Frieda Klotz is an Irish-American writer and anti-transgender activist. Klotz launders anti-trans extremism about gender diverse youth into mainstream media outlets. Klotz has been cited by American anti-trans organizations supporting legislation harming our children.
Background
Frieda Marie Klotz was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1977 to Margaret Klotz and Frederick S. “Fred” Klotz, an American mathematician who died when Frieda was a child in an April 1988 Dublin cycle accident.
Klotz studied ancient Greek, earning a bachelor’s degree from Fred Klotz’s former employer Trinity College, Dublin, in 2000. Klotz then continued at University of Oxford, earning a master’s degree in 2001 and a doctorate in 2005. From 2005 to 2007 Klotz taught at King’s College London.
In 2007 Klotz began a long string of reviewing, editing, writing, fact-checking, and researching roles for Daily Telegraph, Euromoney, New York Times Syndicate, Irishcentral, journalism professor Susie Linfield, Salon, and New York Times Digital.
In 2011 Klotz co-edited The Philosopher’s Banquet with Katerina Oikonomopoulou. Klotz was then a contributor for The Chronicle Review, Forbes, Shimon Dotan at Roam Films, Irish Times, Prospect, The Guardian, Irish Echo, Irish Voice, the Irish Times, The Economist, MIT Sloan Management Review, Ireland’s Sunday Independent, and Diplomacy Dojo. Klotz has also written several white papers for the British government and the New York Times Company.
Klotz began attacking healthcare for transgender children while based in Brussels.
2022 Undark article
In 2022, Klotz began writing the first of many versions of the same article about gender diverse youth. These “cisgender person under siege” articles typically center a cisgender person as a hero facing assaults from “both sides.” For Klotz, the cis hero is Annelou de Vries and colleagues, and the two sides are:
- Right-wing politicians, religious conservatives, and some health care associations are calling for medical treatment of teens to be banned or avoided if at all possible
- Some activists and physicians say the protocol is too slow.
Klotz’s false equivalence between executing eliminationist policies and removing barriers to care is a hallmark of what biologist Julia Serano calls trans-suspicious reporting.
Klotz continues The Atlantic’s shameful leading role in “just asking questions.” This cognitive bias is called a framing effect. Here are Klotz’s questions:
But pediatric transgender medicine is a new field with a lot of questions yet to be answered by science. What is the long-term impact of blocking puberty on a young person’s health? Can practitioners correctly determine which youngsters will still identify as trans when they are adults? Do the psychological assessments contribute to children’s suffering by delaying access to puberty blockers and hormones? Why has the number of teens coming forward to receive transgender medical care, particularly those assigned female at birth, risen so dramatically in recent years?
Klotz then rattles off the litany of risks and complications recited by conservatives:
- “desistance”
- bone loss
- brain development
- genital atrophy (with an assumption of vaginoplasty)
- medical consent
- reproductive viability
For the “right-wing politicians, religious conservatives, and some health care associations” engaged in an assault on trans rights and autonomy we have a couple of sentences about:
- The Heritage Foundation
- Family Policy Alliance
All the usual suspects advocating “careful therapeutic assessments” and banning informed consent before age 26 are presented as the centrist position:
For the “some activists and physicians” side, we have:
- Diane Ehrensaft
- Diane Chen
- VU Gender (Mis)Treatment
- Jack Turban
- Aidan Key
- Florence Ashley
2023 Atlantic article
Klotz wrote the same article for The Atlantic the following year, but with Finland and Norway added as countries with concerns. This article tries to shore up an alleged clinical distinction between young children and “adolescent-onset gender dysphoria,” a euphemism for the fake disease “rapid-onset gender dysphoria.”
New clinicians
New journalists
- Jan Kuitenbrouwer
- Peter Vasterman
- Kaya Bouma
- Ellen de Visser
New activists and politicians
- Michiel Verkoulen
- Sam van den Berg
Response by Marieke Kuypers
A group of journalists have been hitting the same talking points as their English-speaking counterparts. As trans journalists and researchers work to stay on top of the flood of anti-transgender propaganda being being laundered into “centrist” publications, journalist Marieke Kuypers has given a first-blush overview of the Dutch political situation. Kuypers’ Twitter thread is below. More on this soon.
