Penka Kouneva, aka “Vera Lindner,” is a Bulgarian-American anti-transgender activist who produced the 2023 anti-trans film No Way Back. This supplemental information outlines her path to anti-transgender activism.
2022 IWF profile
This is a transcript of an interview she did with Independent Women’s Forum.
There is a huge overlap between autism and transgenderism, and the professionals need to be asked, “Why, why are there so many trans-identified individuals who are also autistic?
I am a mother of 15-year-old daughter who began to identify as transgender in the summer of 2020, during the lockdown. At the time we didnât know that our child has autism. Sheâs highly functioning autistic, what used to be called Aspergerâs. Gifted, highly intelligent. During the lockdown, these eighth graders were not really interested in school. It was such a time of trauma and confusion. What these girls did is they started watching TikTok and Instagram videos all day long. I mean pretty much nonstop, and what I noticed over the summer of 2020, these four girls who were part of a friendship group where only one girl identified as transgender, they began kind of nudging each other to also identify as transgender, to make up male names, male pronouns.
And in August of 2020 my daughter also started to identify as transgender, which was a total shock. I didnât expect it to happen because up until the week before she made the declaration, she said, “Iâm a proud lesbian and Iâm a Democrat,” so I thought, “This is perfectly fine. Iâm cool you’re a proud lesbian, thatâs fine.” And then a week later, she said, “Donât call me a woman. Donât call me a girl. Donât call me she. I am a guy Iâm your son.”
Weâre like “OK. Exploration is fine. You know, try different things.” What happened immediately after the trans declaration is that she began to ask for things. She said “I want testosterone. I want you to buy me these things from Amazon. Theyâre like boosting for testosterone. I want a binder.” And this is where I really understood there is a medical harm. There is a medical destruction involved in changing oneâs sex. And this is where I had to draw the line.
So earlier in June of the lockdown year 2020, my child very much demanded to see a gender specialist. My intuition told me that this is not a good path, and I said, “Listen, Iâm going to find an LGBT supportive therapist, but not necessarily a gender therapist.” We chose an older woman lesbian in her mid-70s. I trusted her experience, especially her perspective as a lesbian, something I donât have. As soon as my daughter announced the transgender self-identification, and a new name, the therapist began to call her by the new name and call her “he.” At the time I spoke with a therapist via email basically saying, “My daughter has autism, ADDF, anxiety, and depression. Why isnât it cool anymore to be a lesbian? Can you explore these issues?” I also wrote to the therapist. “Out of the five friends, four are now identifying as transgender. Could this be peer influence?” None of these questions were ever addressed.
The therapist said, “Testosterone is going to bring you gender congruity. Try to see if you can. Call your parents’ insurance to ask if youâre eligible at the age of 14,” basically confusing her even more. Instead of actually exploring the real issues. I feel very strongly that the therapist was giving very wrong ideas, very confusing ideas to my child. Ultimately leading to my child falling into a mental breakdown. Which exemplified itself as a total depression. My child was in her room all day long lying on the floor, catatonic with the cell phone in her hands, watching TikTok videos. I did ask the therapist, “Please speak with my child to essentially minimize the time on social media,” and the therapist’s reply was, “Oh, you know, she has a broken heart. She hast to soothe herself and distract herself with social media.”
As a mother, my intuition told me that I had to approach this problem holistically. We had anti-depressants, medications, we had physical movement, and being in touch with nature. We hiked. We did exercises, and basically we left our community. We left our home in Southern California, and I used this as the reason why we just wanted to go on hiatus from the therapist. I understood intuitively that I had to be very diplomatic, that I couldnât make a statement that would get me in trouble, because I already had read stories where parents had lost custody of their children, because of their gender critical views. In my mind, I was determined not to allow this person to poison my childâs mind anymore.
My daughter had a summer job as a volunteer in a farming community. And that return to real people, real stories, spending less time on social media, has been the most healing, gradually over time, especially with the medications and being outside. The mental health of my child started to improve.
What I had to do is show love, support, and kindness without affirming the delusion. Without the affirming the ideology, and drawing a very clear boundary that youâre loved, youâre safe, but we will do absolutely nothing medical until you are 18.
I have been a lifelong voting Democrat since I was naturalized in 2002. Iâm profoundly disappointed that the Democratic Party has chosen to affirm a delusion, and a very toxic ideology that attacks these vulnerable children, these children, who come from trauma, who come from adverse childhood experiences, who are neurodivergent, such as autistic, or with ADD, ADHD. I entrusted my child with professionals, and instead of the teachers and the doctor saying, “OK now letâs get to the bottom of this. Why are you saying youâre not a girl?” The teachers and the doctors blindly affirmed. They perpetuate the delusion.
