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Wrongspeak was a podcast produced by Quillette and hosted by anti-trans activists Debra Soh and Jonathan Kay.

The show featured a number of other anti-transgender activists and people associated with the so-called intellectual dark web, a loose alliance described as a “gateway to the far right.”

Episode

  • #17 – The Family Business with Barbara Kay
  • #16 – Our Lines are Open: Confessions of a Talk Radio Host with Matt Gurney
  • #15 – Khalistan in Canada with Balraj Deol and Niru Kumar
  • #14 – Such a Shanda with Naftuli Moster
  • #13 – Comedy Without Hashtags with Craig Lauzon
  • #12 – Transparency Evangelism with Minds CEO Bill Ottman
  • #11 – 35 Years of Wasted Time with Edward Hertrich
  • #10 – That’s Not Funny with Mike Ward and Jamie Kilstein
  • #9 – TERF v. Trans with Meghan Murphy and Julie Rei Goldstein
  • #8 – Gender Dysphoria 101 with Dr. Susan Bradley
  • #7 – Short Cut: Assaulting pro-lifers with Marie-Claire Bissonnette
  • #6 – Academic Mobbing with Jonathan Haidt, Bret Weinstein & Rebecca Tuvel
  • #5 – David Frum on Discourse in Trump’s America
  • #4 – Wrongspeak Review Vol. 1 with Ed the Sock and Adrienne Batra
  • #3 – Too Young to Transition? (featuring Susan Bradley)
  • #2 – The Shepherd Effect with Lindsay Shepherd
  • #1 – James Damore’s Inconvenient Brain

Chris Elston is a Canadian anti-transgender activist. Elston is best known for purchasing or wearing signs with anti-transgender messages. Elston gets money and attention by trying to provoke responses from trans and gender-diverse people and their supporters. Elston has been arrested, banned from venues, and involved in numerous legal disputes.

Elston is one of several “parental rights” activists who appear in public holding or wearing anti-transgender signs, including January Littlejohn and “Sidewalk Steve.”

Background

Christopher David Elston was born in 1976. Elston has used a number of nicknames, including

  • Christoph Elston
  • Christophe Elston
  • Chris Elston
  • Billboard Chris

Elston’s spouse Sheree Lynn (Peacock) Elston earned a bachelor’s degree from Simon Fraser University in 2003, followed by a master’s degree in education from Simon Fraser in 2007. Sheree Elston was a schoolteacher before becoming an administrator at Semiahmoo Trail elementary school in South Surrey, British Columbia. The Elstons have been members of Village Church, an evangelical Christian church with a location in Surrey. Their older child Arya was born in 2010, followed by Mila. Both children are involved in the same local sport.

Scientology

Around age 20, Elston became involved in Scientology while traveling in Ireland. Elston joined the organization’s elite Sea Org, a group of Scientology’s most dedicated members, in March of 1996. Because of that zeal and fervor, Elston was soon assigned to the Church of Scientology’s Saint Hill Manor property in East Grinstead, West Sussex. The location is called Scientology’s Advanced Organization & Saint Hill United Kingdom. It is an 18th-century manor originally purchased by L. Ron Hubbard in 1959 and later renovated as a Scientology museum. Elston was reportedly assigned to run the Hubbard Communications Office (HCO) in the Continental Liaison Office (CLO).

In June 1997, Elston was a witness to the death of 17-year-old Sea Org member Russell Dienes. Elston was part of a car procession hurrying to work at Saint Hill. Dienes pulled in front of an oncoming truck, causing Dienes’ death and the serious injury of teen passengers Thilo Gnass and Frederik Zengel.

Elston remained with Scientology for almost two years:

I joined the Sea Org in March 96, worked their 100 hour weeks and escaped in the middle of the night Dec. 98 when I was told I couldn’t go home on a visit to see my parents. Passport and plane ticket had been seized. 

Elston returned to Canada and reportedly was the subject of an “SP Declare,” a document outlining why Scientology designates Elston as a Suppressive Person, or Anti-Social Personality. Elston has been involved in anti-Scientology activism ever since.

Insurance career

After moving to Vancouver, British Columbia, Elston took a job as an investment advisor at Canaccord Capital (later named Canaccord Financial, now called Canaccord Genuity). Elston worked there from 2001 to 2008, then was a Financial Advisor at Raymond James from 2008 to 2014. After founding Elston Insurance Agency in 2014 and selling insurance, Elston began generating significant income and media coverage from anti-transgender activism. After Elston’s insurance license expired in 2022, Elston began doing anti-trans activism full-time.

Anti-transgender activism

Elston pivoted from anti-Scientology activism to anti-transgender activism following several controversies in the Vancouver area.

Jessica Yaniv aka Jessica Simpson

  • Elston got involved in several controversies related to Jessica Yaniv, now known as Jessica Simpson, a frequent litigant who used anti-discrimination laws to bring numerous complaints against local businesses. Simpson identifies as transgender and brought many complaints against waxing practitioners who would not wax Simpson’s genitals.
  • In December 2020, the Western Standard reported that the Langley Royal Canadian Mounted Police had charged Simpson with mischief and uttering threats in relation to an incident in October 2020 concerning Elston.

I ♄ JK ROWLING

  • Elston met nurse and anti-transgender extremist Amy Hamm at a Simpson hearing. They began purchasing billboards with the slogan “I ♄ JK ROWLING,” a reference to British author J. K. Rowling’s anti-transgender activism. British anti-trans extremist Posie Parker had purchased similar out-of-home ads. Elston’s first one was taken down following complaints. Elston got the nickname “Billboard Chris” soon after.

Elston has been arrested for disturbing the peace after showing up to pro-trans events wearing provocative anti-transgender messages like “Gender ideology does not belong in schools,” and “No child is born in the wrong body,” and “Children cannot consent to puberty blockers.” Elston is no longer allowed on the street around the Vancouver art gallery where Elston was arrested.

Elston’s goal is to be verbally or physically assaulted, which has happened several times. Elston then uses video of those encounters to get money and attention.

References

Grochowski, Sarah (October 26, 2020). Man behind controversial J.K. Rowling billboard arrested at Vancouver protest – but not for protesting. Vancouver Is Awesome https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/vancouver-news/man-behind-controversial-jk-rowling-billboard-arrested-at-vancouver-protest-but-not-for-protesting-2823471

UBC Students Against Bigotry (October 24, 2020)

“Christophe Elston, the transphobic insurance agent who hangs out with known fascist “John Southern,” showed up to yesterday’s Mi’kmaw solidarity rally for some reason. He was briefly detained by the VPD, and had his “I ♄ JK Rowling” sandwich board taken away.”

Slatzism (March 13, 2021). https://twitter.com/Slatzism/status/1370761412008611847

Naylor, Dave (December 31, 2020). Transgender activist Yaniv wanted by police in BC. The Western Standard. Wildrose Media Corp. [archive] https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/12/transgender-actvist-yaniv-wanted-by-police-in-bc/

Naylor, Dave (February 6, 2021). Yaniv accused of calling fire department dozens of times, making lewd remarks. The Western Standard [archive] https://westernstandardonline.com/2021/02/yaniv-accused-of-calling-fire-department-dozens-of-times-making-lewd-remarks/

Cupp, Anne Renner (March 26, 2018). [Scientology discussion page] https://www.facebook.com/groups/1097697983669219/posts/1407298826042465/?comment_id=1407325562706458&reply_comment_id=1408239902615024

“Chris Elston ingratiates himself to people to gather personal information on them and the moment they cross him, it gets splashed across the internet. He’s a known serial offender and it’s always women. Always. Ginger has been hoodwinked by a master at his craft. I was too, once. […] Maybe her new BFF who is a financial advisor should coach her on that, when he’s not too busy harassing other women.”