- A quick thread for any English speakers about something I’ve been afraid of ever since the publication of a Dutch article about the Dutch Approach that was heavily biased. It’s been used as more evidence of this “increasing” concern in an Atlantic piece
- Because I’ve been looking into anti-trans targeting of The Dutch Approach, I recognize the author. Frieda Klotz’s article on the same topic from last year was published on GLP, which is a Monsanto front – the article https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2022/06/27/transitioning-transgender-teenagers-are-not-new-this-dutch-clinic-has-been-doing-it-for-decades/……- GLP: https://sourcewatch.org/index.php/Genetic_Literacy_Project
- The same article by Klotz on Undark, a website tied to GLP: https://undark.org/2022/04/06/the-evolution-of-pediatric-transgender-medicine/……About the link between Undark and GLP:
- Kuitenbrouwer and Vasterman are not qualified to judge gender care. One is a media sociologist, the other a columnist. Kuitenbrouwer is rabidly transphobic, calling the “trans-movement bloodthirsty”. They were also on a Genspect sponsored podcast
- For some of Kuitenbrouwer’s massively transphobic work, check out these articles:
- Vasterman shared the Undark article by the same author as the Atlantic piece, Frieda Klotz in april last year
- Uitstekend gedocumenteerd overzichtsverhaal over de oorsprong van the Dutch approach, wereldwijd overgenomen maar nu onder vuur: “A Dutch clinic pioneered transgender medical care for kids, shaping decades of research amid criticism from all sides.” https://undark.org/2022/04/06/the-evolution-of-pediatric-transgender-medicine/
- To make the connection even more complete, Kuitenbrouwer apparently knew about the Volkskrant article before it was published, according to this tweet in which he says there’s an article coming about the Dutch approach. Did he influence the article? https://twitter.com/kuitenbrouwer/status/1627664286280519682?s=20
- I also spoke to someone who was interviewed for the article and retracted their story once they read the article. The told me and I have evidence that the authors spoke to anti-trans activist Michael Biggs. How much influence did he have?
- The influence of anti-trans groups does seem obvious, they even link to one in the Volkskrant article referencing SEGM as a “group of 120 doctors”. It does not have 120 members who are doctors, but about a dozen, amongst them Michael Biggs
- “SEGM is an ideological organization without apparent ties to mainstream scientific organizations. Its 14 core members are a small group of repeat players in anti-trans activities – a fact that the SEGM website does not disclose” Volkskrant ook niet
- The Volkskrant also talks to dr. Kaltiala who spread the debunked social contagion (ROGD) story and was a witness in Florida, and is linked to SEGM as well https://genderanalysis.net/entity/riittakerttu-kaltiala-heino/
- Furthermore, the detransitioner in the story matches (same process, ages of treatment, same very specific story about a back surgery and the account proudly retweeted the article) the Twitter account of someone who was invited by anti-trans group Genspect to a detrans house
- I’m rushing the analysis I was already writing about the Volkskrant article and how it was influenced by anti-trans groups and will try to publish a translated version as soon as possible and add it to this thread once it’s finished.
- Want to know what dr. De Vries thinks? Here are her own words in the book about the Dutch Approach by Alex Bakker:
- This is a critical response to the article by the Dutch Transgender Network. They link to a pdf with extensive references, you can throw that in Google translate as well using the documents tab …https://www-transgendernetwerk-nl.translate.goog/belangenorganisaties-trekken-aan-de-bel-over-onzorgvuldige-journalistiek/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=nl&_x_tr_pto=wapp
- Oh look Kuitenbrouwer seems to admit he “crossed paths” with the Dutch journalists. (I wasn’t sacked by the way, shows how reliable this guy’s info is)
- Ahw I think he doesn’t like me so he blocked me. Here’s a screenshot
- So apart from Vasterman &Kuitenbrouwer being unqualified & transphobic, Frieda Klotz fails to mention that contrary to the moral panic about the increase in “girls” (trans boys) in the most recent Dutch research (2022) the ratio has actually reversed to more trans women
- You can find this recent research (in Dutch) here. Another interesting finding in light of the moral panic: years long waiting lists are causing mental distress (mostly in the form of depressive or suicidal feelings) for 70% of the group that was surveyed https://zorgvuldigadvies.nl/wp-content/upl
Klotz’s anti-trans writings
Klotz, Frieda (April 6, 2022). The fractious evolution of pediatric transgender medicine. Undark https://undark.org/2022/04/06/the-evolution-of-pediatric-transgender-medicine/
Klotz, Frieda (June 27, 2022). Transitioning transgender teenagers are not new. This Dutch clinic has been helping them for decades. Genetic Literacy Project https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2022/06/27/transitioning-transgender-teenagers-are-not-new-this-dutch-clinic-has-been-doing-it-for-decades/
Klotz, Frieda (March 24, 2023). Book review: Behind the demise of the Tavistock Gender Clinic. Undark https://undark.org/2023/03/24/book-review-time-to-think/
Klotz, Frieda (April 28, 2023). A teen gender-care debate is spreading across Europe. The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2023/04/gender-affirming-care-debate-europe-dutch-protocol/673890/
References
Transgender Netwerk Nederland (March 10, 2023). Belangenorganisaties Trekken Aan De Bel Over Onzorgvuldige Journalistiek [Interest groups are sounding the alarm about careless journalism] https://www.transgendernetwerk.nl/belangenorganisaties-trekken-aan-de-bel-over-onzorgvuldige-journalistiek/
Irish Mathematical Society Bulletin 21 (December 1988), p. 6.
