, Carol L. Martin, Baudewijntje P.C. Kreukels, Lauren Kenworthy, … See all authors  Published Online:11 Dec 2020https://doi.org/10.1089/trgh.2020.0006
  • Consensus Parameter: Research Methodologies to Evaluate Neurodevelopmental Effects of Pubertal Suppression in Transgender Youth Diane Chen, John F. Strang, Victoria D. Kolbuck, Stephen M. Rosenthal, Kim Wallen, Deborah P. Waber, Laurence Steinberg, Cheryl L. Sisk, Judith Ross, Tomas Paus, Sven C. Mueller, Margaret M. McCarthy, Paul E. Micevych, Carol L. Martin, Baudewijntje P.C. Kreukels, Lauren Kenworthy, Megan M. Herting, Agneta Herlitz, Ira R.J. Hebold Haraldsen, Ronald Dahl, Eveline A. Crone, Gordon J. Chelune, Sarah M. Burke, Sheri A. Berenbaum, Adriene M. Beltz, Julie Bakker, Lise Eliot, Eric Vilain, Gregory L. Wallace, Eric E. Nelson, and Robert Garofalo-https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/trgh.2020.0006
  • http://admin.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2022/longer-treatment-with-puberty-delaying-medication-leads-to-lower-bone-mineral-density -https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9624627/
  • “Bone Mass in Young Adulthood Following Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analog Treatment and Cross-Sex Hormone Treatment in Adolescents With Gender Dysphoria,” Klink et. al, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2015
  • “Effect of Pubertal Suppression and Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy on Bone Turnover Markers and Bone Mineral Apparent Density (BMAD) in Transgender Adolescents,” Vlot et. al, Bone, 2017 
  • “The Effect of GnRH Analogue Treatment on Bone Mineral Density in Young Adolescents With Gender Dysphoria: Findings From a Large National Cohort,” Joseph et. al, Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2019
  • “Physical Changes, Laboratory Parameters and Bone Mineral Density During Testosterone Treatment in Adolescents With Gender Dysphoria,” Stoffers et. al, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2019
  • “Bone Development in Transgender Adolescents Treated With GnRH Analogues and Subsequent Gender-Affirming Hormones,” Schagen et. al, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2020
  • “Short-Term Outcomes of Pubertal Suppression in a Selected Cohort of 12- to 15-Year-Old Young People With Persistent Gender Dysphoria in the U.K.,” Carmichael et. al, PLOS One, 2021
  • “Pubertal Suppression, Bone Mass and Body Composition in Youth With Gender Dysphoria,” Navabi et. al, Pediatrics, 2021

The Daily Northwestern is the student media outlet for Northwestern University. The paper has covered many of the controversies involving psychology professor J. Michael Bailey.

The Man Who Would Be Queen (2003)

Beginning in 2003, they published several articles as controversy unfolded over publication The Man Who Would Be Queen by psychology professor J. Michael Bailey. Bailey was Chair of the department until shortly before he was secretly disciplined following an internal investigation into his research activities in November 2004.

3 March 2003: Faculty members show off talents at DM fund-raiser (by Sheila Burt)

Hansen said DM [Dance Marathon] hopes to have more faculty performers at future talent shows. For example, if students raise $3,000, [Lane] Fenrich and psychology Prof. Michael Bailey will dress in drag and sing a duet together during DM.

http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/02/19/403460e7973d3?in_archive=1

21 April 2003: Prof’s book challenges opinions of human sexuality (by Sarah Dreier and Kevin Anderson)

“I think the book is intentionally controversial,” Bailey said. “I write about things that matter and that people are uncomfortable with. The cover (as well as the book) is meant to be provocative.”

But Bailey said he thinks people in the second group of transsexuals are upset with his findings because they do not like being classified as autogynepheliacs.

“A lot of people think there is something weird about (being an autogynepheliac) and it is a narcissistic blow,” Bailey said. “I am very sympathetic to transsexuals. I like these people, except for the people who hate me — they scare me.”

Although the book has offended some members of the gay and transsexual communities, others have been more receptive. At Outwrite Books, an Atlanta-based bookstore and cafÎ catering to gays and lesbians, Bailey said he was well received by an audience of mostly gay men.

http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/04/21/3ea39785e6cef?in_archive=1

2 May 2003: U. of Kansas might lose funding for sexuality class (by Michael Griffin)

“Some people are really hostile about sexual liberty and want to make people stop exploring, almost control people’s sexuality,” Bailey said.

http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/04/21/3ea39785e6cef?in_archive=1

10 July 2003: Sexuality research funding draws critics (by Jennifer Leopoldt)

A Northwestern Ph.D. candidate will present results of sexual arousal research she conducted with NU Prof. J. Michael Bailey — which has drawn criticism from the Republican wing of Congress — when she speaks at a federally-funded sexuality conference next week.