Hays, Gabriel (April 1, 2023). WATCH: Conservative activist bloodied and bruised at pro-trans rally in Canada: ‘Police did nothing.’ Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/media/watch-conservative-activist-bloodied-bruised-pro-trans-rally-canada-police-did-nothing

Media appearances

With Tucker Carlson

  • Billboard Chris: This is the ‘biggest child abuse scandal’ in modern medicine
  • https://www.foxnews.com/video/6311077938112
  • Appearance following Vancouver incident (April 4, 2023) [cancelled]

With Benjamin Boyce

With Wesley Yang

With Tim Pool

  • Civil War ERUPTS Inside FBI As Agents DEMAND Director Be FIRED w/Billboard Chris
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMteDh3xqc0

With James Klug

  • Talking With Child Mutilation Advocates Part 1 & 2 w/ @BillboardChris
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO8XJhzLdW4
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAv6Zv1OOIY

With Zuby

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfZg7SnMawY

With Viva Frei

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJU40JaXSC0

With The Daily Signal

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRh-biRMTv8

With Alex Stein

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29RKeRh8UxE

With Family Research Council

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7To2NBZNObk

With Vivek Ramaswamy

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIlH9mafM30

With Jennifer Lahl

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEHwo6Hrtlk

Resources

Billboard Chris (billboardchris.com)

Insurance Council of BC (portal.insurancecouncilofbc.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Gettr (gettr.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Alex Gutentag is an American writer and anti-transgender activist. Gutentag is associated with anti-trans activist Michael Shellenberger.

Background

Alexandra Kyra Ryan-Gutentag was born on September 6, 1990 to Eduardo Gutentag (born 1947) and Constance “Connie” Ryan (born 1950). Gutentag grew up in Oakland, California and earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University.

Gutentag worked in special education for eight years in New York City and was a Special Day Class teacher in Oakland Unified Schools before becoming a writer.

Gutentag has written for Tablet and Compact. Gutentag collaborated with Shellenberger at the organization Environmental Progress and on The Twitter Files reports into the platform’s COVID misinformation policies.

Anti-transgender activism

Gutentag has written anti-trans work for Public, a reflection of founder Michael Shellenberger’s immersion into anti-trans activism.

References

Alex Gutentag and Madeleine Rowley (September 11, 2023). California May Take Children From Parents Who Oppose Their Gender Transition. Public https://public.substack.com/p/california-may-take-children-from

Michael Shellenberger and Alex Gutentag (May 8, 2023). World on cusp of woke totalitarianism as governments act to end free speech. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/world-on-cusp-of-woke-totalitarianism-as-governments-act-to-end-free-speech

Resources

Twitter (twitter.com)

Tablet (tabletmag.com)

Compact (compactmag.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)

Leighton Woodhouse is an American writer, filmmaker, and anti-transgender activist. Woodhouse is closely associated with anti-trans extremists Michael Shellenberger and Bari Weiss. Woodhouse is a co-founder of anti-trans Substack Public and has written for Tablet and The Free Press.

Background

Leighton Akio Woodhouse was born on February 3, 1975 and grew up in Berkeley, California. After graduating from Berkeley High School in 1993, Woodhouse earned a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in 1997. Woodhouse earned a master’s degree from UC Berkeley in 2006.

As an adult, Woodhouse replaced the middle name Akio with Akira.

Woodhouse was a union organizer for SEIU United Healthcare Workers West. Woodhouse then worked at Brave New Films before becoming communications director for the National Union of Healthcare Workers.

Woodhouse led the voter mobilization group Driving Votes. Woodhouse has written for The Huffington Post and Calitics.

Woodhouse and spouse Carolina De La Paz Aparicio (born 1986) have one child (born 2020).

References

Woodhouse, Leighton (December 9, 2021). When the Crime Wave Hits Your Family. The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/when-the-crime-wave-hits-your-family

Resources

Leighton Woodhouse (leightonwoodhouse.com)

  • 2015-2021 [archive]
  • since 2023 redirects to writemypaperhub.com

Dog Park Media (dogparkmedia.com) [archive]

Driving Votes (drivingvotes.org) [archive]

Substack (substack.com)

Twitter (twitter.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

IMDb (imdb.com)

Tablet (tabletmag.com)

The Free Press (thefp.com)

The Intercept_ (theintercept.com)

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

.

Laura VanZee Taylor is an American anti-transgender activist who directed the 2023 anti-trans project No Way Back as “L. E. Dawes.” After Taylor’s child came out as trans, Taylor created a propaganda piece about the ex-transgender movement. Taylor and producer Penka Kouneva are responsible for including convicted sex offender David Arthur Kendall as one of the ex-trans activists they featured.

Background

Laura Elinor Van Zee was born August 26, 1970, grew up in Medford, Oregon, then earned a bachelor’s degree from Lewis & Clark College in 1992 and a master’s degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1994.

VanZee Taylor’s husband Jason Daniel Taylor (born 1970) is an executive at Facebook/Meta. They met in college, married in 1992, and have two children: Occidental College student Elinor “Ellie” Taylor and a teen who came out as trans, which sparked VanZee Taylor’s anti-trans activism.

VanZee Taylor was a creative director for Hallmark Cards in Missouri before becoming a stay-at-home parent. In 2010, after a “a mini-midlife crisis” at age 40, VanZee Taylor began making videos.

Previous media

  • I Am Maris (ROCO Films 2017) profiles Maris Degener, a yoga instructor who experienced significant body image issues as a teen
  • Walk Through This (2018) profiles Sara Schulting Kranz, whose spouse came out as bisexual 17 years into their marriage
  • “If Siri Was a Mom” (2016) showcases Whitney Cicero / The New Stepford
  • “Somewhere” (2014) features VanZee Taylor’s family

VanZee-Taylor styles both fake and real names in numerous ways:

  • L. E. Dawes
  • L.E. Dawes
  • L E Dawes
  • LE Dawes
  • Laura VanZee
  • Laura Van Zee
  • Laura V. Taylor
  • Laura VanZee-Taylor
  • Laura VanZee Taylor
  • Laura Van Zee Taylor

Anti-transgender activism

VanZee Taylor became involved in anti-transgender activism because their younger child identified as gender diverse. VanZee Taylor then connected with other unsupportive parents from the anti-trans “parental rights” movement:

COVID-19 had been hard on my youngest. Previously an extroverted, active and affectionate boy, over the lockdown he became quiet, easily agitated and withdrawn. He spent most of his time online. Then he told us he was transgender.

He said he wanted puberty blockers and then he would go on estrogen. He matter-of-factly stated that he didn’t plan on getting “bottom surgery,” but would probably want electrolysis, voice training and facial feminizing surgery such as a tracheal shave. He knew our insurance would cover it all.