Resources
Frieda Klotz (friedaklotz.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Genetic Literacy Project (geneticliteracyproject.org)
WordPress (wordpress.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Muck Rack (muckrack.com)
Joseph Ladapo is a Nigerian-American physician who was a key figure in banning trans youth healthcare in Florida.
Background
Joseph Abiodun Ladapo was born on December 16, 1978 in Nigeria. At age 5, Ladapo and family moved to the Uniter States.
Ladapo earned a bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University in 2000, then attended Harvard, earning a medical degree and a doctorate. After working in New York City, Ladapo was appointed a tenured professor at UCLA.
During the COVID pandemic, Ladapo became known among convervatives for views on vaccines and other protocols. In 2021, Ladapo was appointed Surgeon General of Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Anti-transgender activism
Ladapo has carried out anti-trans policies promoted by DeSantis, most notably SB 254, a law prohibiting gender-affirming medical treatment for minors and restricting access to care for trans adults.
Transgender Floridians brought Doe v. Ladapo to challenge this law.
Via Zinnia Jones:
We now know that the state was covertly assisted in this effort by the leadership of the anti-trans group Genspect, Child & Parental Rights Campaign lawyer Vernadette Broyles, and Riittakerttu Kaltiala of Finland’s Tampere University youth gender clinic; Hilary Cass of NHS England’s Cass Review also privately expressed an interest in the sham report against gender-affirming care commissioned by Florida’s AHCA. Several individuals worked behind the scenes with Patrick Hunter, a leading member of the anti-trans Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine (SEGM). After being appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Board of Medicine, Hunter arranged for extensive anti-trans testimony from SEGM associates to be submitted to the Boards of Medicine and Osteopathy.
Jones (2023)
Ladapo has also appeared on a number of anti-trans platforms, including Tim Pool, Megyn Kelly, Glenn Beck, Epoch Times, Newsmax, Dennis Prager, Charlie Kirk, and Debra Soh.
References
Doe v. Ladapo (4:23-cv-00114) District Court, N.D. Florida https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67082532/doe-v-ladapo/
Jones, Zinnia (November 29, 2023). New trial exhibits in Doe v. Ladapo: DOH worked with Genspect leaders Stella O’Malley and Joe Burgo in July 2022; Hilary Cass met SEGM’s Patrick Hunter to discuss Florida’s anti-trans report; Jamie Reed’s attorney Vernadette Broyles chose the lineup of detransitioners speaking at the Board of Medicine. Gender Analysis https://genderanalysis.net/2023/11/new-trial-exhibits-in-doe-v-ladapo-doh-worked-with-genspect-leaders-stella-omalley-and-joe-burgo-in-july-2022-hilary-cass-met-segms-patrick-hunter-to-discuss-floridas-ant/
Migdon, Brooke (April 20, 2022). Florida health dept. says gender-affirming care should not be provided to minors. The Hill https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3274150-florida-health-dept-says-gender-affirming-care-should-not-be-provided-to-minors/
Riley, John (December 27, 2023). DeSantis Spread Misinformation to Limit Trans Health Care, Judge Says. MetroWeekly https://www.metroweekly.com/2023/12/desantis-spread-misinformation-to-limit-trans-health-care-judge-says/
Izaguirre, Anthony (June 3, 2022). Transgender youth treatment under fire in Florida again. AP https://apnews.com/article/health-florida-cultures-medicaid-government-and-politics-68065d8560f7cb68ea4fd8e57e848295
Caputo, Marc (June 2, 2022). DeSantis moves to ban transition care for transgender youths, Medicaid recipients. NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/desantis-moves-ban-transition-care-transgender-youth-medicaid-recipien-rcna31736
Alfonseca, Kiara (March 23, 2023). Florida parents file lawsuit against state transgender youth care ban. ABC News https://abcnews.go.com/US/florida-parents-file-lawsuit-state-transgender-youth-care/story?id=98086864
Duncan T. Osborne (born May 6, 1957) is an American journalist who writes extensively on LGBT issues, especially AIDS. In March 2003, he wrote a positive review of J. Michael Bailey‘s anti-transgender book The Man Who Would Be Queen for Out magazine, later cited in promotional materials from the publisher.
Background
Osborne grew up in the Boston area. His father taught physics at MIT, and his mother eventually was editor at MIT Press. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in theater from University of Colorado, then moved to New York in 1984. He began writing in 1987.
In his review, Mr. Osborne noted that Bailey “focuses exclusively on men, and he covers a broad spectrum—gay men, male-to-female transsexuals, and men who identify as neither gay nor transgender but engage in behaviors that are typically associated with those who do.”
Bailey’s publisher Joseph Henry Press used an excerpt of this review in its publicity and advertisements. Below is the Out magazine review as it appeared on the Joseph Henry Press site:
“…recommended reading for anyone interested in the study of gender identity and sexual orientation. … Bailey has produced a thoughtful book that cites recent scientific studies on homosexuality and transsexuality. It is written, however, in a style that makes it easily accessible to any reader.”