Weâre talking about autistic people who think in black-and-white, they donât see nuance. They hyperfixate over ideas. Most people say, “Oh, when you confirm your child, they will blossom, this is their true, authentic self.” This is not true. Their true, authentic self is sheâs an autistic woman. Sheâs a girl, sheâs not a boy. These children need to be taught what is the reality, and they need to be taught coping skills, and just skills to live to be functional adults. Instead, their minds are being poisoned with lies, within truth, and harmful ideology.
And as a parent who has watched this firsthand with my child with her friends, I have to fight this. Thereâs no other way for me.
Kimberly is cohost of the conservative podcast Transparency. Kimberly frequently testifies against gender affirming care for minors and promotes academic work that is frequently characterized as anti-trans.
Kimberly is especially interested in promoting disease models of gender diversity, including “gender dysphoria,” “autogynephilia,” and “autoandrophilia.” Kimberly has occasionally expressed interest in a personal “detransition,” or making additional gender changes.
Background
Aaron Kimberly was reportedly born in 1973. In a self-reported biography, Kimberly makes the following claims:
“at age 19 I had surgery to remove a grapefruit-sized cyst from one of my ovaries”
following a biopsy was reportedly diagnosed with “Ovotesticular Disorder of Sex Development (DSD)”
Kimberly earned a bachelor’s degree from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
in 2006 saw a documentary on mainstream TV about âtrans kidsâ that led to a trans identification
began medical transition that year at age 33
in 2008 became a registered nurse/BScN wtih a specialty in Psychiatric Nursing
worked in the mental health department at St Paulâs Hospital in Vancouver, Canada, for 10 years
In 2017 moved to Kelowna, Canada, to help launch a multidisciplinary youth clinic and do intake assessments
consulted with the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)’s Trans Care BC
during this consulting, “I started to become confused and concerned about the current state of trans healthcare”
“I was removed from the clinical mentorship mailing list, I was accused of using the listserv for anti-trans activism, our clinic was boycotted, and I was moved to another program”
was registered in British Columbia as a Practising RN from 2008 until that registration was canceled on April 1, 2023
Kimberly then enrolled in the Women’s and Gender Studies graduate program at University of Alberta.
Conservative activism
Kimberly began engaging in conservative activism in 2021 after being alarmed about how the clinic where Kimberly worked was treating trans and gender diverse youth. Kimberly explained to anti-trans activist Pamela Paul:
In 2021, Aaron Kimberly, a 50-year-old trans man and registered nurse, left the clinic in British Columbia where his job focused on the intake and assessment of gender-dysphoric youth. Kimberly received a comprehensive screening when he embarked on his own successful transition at age 33, which resolved the gender dysphoria he experienced from an early age.
But when the gender-affirming model was introduced at his clinic, he was instructed to support the initiation of hormone treatment for incoming patients regardless of whether they had complex mental problems, experiences with trauma or were otherwise âseverely unwell,â Kimberly said. When he referred patients for further mental health care rather than immediate hormone treatment, he said he was accused of what they called gatekeeping and had to change jobs.
In a profile provided to this site in June 2025, Kimberly stated:
My major influences are second wave lesbian feminism and early queer theory. In the early days (1990s), lesbians like Butler and Halberstam conceptualized the FTM experience as a form of female masculinity (eg. Halberstamâs book Female Masculinity, in which she included FTM as under the banner of lesbian masculinities). Thatâs still a view I hold, in my self-conception. My current work focuses on applications of radical feminism to transmen, looking for ways, throught a sex-realist perspective, at quality of life measures and the nature of our oppression as masculinized/male passing females.
2024 Stone Butch Disco collaboration
Stone Butch Disco is a Substack newsletter described as “a butch-femme lesbian feminist project: nerd comedy, experiential insights, & alt-academic analysis.”
In September 2024 members of the collective began collaborating on podcast episodes with Kimberly. By November, they announced a split in a since-deleted post:
Aaron repetitively focused conversation onto specific women that Aaron felt slighted by. Due to Rachel and Akivaâs personal histories in abusive relationships, they entertained conversation around uniquely butch vulnerabilities to abuse for a few weeks, culminating in an unreleased 6th podcast episode in which Aaronâs relationships with these women were discussed under the false premise that they were targeting Aaron. It became clear from conversations on and off the recording that Aaronâs treatment of women and especially feminine women was of serious concern. Despite the fact that Rachel requested that Aaron not post the 6th episode anywhere, including on Aaronâs personal channels, Aaron posted it to personal YouTube and Facebook accounts, and used pieces of the audio to harass women via direct message.We were lied to, manipulated, and used. Following these revelations, we removed Aaron from the Stone Butch Disco team.