My husband and I were shocked at his pronouncement. Not because we are transphobic, but because our son had never exhibited any discomfort with his body or identity. […]

I joined a local support group with more than 100 members for parents of kids with rapid-onset gender dysphoria. Hearing their stories, with so many similarities to ours, I couldn’t help but think that something other than kids finding their authentic selves was going on here. […]

And that is why I made this film. Even if my community disapproves. Even if I have to use a pseudonym to protect my son.

In the course of attacking 300,000 American children, VanZee Taylor outed their own child in the Dallas Morning News in 2023, even though their child was not out at school.

VanZee Taylor claims “I have to use a pseudonym to protect my son,” apparently feeling the best way to protect this teen was to divulge deeply personal family information in a major newspaper to promote anti-transgender propaganda.

In June 2023, this site revealed the identities of VanZee Taylor and producer Penka Kouneva and helped get theatrical screenings at AMC canceled.

As of 2024, their trans child Ruby Taylor is out, transitioned, and in college. Kouneva’s child has also transitioned. Despite this, Kouneva and Taylor continue to post anti-trans propaganda online, primarily on the 2022affirmation account.

References

Dawes, L. E. (February 17, 2023). OPINION Filmmaker: I believed in gender affirming care. Then I saw what happened to my son. Dallas Morning News https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2023/02/18/i-made-a-film-about-transgender-kids-that-doesnt-align-with-my-politics/

KOBI-TV (April 18, 2018). Five on 5 – Laura VanZee Taylor – Film Maker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzgUen2rQq0

Osborne, Matt (February 19, 2023). Affirmation Generation: The Lies Of Transgender Medicine. The Distance https://www.thedistancemag.com/p/affirmation-generation-the-lies-of

PITT (February 21, 2023). AFFIRMATION GENERATION, an original documentary. Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans (PITT). https://pitt.substack.com/p/affirmation-generation-an-original

Resources

Peanut Monkey Films (peanutmonkeyfilms.com)

Laura VanZee (lauravanzee.com)

No Way Back (nowaybackfilm.com)

Affirmation Generation (affirmationgenerationmovie.com) [archive]

Vimeo (vimeo.com)

IMDb (imdb.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Twitter (twitter.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

TikTok (tiktok.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

ROCO Films (rocofilms.com)

Walk Through This (walkthroughthis.com) [archive starts in 2018]

Open Corporates (opencorporates.com)

Mia Hughes, aka “Mia Ashton” and “Mia Sedley,” is a Canada-based British writer and anti-transgender extremist.

Hughes is associated with anti-trans group Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (caWsbar) and is closely associated with American anti-trans extremist Michael Shellenberger. Hughes is key author of The WPATH Files, a 2024 propaganda piece funded by Environmental Progress featuring Hughes’ distorted explanations of non-public communication by WPATH members. Hughes is associated with anti-trans hate group Genspect as Director of Genspect Canada and is a Senior Fellow at Canada’s conservative Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Hughes co-hosts anti-trans podcast Beyond Gender with Genspect founder Stella O’Malley.

Background

Hughes is from Cheshire, a rural county south of Liverpool and Manchester.

Hughes taught in Taiwan for almost ten years after college. Hughes met a Canadian citizen there, and they married there and had their first child there. Hughes and spouse moved to Ottawa in around 2011 and now have three children. Hughes was a stay-at-home parent who began homeschooling their children: “I got to spend a precious decade with my children while they were young.”

Hughes has published under several names, including:

  • “Mia Sedley”
  • “Mia Ashton”
  • “Mia Hughes”

Hughes has written for anti-trans publications The Post Millennial, The Critic, Lesbian and Gay News, Environmental Progress, and Gender Dissent.

Anti-transgender activism

Hughes was radicalized by a tweet by J.K. Rowling on December 19, 2019 that supported anti-trans activist Maya Forstater:

Hughes stated in 2022:

There were signs that I wasn’t truly woke, and then it was a very rapid change from the tweet, JK’s tweet. I read it and I just couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. And I even asked woke friends, I went into it on Facebook: “I don’t see what the fuss is about.” And that was the first time that I experienced something of a pile-on, where they were all calling her a TERF and trying to show me why it was hateful, and I just couldn’t see why it was hateful at all. And so I plunged down a rabbit hole that possibly I wish I’d never gone down. Then I emerged as a fully fledged TERF. I was outraged about what I had learned and just started tweeting about it.

“Ashton” (2022)

Hughes was soon suspended by Twitter for anti-transgender posts, then created a new ban evasion account.

Hughes writes for anti-trans extremist Michael Shellenberger. A profile at the non-profit Environmental Progress stated Hughes focused on “the controversy of pediatric medical transition and how trans rights collide with the rights of women and the LGB community.” Shellenberger retained Hughes to write at the for-profit Substack and podcast called Public. Hughes has contributed the majority of anti-trans content there. Hughes continues to do anti-trans work under the aegis of Environmental Progress, including The WPATH Files, a 2024 propaganda piece featuring Hughes’ distorted explanations of non-public communication by WPATH members.

Maëlys McArdle profiled Hughes in 2023:

Mia is a founding member of caWsbar, an advocacy group focused on one issue: denying trans people rights. It was part of a wave of anti-trans organizations using the sex-based rights dog whistle. She along with a local group of bigots are linked to multiple transphobic incidents in Ottawa, which I’ve previously covered here, here, here, and here.

Mia Ashton participated in the mob along with National Post columnist Rupa Subramanya and another active member of that local group, @MrsDrBee on Twitter.

McArdle (2023)

Beyond Gender

In 2025, Hughes launched the anti-trans podcast Beyond Gender with Stella O’Malley and Bret Alderman.

References

Lourenco, Denio (August 13, 2025). This Canadian think tank is claiming ‘victory’ over anti-trans legislation: The Macdonald-Laurier Institute routinely publishes material targeting trans rights. Xtra* https://xtramagazine.com/power/politics/macdonald-laurier-institute-think-tank-policy-trans-275781

Gingerich, Mia (April 3, 2024). San Fransicko author Michael Shellenberger laid out a plan to attack the scientific consensus behind gender-affirming care. Some mainstream outlets took the bait. Media Matters https://www.mediamatters.org/sinclair-broadcast-group/san-fransicko-author-michael-shellenberger-laid-out-plan-attack-scientific

Urquhart, Evan (March 5, 2024). Actually Nothing: The Non-Starter Non-Story of the WPATH Files. Assigned Media https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/wpath-nothingburger-waste-of-time

McArdle, Maëlys (June 11, 2023). Anti-trans mob in Ottawa. https://www.maelys.bio/2023/06/anti-trans-mob-in-ottawa/

Kelleher, Patrick (Mar 28 2022). Gender-critical outlet Lesbian and Gay News shuts down due to lack of support and advertising. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2022/03/28/lesbian-gay-news-shut-down-david-bridle/

Coverage in anti-trans press

Levy, Sue-Ann (April 25, 2022). Women’s rights activist warns gender dysphoria has become an epidemic. True North https://tnc.news/2022/04/25/levy-womens-rights-activist-warns-gender-dysphoria-has-become-an-epidemic/