— Out Magazine, March 2003
I contacted Osborne at the time, and he sent the following reply on 20 August 2003:
I was hired by Out to write the review because I have written a number of stories, including one for Out, on gender identity disorder as well as reparative therapy. The quote you cited above is nearly the entire review. It was roughly one hundred words long and I was required to make a recommendation for or against the book with little opportunity to explore it in any depth. I chose to recommend it because I believed, and I still believe, that it is a good primer on the topics of sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity.
My only contact with Michael Bailey, if it may be called that, was a failed effort to interview him in 1997 for a story on gender identity disorder that I wrote for a gay paper here in New York City. He never returned my phone call.
Hope this is helpful.
When I asked him if I could quote from the letter above, Osborne agreed under the following conditions:
I expect that you will use everything I wrote and it is particularly important that you note that I would still recommend the book. I would not want to read a quote that makes it seem as if I’m backing away from my original recommendation.
2008 update
In the wake of the 2008 announcement naming Ken Zucker and Ray Blanchard to the DSM-V group involved in “gender identity disorder,” Osborne wrote a piece about the early response:
Flap Flares Over Gender Diagnosis
In interviews with the gay press dating back to 1997, Zucker distanced himself from the practitioners of reparative therapy and he has won praise from some gay psychologists and psychiatrists.
He believes, but cannot prove that his therapy with young children can prevent their being transsexual as adults.
Psychiatrist Richard R. Pleak responded in next issue of Out.
References
Osborne D (April 2003). Voices – Identity Crisis. Out magazine
Osborne D (May 15, 2008). Flap Flares Over Gender Diagnosis. Gay City News. http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19693908&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6
Schulman, Sarah (May 5, 2015). Interview of Duncan Osborne. ACT UP Oral History Project. http://www.actuporalhistory.org/interviews/images/osborne.pdf
Resources
Twitter: @dosborne71
Muck Rack: duncan-osborne
Lambda Literary is an American nonprofit that “nurtures and advocates for LGBTQ writers, elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve our legacies, and affirm the value of our stories and our lives.”
Over the years they have supported many trans and gender diverse writers through several programs:
- Lambda Literary Awards
- Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices
- Lambda Literary Review
- LGBTQ Writers in School Program
- Lambda LitFest
Background
Lambda Rising was an LGBT bookstore that operated from 1974 to 2010 in Washington, D.C. In 1987, founder L. Page “Deacon” Maccubbin published the first Lambda Book Report, highlighting notable LGBTQ books. In 1989, Maccubbin announced the first annual Lambda Literary Awards, later nicknamed The Lammys. In 1997, Lambda Literary Foundation was incorporated as a nonprofit organization, and Jim Marks was named as first Executive Director.
The Lambda Literary Awards have been involved in significant controversies around transgender issues, most notably their nominations and subsequent withdrawals of two transphobic books:
The Man Who Would Be Queen (2004)
A 2003 Lambda Literary event in Provincetown listed J. Michael Bailey as a scheduled participant:
THE INFLUENCE OF TRANSGENDER WRITING ON LESBIAN AND GAY LITERATURE
Gail Leondar Wright, Moderator; Toni Amato, J. Michael Bailey, Kate Bornstein, Leslie Feinberg, Gordene McKenzie, Nancy Nangeroni, Riki Wilchins
I contacted Gail Leondar-Wright, who stated this was cleared up and Bailey was disinvited.
The following year, Bailey’s book was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award on February 2, 2004 in the transgender/genderqueer category (LLF 2004a). Executive Director Jim Marks defended the decision for several weeks (Nangeroni 2004a), until LLF judges took the unprecedented step of withdrawing the nomination on 12 March (Seely 2004). Marks said of the decision: “The specific issue was whether the book was transphobic. The judges looked at the book more closely and decided it was.” (Letellier 2004a)
In 2005, LLF accepted Marks’ resignation in June (Smith 2005) and closed their website in September, removing all materials about the controversy in the process (LLF 2005a). LLF eventually opened a new site at a new web address that made no mention of the matter (LLF 2005b).
Key dates
- February 2: Nomination announcement and immediate criticism (Grubb 2004)
- February 9: Marks defends the decision on GenderTalk. (Nangeroni 2004a)
- February 13: Marks announces that LLF is revisiting the nomination.
- February 24: LLF announced the committee would keep it on their list: “Bailey has not set out to intentionally do harm to gay men and transsexuals.” (Marks 2004b)
- February 29: A protest petition passed 1,000 signatures in its first few days, ending at over 1,400. (Burns 2004).
- March 12: Selection committee withdrew nomination (see full text below).
Revocation announcement
Below is an announcement that we are posting on our web site today. I would like to thank everyone for their comments and e-mails. We welcome additional comments or discussion, although our limited staff and resources preclude answering everyone personally.
Jim
March 12, 2004.