A $147,000 National Institutes of Health grant funded the research, which studied the effect of pornography on females to determine whether sexual arousal is as category specific for women as it is for men.

The arousal study showed that while watching pornography men had a one-sided arousal pattern — straight men were aroused by clips with women, gay men by those with men. But females in the study, straight or gay, were aroused by both male and female sex acts. The results could be published in “Psychological Science” by 2004, Chivers said.

17 July 2003: Subjects question NU prof’s research (by Jennifer Leopoldt)

Two transsexual woman featured in Northwestern psychology Prof. J. Michael Bailey’s latest book about sexuality have filed complaints with NU, alleging that Bailey did not ask for their consent before using their stories.

Anjelica Kieltyka, who is mentioned in Bailey’s “The Man Who Would Be Queen” under the pseudonym “Cher,” sent a complaint to NU’s Vice President for Research C. Bradley Moore on July 3 asking for a formal investigation of Bailey’s research methods. Another woman featured in the book filed a claim July 14 supporting Kieltyka’s letter, but an addendum to the claim keeps her name confidential.

Bailey refused to comment, calling the matter “very stressful and private.”

24 July 2003: Third complaint filed against sex research (by Jennifer Leopoldt)

Another transsexual woman who met Northwestern Prof. J. Michael Bailey while receiving a clearance letter for sex change surgery has filed a formal complaint with NU, saying Bailey used information from an interview with her without telling her she was a research subject.

But Bailey said he stands by his book.

“I didn’t write the book so groups would like or dislike me,” he said. “I wrote it so people could learn about stuff.”

Bailey said he knew his work would be controversial and assumed some people might speak against his beliefs.

“I was not totally surprised at the reaction,” Bailey said. “I was surprised at the degree of hostility and how relentless they’ve been.”

31 July 2003: Transsexuals file 2 more claims against Bailey (by Jennifer Leopoldt)

Complaints filed with NU’s Office of Research now total five — one from a transsexual advocate who brought women to Bailey for letters recommending sex-reassignment surgery, three from anonymous women who received those letters and a joint claim from two transsexual professors in support of the complaints.

Bailey, however, said he has never claimed that transsexual women actually are men.

“I experience them as women as long as that’s how they’re living,” he said July 22.

Another argument of some claimants is that Bailey left out stories that did not match the book’s theory of two types of transsexuals. In the latest anonymous complaint, filed July 30, the woman says of herself and another claimant, “Our two ‘data points’ compromised his results, we did not fit into his scheme and were left out.”

Bailey said he stands by his book’s accuracy and will not be deterred by opposition.

“I’m concerned with science and truth and not the feelings of groups,” Bailey said.

18 November 2003: NU panel to investigate prof’s research tactics (by Sheila Burt and Laurel Jorgensen)

In a letter to Kieltyka obtained Monday by The Daily, C. Bradley Moore, vice president of research at NU, wrote that the investigating committee and Daniel Linzer, dean of the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, “recommend proceeding with a full investigation of the allegation that Professor Bailey did not obtain the informed consent of research subjects.”

Bailey questioned the basis of the women’s allegations in an e-mail to The Daily on Monday.

“The entire issue in dispute is whether what I did was a ‘study’ and whether the transsexual women I talked to were ‘subjects,'” Bailey wrote.

6 January 2004: Bailey accused of having sex with research subejct (by Sheila Burt)

A sexual misconduct complaint against psychology Prof. J. Michael Bailey alleges he had sex with one of the transsexual woman featured in his most recent book, according to confidential records received by The Daily on Monday from transsexual advocates.

University officials would not confirm the complaint, and Bailey declined to comment on the allegations.

9 January 2004: Letter: Bailey’s research doesn’t help already-suffering community (by Rusty Mae Moore ’63 )

13 January 2004: Column: Attack on Prof. Bailey puts free speech at risk (by Nadir Hassan)

Bailey — who has been accused of not obtaining permission from research subjects and engaging in sexual relations with one of his subjects — has been drawn into a battle over his work and reputation by transgender activists.

But regardless of the outcome, academic freedom is under fire here and precious few have noticed it. Most people are concerned with the allegations against Bailey, but they have ignored the threat these activists are posing to free speech.

Ironically Bailey, who says a “climate of fear and intimidation” has been created by his detractors, has done a lot to bring transgender people into the mainstream. His critics would be better served to offer constructive critiques of his book rather than to try to shut him up.