Linehan, Graham (April 24, 2022). One woman’s guide to peaking the wokest of the woke. https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/one-womans-guide-to-peaking-the-wokest

Selected anti-trans writing by Hughes

Hughes, Mia (July 7, 2025). Mia Hughes: Alberta judge relies on myth that gender drugs are lifesaving. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/mia-hughes-alberta-judge-relies-on-myth-that-gender-drugs-are-lifesaving

Hughes, Mia (June 6, 2025). Mia Hughes: Canadian Medical Association wants to force Alberta to ignore science on gender care. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/mia-hughes-canadian-medical-association-wants-to-force-alberta-to-ignore-science-on-gender-care

Hughes, Mia (May 19, 2025). Mia Hughes: Nova Scotia ignores growing evidence against youth gender affirming care. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/mia-hughes-nova-scotia-ignores-growing-evidence-against-youth-gender-affirming-care

Hughes, Mia (April 24, 2025). Mia Hughes: Canada must launch review of paediatric gender clinic practices. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/mia-hughes-canada-must-launch-review-of-paediatric-gender-clinic-practices

Hughes, Mia (April 24, 2025). Mia Hughes: Canada’s courts must protect women’s sex-based rights, like the U.K. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/mia-hughes-canadas-courts-must-protect-womens-sex-based-rights-like-the-u-k

Hughes, Mia (April 18, 2025). HUGHES: Canadian Paediatric Society’s journal follows gender ideology and ignores the science. Toronto Sun https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/hughes-canadian-paediatric-societys-journal-follows-gender-ideology-and-ignores-the-science

Hughes, Mia (March 18, 2025). How gender activists stole the media, distorted medicine, and hurt Canadian kids. Inside Policy https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/how-gender-activists-stole-the-media-distorted-medicine-and-hurt-canadian-kids-mia-hughes-for-inside-policy/

Hughes, Mia (February 17, 2025). Mia Hughes: Kids deserve more than slogans when it comes to gender medicine. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/kids-deserve-more-than-slogans-when-it-comes-to-gender-medicine

Hughes, Mia; Copeland, Peter (January 27, 2025). Canada must follow the Brits—and the science—and ban puberty blockers. The Hub https://thehub.ca/2025/01/27/mia-hughes-and-peter-copeland-canada-must-follow-the-brits-and-the-science-and-ban-puberty-blockers/

Hughes, Mia; Copeland, Peter (December 10, 2024). Prison-onset gender dysphoria – a new low for women’s dignity: Mia Hughes and Peter Copeland for Inside Policy. Inside Policy https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/prison-onset-dysphoria-a-new-low-for-womens-dignity-mia-hughes-and-peter-copeland-for-inside-policy/

Hughes, Mia (March 4, 2024). The WPATH Files. Environmental Progress https://environmentalprogress.org/big-news/wpath-files

Media

Genspect (January 29, 2025). There is no such thing as a transgender child. – Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VCg-VKwoZRs

The Epoch Times (November 4, 2024). Leaked Files Reveal Trans Medicine Harms: Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IZLTTtO1EU

Genspect (November 2, 2024). How Misguided Diagnoses Fuel Irreversible Harm – Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBLFvzDZAU8

Stanford Classical Liberalism Initiative (October 24, 2024) Classical Liberalism Seminar – Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_JZXzocqd8

Andrew Gold (May 19, 2024). 410. Is Transgender A Mental Illness? – Mia Hughes. On the Edge with Andrew Gold https://www.patreon.com/posts/is-transgender-104543977

Stephanie Winn (Some Kind of Therapist) (April 29, 2024). 107. Exposing Gender Malpractice: Mia Hughes on the WPATH Files, Medical Ethics, & Informed Consent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HebkVt5GDIU

Macdonald-Laurier Institute with Aaron Wudrick and Mia Hughes (April 25, 2024). How a trans activist group undermined medical science / Aaron Wudrick and Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7CjBc3102g

Gender: A Wider Lens (March 23, 2024). Premium: How Has WPATH Responded to the Leaked Files?

Gender: A Wider Lens (March 21, 2024). “WPATH Has No Respect for Medical Ethics” with Mia Hughes | Episode 156. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikM6ziYLb4c

Meghan Daum and Sarah Haider (March 10, 2024). Activists in Charge: Major Disregard for Ethics at Transgender Health Authority Revealed. A Special Place in Hell https://aspecialplace.substack.com/p/activists-in-charge-major-disregard

Resources

X/Twitter (x.com)

Substack (substack.com)

Lesbian and Gay News (lesbianandgaynews.com) [archive]

Human Events (humanevents.com)

National Post (nationalpost.com)

  • Mia Hughes
  • nationalpost.com/search/?search_text=%22mia+hughes%22

The Post Millennial (thepostmillennial.com)

  • Mia Ashton
  • thepostmillennial.com/author/mia-ashton

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)

The Critic (thecritic.co.uk)

  • Mia Ashton [Mia Sedley]
  • thecritic.co.uk/author/mia-sedley

Macdonald-Laurier Institute (macdonaldlaurier.ca)

  • Mia Hughes
  • macdonaldlaurier.ca/cm-expert/mia-hughes

Jennifer Block is an American writer and anti-transgender activist. Block is a key historical figure in 21st-century media attacks on trans healthcare.

Block is an embedded reporter with anti-trans hate groups like Genspect, attending their events and laundering their extremist views into mainstream media, most notably into The BMJ before the journal’s owner, the British Medical Association, shut Block down.

Overview

Block believes that US medical consensus about care for trans and gender diverse youth is a scandal in the making. As similar bigots in media did in the late 1970s, Block keeps rewriting the same FUD propaganda piece and selling it to different outlets. The 1979 backlash eliminated healthcare options for many trans people that took four decades to reverse, and Block is at the forefront of this new backlash against our children.

Block’s work focuses on several anti-transgender positions:

  • disease models of gender diversity, especially “gender dysphoria”
  • psychological gatekeeping as a model of care
  • supporting strict gatekeeping of trans healthcare via centralized government control, developed under nationalized heath systems (so-called “gender clinics”) in the 20th century
  • the “rapid onset gender dysphoria” (ROGD) disease model: “More adolescents with no history of gender dysphoria—predominantly birth registered females—are presenting at gender clinics.”
  • disproportionately amplifying outliers and bad outcomes: Andrew Martinez (suicide) and Chloe Cole (ex-trans movement)
  • not describing a single positive outcome
  • the ex-trans movement, especially “detransitioners“

Background

Jennifer Lori “Jen” Block was born on November 22, 1976 to surgeon Leonard Block (born 1948) and Roberta Block (born 1947). Block has two siblings. Block’s parents divorced, which may explain Block’s animosity toward the medical establishment.

Block earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Boston University in 1998. Block held editorial roles at Ms. magazine, Plenty, Our Bodies, Ourselves, and The OpEd Project.

Block’s articles and commentary have appeared in The BMJ, The Washington Post Magazine, Newsweek, The Cut, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Pacific Standard, The Baffler, and Type Investigations (formerly The Investigative Fund at the Nation Institute).

Block is author of Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care (2007) and Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Care Needs a Feminist Revolution (2019).