The Lambda Literary Foundation announced that “The Man Who Would Be Queen” has been removed as a 16th Annual Lambda Literary Award finalist.
The change was prompted by a request from the panel of judges that is reading all the finalists in the transgender category, which said the book was not appropriate for the category. The Foundation does not identify the judges to the public or each other until the Awards banquet, which this year will be held June 3, in Chicago, IL. Upon receiving the request, executive director Jim Marks went back to the Finalist Committee, which had selected the book originally. A majority of the committee agreed to honor the request.
Because the action was unprecedented, it provoked heated discussion within the Finalist Committee. Finalist Committee member Kris Kleindienst said, “Removing the book from the list is not censorship. The book is widely available, has been widely reviewed and is not about to be denied to the public. What we are doing is behaving in a responsible manner to make sure the list of finalists is compatible with the Foundation’s mission. Having looked at the book closely, I am sure it is not.” Several committee members echoed Kleindienst’s views.
Finalist Committee member Victoria Brownworth, along with several others, disagreed on the censorship issue. “Banning a book and censoring a book are two different things. While I hate to be the titular voice of the ACLU here, especially since I personally disagree with many aspects of Bailey’s book, if we take the book off the list we are indeed censoring it. It doesn’t matter what our reasons are.”
“This has been a difficult and humbling experience for the Foundation,” said Executive Director Jim Marks. “We’ve never before had a case in which a book, whose author and publisher both affirm their support for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual rights, has at the same time been opposed by those who say its content in fact is antithetical to those rights.”
“Throughout the controversy that has raged over the book’s selection as a finalist, we have struggled to maintain the integrity of the process.” Marks said. “Since the impetus for the change came from the within the category’s judges, and was reviewed and voted on by the Finalist Committee, we feel that the decision is consistent with our process.”
The recipients of the 16th Lambda Literary Awards will be announced at a gala banquet to be held June 3, 2004 at the Chicago Mart Plaza Hotel.
Tickets are $125 for the dinner, $175 for the dinner and gala reception, with discounts for tickets purchased before March 31, 2004.
For more information or to order online, go to www.lambdalit.org or call 202-682-0952. (LLF 2004c)
People involved
The key official and the 2003 selection committee are listed below. Many were not involved in the selection process. (MacCubbin 2004) Jim Marks said The Man Who Would Be Queen “was added to the list by a member of the finalist committee and after the finalist committee had selected it, we went back to the publisher, who paid the nominating fee.” (Marks 2006)
Jane Troxell later responded that “Robert Starner, my co-worker, and I did not vote for Bailey and we even suggested Mariette Pathy Allen’s book instead.” However, Troxell voted not to rescind the nomination, thinking that “would be even worse in the long run.” (Troxell 2004)
Lambda Literary Foundation Executive Director
Selection Committee
- Larry Bailey (openbookltd.com)
- Victoria A. Brownworth (victoriabrownworth.com)
- Michelle DiMeo (womenandchildrenfirst.com)
- Pam Harcourt (womenandchildrenfirst.com)
- Richard Labonte (btwof.com)
- Kris Kleindienst (left-bank.com)
- Sara Look (charisbooksandmore.com)
- Retha Powers (insightoutbooks.com)
- Philip Rafshoon (outwritebooks.com)
- David Rosen (insightoutbooks.com)
- Richard Schneider, Jr. (glreview.com)
- Robert Starner (lambdarising.com)
- Martha Stone (glreview.com)
- Jane Troxell (lambdarising.com)
- Kurt Weber (adlbooks.com)
Victoria Brownworth was a key figure in the nomination and defense: “Banning a book and censoring a book are two different things. While I hate to be the titular voice of the ACLU here, especially since I personally disagree with many aspects of Bailey’s book, if we take the book off the list we are indeed censoring it. It doesn’t matter what our reasons are.”
Kris Kleindienst said, “Removing the book from the list is not censorship. The book is widely available, has been widely reviewed and is not about to be denied to the public. What we are doing is behaving in a responsible manner to make sure the list of finalists is compatible with the Foundation’s mission. Having looked at the book closely, I am sure it is not.” Several committee members echoed Kleindienst’s views.
In July 2004, Kris Kleindienst wrote with this addendum:
For the record, the whole Lammy thing was a terrible ordeal, one which took up a month of my time, aside from normal judging duties, in intense engagement with some members of the finalist committee and Jim Marks. I am not paid for this pleasure, in fact I have to pay for the privilege of attending the awards ceremony. (I did not attend this year.) I could have easily chosen not to deal with it, there are no real consequences for simply not responding to an email from the Lambda Literary Foundation. But in fact, I was sickened by the thought that this book could have gotten this far –more by inattention and ignorance than for any malicious reason–I was unaware it was even being considered until the finalists were made public. My FtM partner and I had some very hard conversations about what to do. Hopefully, the final outcome has started a process that is long overdue at the Lammies, one of really putting the T in LGBT.