19 January 2004: Letter: Bailey enjoys his free speech but relies on flawed research (by Jed Bland)

In Nadir Hassan’s Tuesday column, he writes of the threat to free speech. But freedom carries a responsibility, and psychology Prof. Michael Bailey — writing as a professor and claiming his book is about science — has a responsibility to do it properly.

Constructive critiques of his book have also appeared. Many point out that his biological essentialism only tells part of the story. Others point out that he has taken a small subset of the transsexual population and generalized it to the whole.

My problem is that, even within his self-admitted reductionist framework, his theory is fundamentally flawed.

9 February 2004: University examining Bailey’s sex research (by Katie Walton)

In a shift of rhetoric from the university, a top official now has said psychology Prof. Michael Bailey is being investigated by a committee in connection with allegations of research misconduct.University Provost Lawrence Dumas told The Daily late last week that a committee is looking into whether or not Bailey “followed the procedures of this university” and whether those procedures applied to Bailey’s work.

Despite the accusations Bailey has continued teaching. “I have done nothing wrong,” he wrote in an e-mail to The Daily.

Researchers studying humans are required to obtain a statement of informed consent before submitting their project. Some projects might not require this statement, but researchers must file a request for exemption. Sherman said varying interpretations of the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects — the law regulating human subject research — add to questions surrounding approval.

The law defines research as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” Some question whether Bailey’s book fits this definition.

But Mark Sheldon, assistant dean of Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and a philosophy and medical ethics professor, said subject rights should be vital to the research process.

“Legislation is about protecting research subjects, not about protecting research,” he said.

19 February 2004: Office in place to investigate research-rule violations (by Sheila Burt)

Tim Fournier, Northwestern’s new associate vice president for research integrity, began his position this week on Northwestern’s Chicago Campus. Fournier heads a new office that will look into compliance issues following problems NU had with the federal government and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In a different type of integrity issue, the university is also investigating psychology Prof. Michael Bailey’s research methods. Bailey is accused of research misconduct after transsexuals in his most recent book said he failed to receive their informed consent. Bailey said he did nothing wrong.

Fournier said he does not yet know the specific role he will play in these investigations.

25 February 2004: Profs Morson, Bailey discuss existence of human soul (by Sarah Sheridan)

Bailey, psychology department chairman, cited scientific findings to support his position that free will does not exist because human choices are constrained by the evolution of genes and by the environments humans experience.

However, Bailey said quantum mechanics could offer the only plausible explanation against his position.

8 April 2004: Psych prof scrutinized (by Ilene Rosenblum and Sheila Burt)

Two formal complaints filed against Northwestern psychology Prof. J. Michael Bailey allege he practiced as a clinical psychologist without a license and published confidential information about transsexual women he interviewed without their permission, according to documents obtained by The Daily this week.

The book follows sex researcher Ray Blanchard’s theory that transsexuals are either homosexuals or autogynephilics — men who are aroused by the idea of themselves as women.

But the book’s content does not matter in this case, said Deirdre McCloskey, a University of Illinois at Chicago professor of economics, history, English and communication who also filed a complaint.

“There’s a lot of books I don’t like, but I wouldn’t be writing a letter to (NU’s) provost about that,” she said.

24 May 2004 Editorial: Cheating spike merits attention

Many NU students cheated before they came here, and many will cheat after they leave. Academic and professional dishonesty is a part of life, especially in the 21st century. But that doesn’t mean it comes without consequences — just look to the New York Times’ Jayson Blair or even the accusations against our own psychology Prof. J. Michael Bailey.

19 January 2005 With Bailey, it’s all about sex … lies? (by Jerome Curran Pandell)

The Culture War has come crashing onto campus — and psychology Prof. J. Michael Bailey’s research is fueling the fire.

A Northwestern committee recently finished an inquiry into claims that Bailey violated federal rules for human research subjects while interviewing transsexuals for his book, “The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism.” Officials are tightlipped about the investigation’s outcome. Did Bailey do anything wrong? Why do some transsexual activists hate his book?

“They hated the content of the book,” Bailey said. “That is the real reason all this happened.”

31 January 2005: Embrace it: Provocative views vital (by Henry M. Bowles III)

In agreeing to investigate these allegations about classroom bias or unethical research, university administrations have been either naive or eager to avoid bad press. As the kerfuffle over psychology Prof. J. Michael Bailey proves, most of these charges are red herrings for hatred of particular ideas.

3 February 2005: Editorial: Intellectual life under assault

The fracas over Bailey’s book, which examines transsexual life, has been raging for more than a year, yet it remains unresolved. At first, critics accused Bailey of violating federal research rules by revealing his subjects’ identities without their consent (Bailey contends he never was conducting hard-and-fast scientific research). Now, Bailey must contend with the appalling development that eugenicists have used his book and his other research to declare homosexuality a contagious disease and a source of social decay.