“Mommy bloggers” and their fans are especially susceptible to anti-transgender radicalization and social contagion. Block thanks fellow anti-trans extremist Lisa Selin Davis in the acknowledgements for Pushed.

BMJ article series, 2023–

In 2023, Block was commissioned to write an investigative piece for The BMJ. The resulting piece was deeply slanted toward the views of conservative clinicians and anti-transgender activists.

An accompanying video featured conservative therapists Laura Edwards-Leeper and Erica Anderson, and gender-affirming endocrinologist Joshua Safer.

In 2025, Block revealed that The BMJ had commissioned more work, but the British Medical Association killed it following negative response to Block’s 2023 article and video.

Supporters

Anti-trans activist Helen Joyce said of Block’s article: “Fantastic article, and so important that it appears in BMJ.” Anti-trans organization Rethink Identity Medicine Ethics also liked the piece.

It was also liked and shared by several of Block’s peers, including Sean CW Korsgaard, Liz Highleyman, Mark Tighe, Sonia Gallego, Michael Marshall (@m_c_marshall), Kevin Bass, Vinay Prassad, Dr. Dina McMillan, Milli Hill, Julia Mason, Moti Gorin, Charlotte Schubert, and Benjamin Ryan.

The staff at The BMJ issued a statement:

The BMJ believes in investigative journalism as a force for change. Over the past decade, our investigative journalism has unearthed research fraud and misconduct, prompted improvements in the transparency of clinical research, led to changes in guidelines and clinical practice, and triggered parliamentary inquiries.

High quality investigative journalism requires time to research, gather evidence, and ask questions. Developing in-depth stories is expensive, and we actively seek external funding to help expand our efforts. Current no-strings funding comes from Arnold Ventures and William McGuire. Past supporters include the European Commission and Open Society Foundations. In 2022, we hope to expand our impact through crowdfunding. If you would like to support us, please contact Head of Journalism Rebecca Coombes.

We retain editorial independence—the freedom of editors to make decisions without interference from any funders—for all content that is produced and published; all decisions are taken strictly within the editorial structures of the journal.

If you have a story for us, please contact [email protected].

Rebecca Coombes, Head of Journalism
Peter Doshi, Senior editor
Madlen Davies, Investigations editor
Jennifer Block, Investigations reporter
Hristio Boytchev, Freelance investigations reporter

Critics

The Association of LGBTQ+ Doctors & Dentists (GLADD), Pride in Surgery Forum, and the British Medical Association all published criticisms of the piece.

British Medical Association deputy council chair Emma Runswick said:

We have recently written to the BMJ, which is editorially independent, to challenge its article “Gender dysphoria in young people is rising—and so is professional disagreement” and express our concern, that alongside criticisms made by LGTBQ+ organisations such as GLADD and neurodivergent doctors, in our view, it lacks equality, diversity and inclusion awareness and patient voice. That the article has been used by transphobic lobby groups around the world is of particular concern to us.

2023 Twitter responses

Block was very unhappy about being called out for bias, posting a number of times on Twitter about this alleged mistreatment, suggesting any criticism is an attack on journalism as an institution.

February 27

  • Since my @bmj_latest piece on care for gender dysphoria in minors, some are curious about my background. I’ve been reporting on contested areas of medicine for 20 years. I wrote a book about the gap between evidence and routine practice in maternity care (still quite large!).
  • Politicization gets people no closer to evidence-based maternity care either, and I’d argue it hampered work toward expanding rights and reducing maternal mortality. In states that have advanced birth justice, it’s the result of red/blue folks accepting they have a common goal.
  • I see dismissing any clinician or researcher who has concerns about the best treatment for kids/adolescents in the face of inconclusive evidence as “anti-trans” as an attempt to silence important conversation and debate. I hope my piece is contributing.
  • FWIW, the organizer of the AAP rally I spoke with, who directed me to video footage, is a lifelong coastal democrat. You can’t just smear every person with concerns RE treatments, or the concerns themselves, as “anti-trans.” At least I’m not going to be baited into that tautology

March 3

  • https://twitter.com/writingblock/status/1631768413378084864
  • TLDR: Dear reporters, don’t report on transgender medicine. Don’t be curious about detransition or medical disagreement. Label the above anti-trans. Quote children of all ages rather than research. Cover “trans joy rather than the ‘difficult’ questions.”

March 5 [referring to anti-trans media figure Michael Knowles saying transgenderism must be eliminated.

  • https://twitter.com/writingblock/status/1632464903046066177
  • THIS is anti-trans–and violent and inhumane. Reporting on disagreement and unknowns in medical practice for children with gender dysphoria is not. Both the trans community and journos can condemn such rhetoric and support open exchange of info & dialogue to support Rx decisions

This is in response to an opinion piece by trans journalist Katelyn Burns.

  • [referring to https://nbcuacademy.com/trans-kids-journalism/#.ZAIfHq868m8.twitter]
  • OK, this was a snarky tweet. But it’s a serious issue. A certain corner of journalism is conflating necessary, important reporting on the issue of medical treatment for kids with transphobia. I read this piece as saying “look over here, don’t look over there.” That’s advocacy.
  • Maybe @transscribe is not familiar with my recent piece looking into the evidence base for treatments like puberty blockers and hormones in minors. She can correct me if I’m wrong, but I read her how-to as discouraging such reporting.
  • “A story about trans health care should make clear all the facts… They should include that nearly every major medical association supports the current protocol of gender-affirming care for minors.” Well, as I report, consensus does not equal evidence-based practice.
  • Reviews in Sweden, Finland, and now UK have made clear the uncertainties and potential for harm, and those countries are pulling back on medicalization and focusing instead on mental health and social support. They are not denying anyone’s existence. It’s not political there.
  • For years, these labels of “anti-trans” “transphobe” and accusations of genocide have scared journalists who are obviously not those things from pursuing reasonable questions about benefit v. harm of medical treatment. This is regressive and I hope we’re moving past it.

Author Katelyn Burns replied “but you obscured the biases of the sources your piece depended upon. that’s advocacy.”

Block said:

  • https://twitter.com/writingblock/status/1632446552668266496
  • You haven’t pointed to any such thing. Everyone is ID’d with their relationship to professional orgs. The research methodologists who evaluated the guidelines/evidence base have no history with this issue whatsoever. Just hurling the label of “anti-trans” doesn’t make it so.

2024 Free Press piece attacking Planned Parenthood

Free Press founder Bari Weiss is known for sustained attacks on trans rights. Weiss paid Block to continue these attacks by attacking Planned Parenthood.

In 2024, Block employed the same rhetoric used in anti-abortion regret propaganda in a profile of Cristina Hineman, an ex-trans activist who reports regret about making a gender transition as a consenting adult. Block then approvingly describes the legal assault on Planned Parenthood initiated by Hineman. Block then tells a similar story about “Anna,” likely the plaintiff in a similar Jane Doe lawsuit. Throughout the piece, Block denigrates trans-supportive physicians and promotes anti-trans gatekeepers like Riittakerttu Kaltiala.

2025 short film

In July 2025, Block started a Substack titled Unpopular Science. Its first post was a short propaganda piece produced with Eric S. Vaughan titled “The Liberal Case for Rethinking Gender Medicine.” Block notes:

“The genesis for this film was the investigative feature I wrote for The BMJ, which came out in February 2023. My editors committed serious resources toward producing a high-quality video component. But my print piece drew the ire of the British Medical Association, which owns the journal, and ultimately the video and follow-up reporting were killed.”