Flaws in the process
The entire process is in the service of commerce, much like the same problem with the review process at Amazon.com. Books are nominated by the publishers and chosen by a group of booksellers in a symbiotic marketing relationship. Books are chosen more by buzz than by literary merit, which works to the benefit of a book like Bailey’s which uses controversy as a marketing tool.
Jennifer Finney Boylan, the eventual 2003 Lambda Literary Award winner in the trans category, was not even notified of being nominated, suggesting that the process is not about the awards and authors but about the sales. It also came out that the committees involved in the decision had no representation from the transgender community, which explains how they were unaware that the vast majority of the community found the book defamatory and irresponsible.
2005: Marks ousted, building sold, publications ceased, website deleted
In June 2005, Marks was ousted as Executive Director, a position Marks had held almost continuously since 1996. On 7 June, a majority of Lambda Literary Foundation Board of Trustees voted to accept the resignation.
Trustees accepting:
- Jim Duggins, retired academic who lives in Palm Springs, Calif.
- Katherine V. Forrest, an author based in San Francisco
- Karla Jay, an author who lives in New York
- Don Wiese, a New York editor at Carroll & Graf
Trustees not accepting:
- Jim Marks, ousted director
- Nick Apostol, Jim Marks’ domestic partner (Smith 2005)
LLF also sold their building on 16 June and suspended publication of the James White Review and the Lambda Book Report. Founder Deacon Maccubbin noted “issues were skipped or late getting on newsstands,” which “hurt its credibility.” Trustee Katherine Forrest said “Both of the publications have been operating chronically in the red, really, since they left the umbrella of the Lambda Rising bookstore. We’re talking about nine or 10 years that it’s just been sputtering along.” Forrest said there has been an “ongoing, chronic problem” with the Lambda Book Report’s ability to publish in a timely manner. It was supposed to be available monthly, but often was late coming out (Smith 2005). Marks has since claimed the resignation had nothing to do with the financial difficulties cited by LLF’s founder and trustees, nor anything to do with the mishandling of the Bailey fiasco (Marks 2006).
Their lambdalit.org website went offline after the announcement, eventually reappearing in 2006 as a text-only site consisting of three pages that lasted for a couple of years. A new site at lambdaliterary.org went live at the end of 2005, announcing “Welcome to the New Lambda Literary Foundation.” Any mention of the Bailey debacle was gone from the new site. In January 2006, new LLF Executive Director Charles Flowers reportedly initiated a complete overhaul of Lambda’s process.
The 2004 incident has become a centerpiece of Bailey’s evidence that the book was well-received. After the New York Times‘ Benedict Carey wrote a piece citing Bailey’s version of the LLF incident and omitting the revocation (Carey 2007), Flowers moved to set the record straight (Flowers 2007):
To the New York Times,
In your recent article on J. Michael Bailey and his book, The Man Who Would Be Queen (“Criticism of a Gender Theory, and Scientist Under Siege” by Benedict Carey, August 21, 2007), your journalist reported, “The Lambda Literary Foundation, an organization that promotes gay, bisexual, and transgender literature, nominated the book for an award.”
Mr. Carey failed to disclose that the Foundation later withdrew the award nomination in response to our judges’ assessment of the book, which they ultimately considered transphobic and inappropriate for a Lambda Literary award.
Further, the Bailey incident revealed flaws in our awards nomination process, which I have completely overhauled since becoming the foundation’s executive director in January 2006. Any book with LGBT content may be nominated by its publisher or its author, but the selection of the book as a finalist for an award is in the hands of the category’s judges. Trans writers now serve as judges in our awards process (both in the Transgender category as well as other categories), so that a book such as Bailey’s could be nominated for an award by the author/publisher but not selected as a finalist or recipient by the judges. In addition, we have expanded many of our categories by dropping the “gay” and “lesbian” designation, in favor of “men’s” and “women’s,” to better represent and embrace the literature of bisexual and transgender writers.
Our judges spoke for the foundation in 2004 when they withdrew Bailey’s book from consideration of a Lambda Literary Award, and the foundation’s position remains the same. With the help of the transgender community, we have improved the integrity of our awards, by making them more inclusive and our methods more transparent.
Sincerely,
Charles Flowers
Executive Director
Lambda Literary Foundation
Galileo’s Middle Finger (2016)
In 2006, after failing to stop me from speaking at Northwestern University, historian Alice Dreger published a lengthy revisionist history defending J. Michael Bailey in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. Dreger sent a pre-publication draft to Benedict Carey at the New York Times, hoping to get coverage during a sexology convention. Carey had written several pieces presenting Bailey as a legitimate academic, and Carey’s piece left anti-trans activists “elated.”
Dreger’s article was republished in the 2015 book Galileo’s Middle Finger with some revisions, including Dreger’s further laundering of the Danny Ryan hoax that frames Bailey’s book.
The following year, Lambda Literary nominated Dreger’s book for a Lambda Literary Award. Dreger attempted to build a campaign of support. Unlike the previous controversy, leaders took the error very seriously and quickly rescinded the nomination.