Kimberly said via email in June 2025 that the announcement was removed “after legal action” because it contained false statements and defamation. Kimberly also stated “my lawyers have evidence that the Statements by both parties are false and defamatory.” This site has requested that evidence for inclusion here. Kimberly provided the following statement:
They fabricated a conspiracy that I only made friends with a couple of butch lesbians for the purpose of lying and manipulating them to harass women. No, I did not. When I left the courage coalition, I made new friendships outside that circle and we generated many ideas for projects that I was excited about, such as an archive about butch lesbians. I built the website. We were ready to launch it. Because I saw them as friends I confided in them some of what I had felt and was processing in regards to interactions I had with certain women. I needed someone to talk to because I was confused by aspects of what had occurred. I couldnât talk to anyone in the network about it. Meanwhile, those women were plotting behind my back and finding ways to sabotage me in the dark
and taking disrespectful shots at me online to hint they were doing so. They shared private text messages, emails and secretly recorded conversations. They publicly accused me of having mental illness I donât have and for doing things I didnât do. I feel played by these women. I expect people to come honest. I fully own that I overstepped some boundaries but I was also misjudged and mistreated. They did psychological harm and when I spoke my truth in defence, they weaponized that against me too.
The mistake we (Stone Butch Disco) made is trying to engage those other women in a conversation via the podcast. Instead of engaging up front, they contacted the Stone Butch Disco and manipulated them into thinking Iâd lied and manipulated them. No. I did not. There was no underhanded scheme going on, on my part, and I was severed from new friendships. I found myself caught in a trap of manipulation, and had to manipulate my way out of it. Iâm not normally a manipulative person, at all. Iâm blunt to a fault and despise head games. Iâve withdrawn myself entirely from the entire network to get my own head straight and stand in my own truth. Iâm focussing on transmen and our needs. Iâm not interested in playing dirty games.
My work is based on respectful conversations about ideas and needs. My ideas are not ones everyone agrees with, but people should not be threatened, intimidated, or coerced, simply for having different views, which arenât motivated by hate.
I push back on all hateful activity. People are allowed to hate me. They are not allowed to hurt me just because they have feelings about what I believe.
And I mean you too Andrea. There are more constructive ways to negotiate needs and deal with fears, than tearing people down. Iâm not playing this game. Both sides are playing dirty. Someone has to stay in the lane of having peaceful and honest conversations for problem solving. If you believe Iâm harming you in some way, then letâs have a conversation. Because your way isnât working. It just drives more hate.
Since youâve publicized where Iâm enrolled in an MA program, Iâm sure you expect that everyone, both TERFs and the trans-queer community will hate me. What theyâll all find, is that Iâm reasonable and easy to engage in respectful and honest conversations across multiple lines of disagreement. And I will expect to be treated with fairness and dignity in return. I will work hard and do well in academia to think things through with care.
I want to build and mend bridges with human beings on any side of the issue, and I will always preserve myself as a human being who has faults and strengths. My door is always open for honest people who arenât trying to hurt anyone. Iâm not afraid to kick the asses of trespassers (metaphorically speaking). I intend to live in peace.
If you publish any of this, you must post all of it in whole and exactly how Iâve stated it.
2024 MIT event
According to anti-trans philosopher Holly Lawford-Smith, Kimberly has exhibited concerning behavior after the two met in 2024 at a debate also attended by anti-trans activists Alex Byrne and Alice Dreger. On February 3, 2025, Lawford-Smith posted:
On the 17th of April 2024, Alex Byrne & I took part in a debate at MIT. Our opponents were Aaron Kimberly and Alice Dreger. Alex and Alice took opposite sides on the question of whether sex is biological and binary, and Aaron and I took opposite sides on the question of whether gender identity should replace sex in social policy. Aaron & I had some friendly communications in the lead-up to the debate, much of which were me making suggestions as to a topic that we could disagree about productively. We met up for a couple of hours on the afternoon of the debate. At the time, Aaron was associated with the LGBT Courage Coalition, and I was occasionally doing freelance interviews for the LGB Alliance Australia. I figured it would be good to establish some kind of link between the two organizations.