Many of these eugenicists have misused science — or simply invented it — to argue, for example, that Al Gore lost the 2000 election because of a “prim” lisp that alienated voters. Yet often what goes unmentioned is that Bailey has called eugenics completely false and even wrote in a 2001 article that homosexuality “is entirely acceptable morally.”

23 September 2005: Grad student’s study sparks criticism from bisexuals (by Allison Bond)

The study, published last month in the journal Psychological Science, included 101 men. Psychology doctoral student Gerulf Rieger, who led the study under the supervision of psychology Prof. J. Michael Bailey, said the results corroborate the theory that men are either gay or straight — not bisexual.

“There’s a lot of skepticism about the existence of truly bisexual men, and our study, I think, supports that skepticism,” Bailey said. “I have no agenda to question bisexual people. It’s just what our data said.”

Bailey said he wants to conduct follow-up experiments that focus on the psychological, rather than the physical, elements of attraction.

“I’m happy to have the study repeated, and we will probably try to do some modified method of the study,” Bailey said. “We’re trying to now measure sexual arousal in the brain, so we’ll probably do a similar study on the brains of bisexual men someday.”

Frontiers is an American media organization in business from 1981 to 2016.

The Man Who Would Be Queen (2003)

A reviewer for the Southern California LGBT magazine Frontiers reviewed the 2003 book The Man Who Would Be Queen:

All of Bailey’s musings are interesting and provocative, and his evidence is often powerful… Bailey has written a book worth reading. …it will have its readers, both pro and con, thinking and talking…

– Frontiers, March 14, 2003 frontiersnewsmagazine.com

The review was cited by the book’s publisher in promotional materials.

Resources

Frontiers (frontiersnewsmagazine.com) [archive}

Kirkus Reviews is an American media organization.

The Man Who Would Be Queen (2003)

Joseph Henry Press cited their review in promotions for the transphobic book The Man Who Would Be Queen:

“…fascinating revelations… In a personable and straightforward manner, [Bailey] describes his research techniques and reproduces the questionnaires given to his subjects. … Despite its provocative title, a scientific yet superbly compassionate exposition.” — KIRKUS REVIEWS, January 2003

Stephen Mautner also cited it in his open letter:

“Kirkus Reviews called the book ‘a scientific yet superbly compassionate exposition’ (January 2003).”

Below is the full text with excerpts from above in blue.

January 15, 2003
SECTION: NONFICTION
LENGTH: 355 words
ISBN NUMBER: 0-309-08418-0
AUTHOR: Bailey, J. Michael
TITLE: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE QUEEN: The Psychology of Gender-Bending and 
Transsexualism
PUBLISHER: Joseph Henry Press (256 pp.) $24.95 Mar. 25, 2003
REVIEW:

A researcher into the genetics of homosexuality presents fascinating revelations about feminine boys, gay men, and transsexuals, combining the most recent scholarship on sexual behaviors and preferences with up-close and personal profiles. Bailey (Psychology/Northwestern Univ.) makes some controversial findings in his exploration of stereotypes about femininity and homosexuality. Among the traits he has studied are speech and body language, interest in casual sex, and the importance placed on youth and physical attractiveness in a partner. In a personable and straightforward manner, he describes his research techniques and reproduces the questionnaires given to his subjects. He concludes that gay men have a mixture of male-typical and female-typical characteristics, suggesting that the reason may very well be that their brains are mosaics of male and female parts. Feminine boys, he further asserts, usually do grow up to become gay men, and a small minority of them even become transsexuals. The first section opens with a sympathetic profile of a boy whose mother came to Bailey with questions about raising her very feminine son that lead smoothly into a discussion of the research that has been done on such boys. Next, Bailey focuses on the scientific research on gay men; cross-cultural studies and accounts of homosexual practices in ancient Greece and renaissance Florence are particularly eye-opening. As yet unanswered, Bailey notes, are questions about the existence of homosexual genes and the reason for the persistence of homosexuality in human evolution. Finally, the author explores transsexualism, defined simply as “the desire to become a member of the opposite sex.” Nonjudgmental profiles illustrate what Bailey distinguishes as the two basic types of male transsexuals: extremely feminine gay men, and autogynephiles, “men erotically obsessed with the image of themselves as a woman.” The concluding chapter details the process and costs of medical transitioning from male to female. Despite its provocative title, a scientific yet superbly compassionate exposition. 

Author tour
LOAD-DATE: January 15, 2003

Resources

Kirkus Reviews (kirkusreviews.com)