The piece features anti-trans activists Jamie Reed and Lauren Leggieri from LGB Courage Coalition, as well as Hilary Cass, Hannah Barnes, Zhenya Abbruzzese, Laura Edwards-Leeper, and Moti Gorin. It continues Block’s attacks on WPATH, Rachel Levine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

References

Urquhart, Evan (November 8, 2023). If Gender Affirming Care Doesn’t Have Enough Evidence, Should We Prefer a Treatment With None? Assigned Media https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/if-gender-affirming-care-doesnt-have-enough-evidence-should-we-prefer-a-treatment-with-none

Runswick, Emma (June 19, 2023). Take Pride in progress. The Doctor https://www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/take-pride-in-progress

Selected anti-trans writing by Block

Block, Jennifer (July 8, 2025). The most heated and divisive issue of our time — in 18 minutes. Unpopular Science https://jenniferblockauthor.substack.com/p/the-most-heated-and-divisive-issue

Block J (October 2024). Dispute arises over World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s involvement in WHO’s trans health guideline. BMJ, q2227. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q2227

Block, Jennifer (August 7, 2024). How Did Planned Parenthood Become One of the Country’s Largest Suppliers of Testosterone? The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/how-did-planned-parenthood-become

Block J (May 2024). Gender medicine in the US: how the Cass review failed to land. BMJ, q1141. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q1141

Block, Jennifer (November 7, 2023). Youth gender medicine has become a hall of mirrors. Boston Globe http://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/07/opinion/gender-affirming-care-trans-kids

Block J (August 2023). US paediatric leaders back gender affirming approach while also ordering evidence review. BMJ, p1877. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p1877

Block, Jennifer (March 6, 2023). Raft of US state laws restrict access to treatments for gender dysphoria. BMJ 2023; 380 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p533

Block, Jennifer (February 23, 2023). Gender dysphoria in young people is rising—and so is professional disagreement. BMJ 2023; 380 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p382

  • “her article contains several misleading statements and, crucially, fails to include the perspective of individuals from the trans and gender diverse (TGD) community”
  • Zoe Kristensen and David B Menkes [Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand] (06 March 2023). Professional responses to gender dysphoria: reality checks needed. https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p382/rr-3
  • “the mention of neurodivergence when speaking about transgender people is to imply that there is less capacity for making good choices about our bodies, evaluating risks and benefits.”
  • “Samira Khan,” Matthew Sellen, and Bethan Carey Jones [neurodivergent health professionals] (16 March 2023). Diversity in gender identity and neurotypes. https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p382/rr-8

Resources

Jennifer Block (jenniferblock.com)

Substack (substack.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

The Free Press (thefp.com)

Emily Yoffe is an American author and anti-transgender activist. Yoffe’s anti-trans coverage in The Free Press was rewarded by the Trump administration, which gave Yoffe the exclusive on their January 2025 executive order “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”

Background

Emily Joy Yoffe was born October 15, 1955. Yoffe graduated from Wellesley College in 1977.

In 1994 Yoffe married reporter John Douglas Mintz (born 1952). Their child Eliora Rose Mintz (born 1995) is a lawyer.

Yoffe wrote the “Dear Prudence” advice column for Slate from 2006 to 2015.

Anti-transgender activism

In 2020, Yoffe signed the “Harper’s Letter,” which featured many other anti-trans activists in Yoffe’s circle.

Yoffe was a frequent guest on anti-transgender podcast The Femsplainers hosted by Danielle Crittenden and Christina Hoff Sommers. 

Yoffe contributed to the anti-trans publication The Free Press in 2022 and joined the staff later that year.

Jamie Reed allegations

In 2023, Jamie Reed came forward to complain about treatment protocols at employer Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Republican Ernie Trakas joined Vernadette Broyles in representing Reed. Both are involved in the Child and Parental Rights Campaign, which claims “gender ideology” is a threat to children.

Yoffe interviewed Reed with Broyles and Bari Weiss.

“Caroline” allegations

Also in 2023, Yoffe followed up with a self-report from “Caroline,” an unsupportive parent of “Casey,” who attended the St. Louis Clinic. “Casey”disputed Yoffe’s reporting, feeling it was necessary to do so under the actual name Alex:

My name is Alex. Emily Yoffe and Bari Weiss worked in cooperation with my mom to write an article about our experience with Washington University. The article is filled with falsehoods and misconceptions. Now, my family is being threatened with legal action from big-time lawyers and we need help paying for legal defense. More at https://twitter.com/sleepyoktobur/status/1643347040250781706?s=46

(GoFundMe)

Yoffe has since uplifted other anti-trans activists, including Jesse Singal, Leor Sapir, J. Michael Bailey, and Lisa Selin Davis.

Eithan Haim and children’s stolen medical records

In May 2024, Texas surgeon Eithan Haim was charged with illegally obtaining the private medical records of pediatric patients receiving gender transition care at Texas Children’s Hospital and sharing them with anti-trans activist Christopher Rufo. Yoffe presented Haim as a heroic truth-teller in several Free Press articles. In 2025, the Trump administration dropped the charges against Haim.

References

Burns, Katelyn (April 13, 2023 11:59). Won’t somebody think of the children? OPINION: When media publish trans kids’ medical histories without their full consent, they thrust them into a harmful spotlight. Xtra* https://xtramagazine.com/health/trans-kids-free-press-249066

McNeill, Zane (April 11, 2023). Trans Teen Calls Out Right-Wing Reporter for Publishing Story Without Consent. Truthout https://truthout.org/articles/trans-teen-calls-out-right-wing-reporter-for-publishing-story-without-consent/

Urquhart, Evan (April 6, 2023). Emily Yoffe Takes Sides Against a Vulnerable Youth. Assigned Media https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/emily-yoffe-takes-sides

Riedel, Samantha (April 6, 2023). A Trans Teen Is Debunking an Article That Attacked Their Gender Clinic. them https://www.them.us/story/trans-teen-debunking-gender-clinic-article

Hansford, Amelia (April 6, 2023). Teen hits back after mum shares fake news about puberty blockers: ‘This is my story, not hers.’ PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/04/06/puberty-blockers-transition-story-the-free-press/

Wiggins, Christopher (April 5, 2023). Mom’s Interview With Anti-Trans Media Draws Criticism After Teen Responds. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/media/transgender-teen-mother-interview

Bassett, Laura (April 4, 2023). Gender Fluid Teen Pushes Back Against ‘False’ Viral Story Their Mom Gave to Conservative Outlet. Jezebel https://jezebel.com/gender-fluid-teen-pushes-back-against-false-viral-story-1850301057

Schrappen, Colleen (March 5, 2023. Parents push back on allegations against St. Louis transgender center. ‘I’m baffled..’ STLtoday.com https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/parents-push-back-on-allegations-against-st-louis-transgender-center-i-m-baffled/article_a94bc4d2-e68b-535f-b0c7-9fefb9e8e9f4.html