On March 22, anti-trans activist Jesse Singal published the letter that Dreger received from Lambda Literary Executive Director Tony Valenzuela rescinding the nomination:
@LambdaLiterary has withdrawn @AliceDreger’s book from consideration for its nonfiction literary award. The (very strongly) implied message here is that you can’t simultaneously be an advocate for social justice and care about the principles of truth, accuracy, and fairness in argument. It was a message I heard loud and clear after my Zucker/GIC article, and one that will, in the long run, harm all of us greatly.
Singal (2016)
Dreger wrote an open letter to Valenzuela claiming Valenzuela’s letter was dated March 24 and expressing outrage over the recission:
Not too surprisingly, Conway and James soon launched a campaign against my book’s finalist status, but I pretty much ignored this. I figured the Foundation knew this would happen and was prepared to weather the storm. […]
I’m writing in response to your March 24 email informing me that, “After reviewing Galileo’s Middle Finger: Heretics, Activists, and the Search for Justice in Science, the organization has concluded the book is inconsistent with its mission of affirming LGBTQ lives. As a result, the decision was made to rescind the nomination for a 2016 Lambda Literary Award in the LGBT Nonfiction category.” […]
But no. You caved. And quickly—much more quickly than the Foundation did under Marks in 2003. In spite of all the LGBT people who have actively praised my book, who have thanked me for the work, you quickly caved to a small group of bullies who have proven time and time again that they will do anything they can to get attention and to force everyone to adhere to their singular account of transgenderism, even when it negates the reported childhoods of gay and lesbian people, even when it denies the reality of many transgender people and attempts to force them into closets because of their sexual orientations.
Brynn Tannhill wrote in The Advocate:
Dreger endorses and actively promotes the theories in Bailey’s book. She opposes the affirming model of therapy for transgender youth. She supports psychiatrists who use coercive behavior modification on children to prevent them from growing up to be transgender. She urges transgender people to simply accept or embrace living in a society in which they cannot transition, rather than building a more open and affirming society. Finally, Dreger has also publicly opposed laws banning reparative therapy if they include gender identity.
Dreger uses scare tactics on LGB people to convince them that transgender people and affirming therapists are “forcing” innocent gay and lesbian children into being transgender. Anti-transgender splinter groups from the LGBT commnity use Dreger’s fear-mongering as a rationale for why LGB people should abandon transgender people to their fates.
Tannehill (2016)
References
Tannehill, Brynn (March 30, 2016). Lambda Literary Foundation Snuffs Out Anti-Trans Scandal. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2016/3/25/lambda-literary-foundation-snuffs-out-anti-trans-scandal
Beyer, Dana (March 22, 2016). The Lambda Literary Foundation Trips but Rights Itself Quickly and With Dignity. HuffPost https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-lambda-literary-found_b_9526090
Dreger, Alice (March 24, 2016). An Open Letter to the Lambda Literary Foundation. https://alicedreger.com/LLF/
- See also this letter from Bruce Henderson https://alicedreger.com/BH/
Bailey JM (2003a). The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism. Joseph Henry Press. [Online version removed February 2006] http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10530
Bailey JM (2003b). Interview on KOOP-FM, Austin, TX, May 2003 Originally at http://www.donnarose.com/JMBInterview.html [archive]
Burns C and ~ 1,400+ signatories (2004). J Michael Bailey Book Petition. http://www.petitiononline.com/bailey/petition.html [archive]
Carey, Benedict (2007). Criticism of a Gender Theory and a Scientist Under Siege. New York Times, 21 August.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/health/psychology/21gender.html
Chesnut, Saralyn (2003). Report on a J. Michael Bailey Lecture at Emory University, 8 April. http://www.tsroadmap.com/info/bailey-transsexuals.html [archive]
Conway, Lynn (2005). The gay and lesbian “Lambda Literary Foundation” disses all transsexual women by nominating Bailey’s book for a GLB’T’ literary award. lynnconway.com, revision dated 19 July. https://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/Bailey/Lambda%20Literary%20Foundation.html
Flowers C (2007). Letter to New York Times. 20 September.
Grubb RJ (2004). Lambda Literary awards come under fire: Organization criticized for controversial book finalist. Bay Windows, 12 February.
http://www.baywindows.com/main.cfm?include=detail&storyid=604717 [archive]
Lambda Literary Foundation (2003). LLF website logo and tagline. Retrieved 24 December 2003.
http://web.archive.org/web/20031001144857/www.lambdalit.org/index_2.html [archive]
Lambda Literary Foundation (2004a). 16th Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists. 2 February.
http://www.lambdalit.org/Lammy/lammy_2003_finalists.html [archive]
Lambda Literary Foundation (2004b) Man Who Would Be Queen to Remain on Lambda Literary Awards Finalists List. 24 February.
http://www.lambdalit.org/Lammy/FinalistDecision.html [archive]
Lambda Literary Foundation (2004c) Man Who Would Be Queen Announcement. 12 March.
http://www.lambdalit.org/Lammy/BaileyBook/Baileyaction.html [archive]
Lambda Literary Foundation (2005a). Resources for the debate over The Man Who Would Be Queen [offline as of September 2005]
http://www.lambdalit.org/lambda_home.html [archive]
Lambda Literary Foundation (2005b) Welcome to the New Lambda Literary Foundation.
http://www.lambdaliterary.org/ [archive]
- Note: former website http://www.lambdalit.org [archive] went offline at the time they closed publications and sold their building, eventually reappearing in 2006 as a text-only site consisting of three pages.