Since April 2024 or so, I have been dealing with inappropriate and unwanted behaviour by Aaron Kimberly. This includes him repeatedly sending emails to my work address (after I had blocked him on Twitter); contacting my friends and colleagues about me; attempting to organize an in-person event to take place on my campus, at which I would be a speaker, without my permission or input; mischaracterizing our brief interaction to mutual acquaintances; publishing a full podcast episode mischaracterizing our interaction; posting three separate Substack articles about me (one sharing personal information about me and embedding deleted video content that I own the copyright to); sending huge volumes of messages to other people about me; and, most recently, contacting my employer. This has all been the aftermath of Aaron making several romantic advances toward me, which I rejected. To say heâs taken rejection badly would appear to be an understatement.
On February 22, 2025, Kimberly posted a lengthy response addressing many of Lawford-Smith’s claims and assertions about their interactions.
Staff (November 25, 2024). Ending our relationship with Aaron Kimberly. Stone Butch Disco https://stonebutchdisco.substack.com/p/ending-our-relationship-with-aaron [deleted]
The Lesbian Project Podcast (May 24, 2024). Episode 28 FREE – a chat with Aaron Kimberly; plus the music of Chappell Roan, and bars (again). [unavailable]
The Unz Review is an American media organization. They frequently publish gender critical articles. It’s described as “a collection of interesting, important, and controversial perspectives largely excluded from the American mainstream media.”
Authors who have commented on trans issues include:
Staff report (Jun 22nd 2022). Swimmingâs ruling on transgender women continues a trend. The Economist https://www.economist.com/international/2022/06/22/swimmings-ruling-on-transgender-women-continues-a-trend
The Daily Mail is a British media organization that publishes a steady stream of sensationalized anti-transgender content.
Background
The Daily Mail was founded in 1896 and is published in London. It was an immediate hit and has enjoyed high circulation for most of its run.
Because of its sensationalized and inaccurate reporting, Wikipedia declared it an unreliable source in 2017. Its current editor is Ted Verity.
They have mentored, nurtured, and published many of the UK’s most anti-transgender activists, including Helen Lewis, Julie Burchill, Peter Hitchens, Katie Hopkins, Richard Littlejohn, Suzanne Moore, and Piers Morgan.
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE or NCSE) is an American anti-pornography organization.
Background
Founded in 1962 as Morality in Media (MIM), NCOSE opposes pornography by highlighting the links to sex trafficking, violence against women, child abuse, and addiction.
Staff
Patrick A. Trueman: CEO & President
Dawn Hawkins: Senior Vice President & Executive Director
Benjamin W. Bull: Vice President & General Counsel
Lisa L. Thompson: Vice President of Policy and Research
Haley Halverson: Vice President of Advocacy and Outreach
Madison Darling: Director of Operations
Eleanor Kennelly Gaetan: Senior Advisor for Public Policy
Dani Pinter: Legal Counsel for NCOSE Law Center
Jake Roberson: Creative Director and Public Relations Manager
Board
CEO & President
Patrick A. Trueman
Former Chief, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section U.S. Department of Justice
Board Chair
Ron DeHaas
President and Co-founder, Covenant Eyes
Board Chair (Emeritus)
Robert L. Cahill, Jr.
Former Managing Partner, Conklin Cahill & Co.
Board Secretary
Rhonda Graff
Former Aerospace Program Manager/Industrial Engineer
Board Treasurer
Ken Sukhia
Partner, Sukhia Law Group
Members
Hadley Arkes, Ney Professor of Jurisprudence Emeritus at Amherst College; Founder/Director of the James Wilson Institute on Natural Rights and the American Founding
Beth Coons, Chair, Farnsworth Companies
Jay Dennis, President Join One Million Men
John D. Foubert, Dean, College of Education, Union University
Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University
Donna M. Hughes, Professor, Eleanor M. and Oscar M. Carlson Endowed Chair The University of Rhode Island
Mary Anne Layden, Director, Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program, Center for Cognitive Therapy, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania
Bishop Paul S. Loverde, Bishop of Arlington, Retired
Dan OâBryant, JD Former Fellow in Residence, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs Harvard University, Former Faculty United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Margaret Rucks, Managing Director Rucks Family Foundation
Olga Samaniego, National Regent, Catholic Daughters of the Americas
Wheeler earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology from University of Massachusetts Boston in 1978 and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University in 1980. He contributed to the Chronicle of Higher Education before becoming International Editor in 2000 and Managing Editor of the Global Chronicle in 2006. He was named Editor of Al Fanar Media in 2012 and has been based in London.