Hanshaw, Annelise (March 1, 2023). Families dispute whistleblower’s allegations against St. Louis transgender center. Missouri Independent https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/01/transgender-st-louis-whistleblower/

Munz, Michele (February 19, 2023). Choice of lawyers for whistleblower at St. Louis transgender clinic taints her motive, critics say. St. Louis Post-Dispatch https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/choice-of-lawyers-for-whistleblower-at-st-louis-transgender-clinic-taints-her-motive-critics-say/article_7b36198a-af0d-57cf-a06c-f45952b3b307.html

Hail Flory, Julie (February 9, 2023). Statement on Transgender Center – The Source – Washington University in St. Louis. The Source https://source.wustl.edu/2023/02/statement-on-transgender-center/

Missouri Attorney General’s Office (February 9, 2023). Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey Confirms Launch of Multi-Agency Investigation into St. Louis Transgender Center for Harming Hundreds of Children. https://ago.mo.gov/home/news/2023/02/09/missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey-confirms-launch-of-multi-agency-investigation-into-st.-louis-transgender-center-for-harming-hundreds-of-children

Cruz, Eliel (August 28, 2014). GLAAD Condemns Slate‘s Emily Yoffe’s Advice. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/bisexuality/2014/08/28/glaad-condemns-slates-emily-yoffes-advice

Staff report (September 18, 1994). Weddings – Emily J. Yoffe, John D. Mintz. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/18/style/weddings-emily-j-yoffe-john-d-mintz.html

Selected anti-trans writing by Yoffe

Yoffe, Emily (June 18, 2025). The End of Youth Gender Transition? The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/the-end-of-youth-gender-transition

Yoffe, Emily (January 24, 2025). Eithan Haim: ‘We Took On the Federal Leviathan and We Won.’ The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/eithan-haim-we-took-on-the-federal

Yoffe, Emily (January 19, 2025). EXCLUSIVE: Trump’s Day One Executive Order on ‘Male and Female.’ The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/trumps-day-one-executive-order-male-female-gender-ideology-pronouns

Yoffe, Emily (June 18, 2024). Whistleblower Surgeon Could Face a Decade in Prison. The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/whistleblower-surgeon-eithan-haim-prison

Yoffe, Emily (June 10, 2024). A Doctor Told the Truth. The Feds Showed Up at His Door. The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/eithan-haim-gender-distressed-children-indicted

Yoffe, Emily (April 3, 2023). ‘I Felt Bullied’: Mother of Child Treated at Transgender Center Speaks Out. The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/i-felt-bullied-mother-of-child-treated

Yoffe, Emily (February 14, 2023). Jamie Reed Blows the Whistle on Pediatric Gender Care. The Free Press. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6sPG7gleOs&t=631s

Yoffe, Emily (June 27, 2022). Biden’s Sex Police. The Free Press https://www.thefp.com/p/bidens-sex-police

Yoffe, Emily (July 21, 2020). A Taxonomy of Fear: There is a pattern in the way speech is silenced. Understanding it can help us stand up to the illiberalism of this moment. Persuasion https://www.persuasion.community/p/a-taxonomy-of-fear

Yoffe, Emily and signatories (July 7, 2020). A Letter on Justice and Open Debate. Harper’s https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/

Yoffe, Emily (March 20, 2014). Dear Prudence Need to Know: My ex didn’t reveal she was transgender—until her sister told me. Slate https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/03/dear-prudence-my-ex-didnt-tell-me-she-was-transgender-until-i-confronted-her.html

Yoffe, Emily (November 20, 2012). He Becomes Her: In a live chat, Prudie advises a woman falling out of love with her transgender husband. Slate https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/11/dear-prudence-do-i-have-to-stay-with-my-transgender-husband.html

Media

Manhattan Insights with Yael Hungerford, Abigail Shrier and Emily Yoffe (March 7, 2024). Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up | A Conversation with Abigail Shrier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHBILSnloCc

myhomie2taro (April 9, 2023). Trans Teen FIGHTS BACK Against Bari Weiss And Emily Yoffe’s Poor Reporting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q1pGZfPWD4

The Free Press with Bari Weiss, Jamie Reed and Vernadette Broyles (February 14, 2023). Jamie Reed Blows the Whistle on Pediatric Gender Care. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6sPG7gleOs

The Good Fight with Yascha Mounk and Emily Yoffe (March 8, 2021). Intent Matters – The Good Fight with Yascha Mounk (Emily Yoffe). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp0SuhEOiI0

The Femsplainers with Danielle Crittenden and Emily Yoffe (Augist 1, 2020). “Use Your Words! Wait, No Cancel That…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IrbKc5UDwU

Resources

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Facebook (facebook.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)

Denise Caignon is an American author and anti-transgender extremist.

Caignon founded anti-transgender site 4thWaveNow in 2015 and has appeared in the media under a number of aliases, including:

  • “Marie Verite”
  • “Denise Canaan”
  • “Janette Miller”

Caignon’s site became one of the most prominent transphobic platforms, surviving a purge of similar anti-trans sites that violated hosts’ terms of service. Caignon is a key developer of the controversial “rapid onset gender dysphoria” diagnosis. Caignon’s child Chiara Caignon-Lewis is a prominent member of the “ex-trans” wing of anti-trans activists.

Background

Denise Jeanette Caignon was born in 1955 to a family that moved frequently. After graduating from Louisville Collegiate School in 1973, Caignon soon moved to California and began getting involved in second-wave feminism.

Self-defense and “take back the night” initiatives were an important focus of second-wave feminism starting in the 1970s. The belief was that direct confrontation can exert community control over rapists’ behavior. In 1972, not long before Caignon’s arrival, Santa Cruz Women Against Rape (SCWAR) was founded as an “alternative anti-Rape organization in which women support women.” The non-hierarchical collective had many lesbian members and offered a 24-hour rape hotline and free self-defense workshops. They also maintained a published list profiling alleged male rapists, assaulters, and harassers. They were later sued by someone on the list.

One of the women involved with the SCWAR hotline was queer activist Gail Groves. During six years working on the rape hotline, Groves realized that many stereotypes about sexual assault were inaccurate. Caignon and Groves studied judo together, and they soon founded Santa Cruz Women’s Self-Defense Teaching Cooperative. They also founded Women Who Resist: The Success Story Project to catalog strategies for preventing and surviving a sexual assault. In 1987, they published these first-hand reports as Her Wits About Her: Self-Defense Success Stories by Women. They taught a class that role-played real situations, recommending that students prepare for common issues like attack cues and verbal abuse from attackers.

Caignon has helped produce other publications and served as an editor of the Buddhist publication Turning Wheel for many years, guest editing three issues: intentional communities, engaged lives, and fundamentalism. Caignon ended that work in 1999 to spend more time with spouse Tim Lewis and their child Chiara.

After living in California for 27 years, Caignon moved to North Carolina and studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to be a speech-language pathologist. In keeping with a longstanding interest in intentional communities, Caignon has a residence in a cohousing community in Carrboro. Caignon earned a master’s degree in 2007 and practiced in the area until retiring in 2014. Caignon’s focus was on aphasia related to strokes. Caignon helped develop Life Interest and Value (LIV) Cards, a way for people with speech loss to improve communication.