Letellier P (2004a). Group rescinds honor for disputed book. Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network, 16 March.
http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?2004/03/16/3 [archive]
Letellier P (2004b). Gay? Trans? Whatever. The Advocate, 27 April.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2004_April_27/ai_n6141883 [archive]
Maccubbin D (2004). Letter to Andrea James. 15 March.
Marks J (2004). 16th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Finalists named. Press release dated 2 February.
http://www.lambdalit.org/lammy_FinalistsPR_2003.html [archive]
Marks J (2006). Letter to Alice Dreger. 22 July.
Nangeroni N,, MacKenzie G (2004a). Jim Marks discusses the LLF nomination. GenderTalk, 9 February. http://www.gendertalk.com/real/400/gt447.shtml [archive]
- See also transcript excerpts at https://www.transgendermap.com/politics/media/jim-marks/
Nangeroni N, MacKenzie G (2004b). Jim Marks discusses the LLF nomination withdrawal. GenderTalk, 15 March.
http://www.gendertalk.com/radio/programs/450/gt452.shtml [archive]
- See also transcript excerpts at https://www.transgendermap.com/politics/media/jim-marks/
Scanlon, Kyle (2004). Lost in trans-lation: Nomination revoked / How a book award went so wrong. Xtra!, 15 April.
http://www.xtra.ca/site/toronto2/arch/body1684.shtm [archive]
Schlessinger L (1998). Dr. Laura’s Website, December 8, 1998 archived by stopdrlaura.com
http://www.stopdrlaura.com/laura/index.htm [archive]
Schwartz N (2005). Lambda Literary Foundation Announces Major Changes. Bookselling This Week, 16 June.
http://news.bookweb.org/news/3606.html [archive]
Seely C (2004). Gay awards shun trans book: Critics say author propagated stereotypes. Southern Voice, 9 April.
http://www.southernvoice.com/2004/4-9/view/actionalert/action.cfm [archive]
Smith, Gwen (2004). Awarding transphobia. Bay Area Reporter, 4 March
http://www.gwensmith.com/writing/transmissions88.html [archive]
Smith R (2005). Lambda Literary loses leader, closes publication. New York Blade, 17 June.
http://www.newyorkblade.com/2005/6-17/news/localnews/lambda.cfm [archive]
Szymanski Z (2004). Lambda awards finalist sparks anger. Bay Area Reporter, 4 March
- Archived by Lynn Conway https://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/Bailey/Lambda%20Literary%20Foundation.html#Zak [archive]
Troxell J (2004). Letter to Andrea James. 19 March.
Resources
Lambda Literary Foundation (lambdalit.org) [archive]
- Bailey Action [archive]
- http://www.lambdalit.org/Lammy/BaileyBook/Baileyaction.html
- Resources for the debate over The Man Who Would Be Queen [archive]
- http://www.lambdalit.org/Lammy/BaileyBook/BaileyResources.html
- [includes materials by J. Michael Bailey, Stephen Mautner, Vernon Rosario, Lynn Conway, Andrea James, and Willow Arune]
- Professor Bailey’s web site (includes text of The Man Who…) [archive]
- http://www.psych.northwestern.edu/psych/people/faculty/bailey/controversy.htm
- Open Letter from the Joseph Henry Press [archive]
- http://www.jhpress.org/press_release/10530openletter.pdf
- Review of The Man Who Would Be Queen by Vernon Rosario [archive]
- http://lambdalit.org/Lammy/BaileyBook/RosarioonBailey.html
- Lynn Conway Investigation [archive]
- http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/LynnsReviewOfBaileysBook.html
- TS Roadmap [archive]
- http://tsroadmap.com/info/bailey-blanchard-lawrence.html
- Psychology of Gender Identity and Transgenderism [archive]
- http://www.genderpsychology.org/autogynephilia/j_michael_bailey/
- Autogynephilia Transgender Support Group [Willow Arune trolling group banned by Yahoo]
- Transgender Essay on behalf of The Man who.. [archive] [Willow Arune’s “I AM ARUNE!”]
- http://www.lambdalit.org/Lammy/BaileyBook/Willowarune.html
Lambda Literary (lambdaliterary.org)
Lambda Literary Review (lambdaliteraryreview.org)
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