Chiara Caignon-Lewis

Caignon’s only child Chiara Caignon-Lewis was born in 1997. As an adolescent, Chiara was heavily active on Tumblr, and at one point alleged on the platform to have experienced sexual abuse as a child by Chiara’s seminal parent. These allegations align with the date of Denise Caignon’s sudden move to North Carolina after 27 years in California.

Because Denise Caignon’s entire life, career, and identity were built around preventing sexual assault, these allegations must have been completely devastating. If true, Denise Caignon failed to prevent the sexual assault that was the most deeply personal. Denise Caignon’s guilt and rage needed an outlet, and Chiara soon provided one.

Chiara began identifying as transgender online in 2013, at age 16. Chiara had already come out as queer and had started dating, but an incident at school had left Chiara with few friends in real life. Chiara turned to online communities, claiming that popular trans users on Tumblr and YouTube caused a multi-year obsession with transition.

At age 17, Chiara came out to Denise via a texted link to a gender clinic. Denise refused to let Chiara take medical transition steps, which led to a lot of fighting. At the height of the fighting, Denise got heavily involved with posting anti-transgender materials online and attending trans-exclusionary events. In an interview with Chiara, Denise said:

“I was fortunate to be able to meet two detransitioners I’d discovered online in person when I attended the Michigan Women’s Music Festival in 2015.”

In 2015, Denise sent Chiara to a Florida horse farm for nine months, after which Chiara claims the desire to transition subsided without taking any legal or medical steps. Denise and Chiara then teamed up to be one of the most high-profile famiies in the modern ex-trans movement.

Unlike the second-wave feminism of Caignon’s youth, third-wave feminism is largely trans-inclusive. Caignon’s site name 4thWaveNow is a call to replace that third-wave feminism with a transphobic fourth wave.

References

Southern Poverty Law Center (December 12, 2023). Foundations of the Contemporary Anti-LGBTQ+ Pseudoscience Network. https://www.splcenter.org/resources/reports/foundations/

Haley KL, Womack JL, Helm-Estabrooks N, Caignon D, McCulloch KL (2010). The Life Interest and Values Cards. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Department of Allied Health Sciences.

McIntyre, Carl (2010) Aphasia. Bonus materials: Interview with Denise Caignon, MS, CCC-SLP, Carl’s Speech Pathologist

Haley K, Helm-Estabrooks N, Caignon D, Womack J, McCulloch K (2009). Self-determination and life activity goals for people with aphasia. Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, New Orleans, LA

Haley KL, Helm-Estabrooks N, Womack J, Caignon D, McCracken E (2007). A pictorial, binary-sorting system allowing “self-determination despite aphasia. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Boston, MA.

Moon, Susan (2004). Not Turning Away: The Practice of Engaged Buddhism. Shambhala Publications ISBN 9781590301036

Helena Norberg-Hodge, ‎Peter Goering, ‎John Page (2001). From the Ground Up: Rethinking Industrial Agriculture. [Caignon handled production and layout] Zed Books ISBN 978-1856492232

Caignon, Denise, consulting ed. (1999). Turning Wheel: Journal of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship

Groves, Gail (1995). “And He Turned Around and Ran Away.”
in Patricia Searles, Ronald J. Berger (eds) Rape and Society: Readings on the Problem of Sexual Assault. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429493201

Levoy, Gregg (November 6, 1990). Teaching women to fight back. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1990/11/06/teaching-women-to-fight-back/605287cd-e0cf-4672-b3a3-642e3f0074b4/

Japenga, Ann (December 10, 1987). Rape Group Accused of ‘Smear’ List : Man Sues After Name Appears in Warnings. Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-10-vw-27980-story.html

Caignon, Denise; Groves, Gail , eds. (1987). Her Wits About Her: Self-Defense Success Stories by Women. HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0060550783

Moller, Catherine Harper (1984). The Silence is Broken. My Experiences with Santa Cruz Women Against Rape. University of California, Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz: Regional History Project: The 1970s. https://library.ucsc.edu/reg-hist/the-1970s

Coverage in anti-trans media

Dye, Eleanor (February 7, 2023). Mother admits she regrets letting her son, 4, transition to a girl identity and describes realizing her mistake was like ‘leaving a cult’ after she had previously spent years being a ‘true believer’ in transgender ideology. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11722129/Mother-admits-regrets-letting-son-4-transition-girl-identity.html

Kennedy, Dana (May 11, 2022). Anguished parents of trans kids fight back against ‘gender cult’ trying to silence them. New York Post https://nypost.com/2022/05/11/meet-the-parents-of-trans-kids-fighting-gender-cult/

“Williams, Grace” (February 19, 2019). A grand conspiracy to tell the truth: An interview with 4thWaveNow founder & her daughter Chiara of the Pique Resilience Project. 4thWaveNow https://4thwavenow.com/2019/02/27/a-grand-conspiracy-to-tell-the-truth-an-interview-with-4thwavenow-founder-her-daughter-chiara-of-the-pique-resilience-project/

[McCann, Charlie] (September 1, 2018). Why are so many teenage girls appearing in gender clinics? The Economist https://www.economist.com/united-states/2018/09/01/why-are-so-many-teenage-girls-appearing-in-gender-clinics

Media

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce, Stephanie Davies-Arai and Denise Caignon (November 10, 2023). Teen Transition First Responders: Denise Caignon & Stephanie Davies-Arai. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT0UvOnOOa4

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce and Denise Caignon (April 9, 2022). Biden Admin Goes All-In on Transitioning Children | with Denise from 4thWaveNow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Dk5U0uiqY

Genspect (December 14, 2023). The Hidden Dangers of Gender Medicine for Minors with Denise Caignon, 4thWaveNow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MonEkU7rLgk

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce, Corinna Cohn, and Denise Caignon (October 18, 2022). The Politics of “Trans-Kids” | with Corinna Cohn & Denise Caignon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sL5g8tQLpA

Gender: A Wider Lens with Stella O’Malley, Sasha Ayad, and Denise Caignon (August 26, 2022). EPISODE 84 – Denise Caignon from 4thWaveNow: The View from Behind the Scenes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmphx7taSpY

Resources

Trans Data Library (transdatalibrary.org)

  • 4thWaveNow
  • transdatalibrary.org/organization/4thwavenow

4thWaveNow (4thwavenow.com)

Denise Caignon (denisecaignon.com)

WordPress (wordpress.com)

  • 4thwavenow.wordpress.com [redirects – archive]

X/Twitter (x.com)

Tumblr (tumblr.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Internet Archive (archive.org)

Vimeo (vimeo.com)

  • 4th Wavenow [suspended]
  • vimeo.com/user57355387

DailyMotion (dailymotion.com)

Note: In 2025, this site phased out AI illustrations after artist feedback. The previous illustration is here.

Jacobin is an American socialist media organization that has published consistently trans-supportive content and included trans journalists.

Background

Jacobin was founded by Bhaskar Sunkara. In September 2010 the Jacobin online magazine started, then expanded to a print version later in 2010. In 2017, Jacobin launched the peer-reviewed journal Catalyst: A Journal of Theory and Strategy and Jacobin Radio.

Resources

Jacobin (jacobinmag.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Patreon (patreon.com)

Bluesky (bsky.app)

Blubrry (blubrry.com)