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Maud Maron is an American lawyer and anti-transgender activist.

Maron is Executive Director of anti-trans organization Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR) and holds the following positions:

  • supports sex segregationism
  • opposed trans athletes participating in competitive sex-segregated sports
  • supports disease models of gender diversity like “rapid onset gender dysphoria“
  • opposes value-neutral language like “sex assigned at birth”
  • supports noted transphobe J.K. Rowling

Background

Maud Jane Maron was born on June 9, 1971 in New York, New York. Maron earned a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College in 1993 and earned a law degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University in 1998. Maron was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1999. Maron’s career experience includes working as an Attorney with the Legal Aid Society. 

Maron is married to private equity executive Juan Pablo Pallordet and has four children: Clara Pallordet (born ~2005), Lucio Pallordet (born ~2006), Liam Pallordet (born ~2010), and Magnus Pallordet (born ~2016).

Maron began collaborating with Bari Weiss and Suzy Weiss to further their political aims around COVID.

Maron claims to have been cancelled in 2021 for opposing critical race theory in New York public schools.

ThirdRail

Maron is founder of ThirdRail, a consultancy created to “facilitate innovation, leadership, and strategy sessions designed to breakthrough thinking without fear of judgment.” The participants include several prominent anti-trans activists:

Anti-transgender views

Maron is a sex segregationist who opposes transgender athletes. Maron also claims to have been cancelled in 2022 for supporting “single-sex spaces” and opposing changes to Title IX,

Staying silent when activists and politicians insist “trans women are women” has real world consequences for real women. The truth is, trans women are biologically male and they should be treated with dignity, love and respect. But many trans activists insist on language that erases the reality of biological women. Their desire to transcend biology, no matter how heartfelt, does not, and cannot, require me to lie or teach a generation of children a falsehood.

Girls and young women are being swept up in a social contagion which has them believing they are men. Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria, in which young women with no early childhood expression of gender dysphoria suddenly identify as trans, has spiked in the last decade. 

References

Maron, Maud (September 12, 2021). Staying Silent When You Disagree With Woke Lies Gives Them Power. We Must Speak Up | Opinion. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/staying-silent-when-you-disagree-woke-lies-gives-them-power-we-must-speak-opinion-1628057

Campanile, Carl (July 11, 2022). Congress candidate Maud Maron says Democrats ‘canceled’ her over transgender stance. New York Post https://nypost.com/2022/07/11/congress-candidate-maud-maron-says-democrats-canceled-her-over-transgender-stance/

Alexander, Harriet (July 13, 2021). Public defender who opposed critical race theory being taught in NYC schools claims she was forced out of her job at the Legal Aid Society because ‘she is white’ and after ‘McCarthy’ style attack labeled her racist. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9782647/Public-defender-claims-forced-job-Legal-Aid-Society-McCarthy-style-attack.html

Campanile, Carl (February 15, 2022). Mandate foe Maud Maron hoping for AOC-like defeat of NY Rep. Carolyn Maloney. New York Post https://nypost.com/2022/02/15/maud-maron-hoping-for-aoc-like-defeat-of-rep-carolyn-maloney/

Weiss, Suzy (February 8, 2022). ‘Hell hath no fury like an angry mom’ — Meet the nation’s new political power. New York Post https://nypost.com/2022/02/08/meet-nations-new-political-power-a-coalition-of-angry-moms/

Resources

Maud Maron (maudmaron.com)

ThirdRail (thirdrail.co) [archive]

Place NYC (placenyc.org)

Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (fairforall.org)

X/Twitter (x.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Federalist Society (fedsoc.org)

Amy Eileen Hamm is a Canadian nurse and anti-transgender extremist.

Hamm co-founded anti-trans group Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (caWsbar). Hamm was fired in 2025 following a hearing brought by the nursing regulatory board, which found that Hamm publicly identified as a nurse while engaging in anti-transgender activity.

Background

Hamm earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Thompson Rivers University, followed by a bachelor’s degree in nursing from University of British Columbia in 2012.

Hamm worked for 7 months as a psychiatric nurse in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side. Hamm then became a nurse educator in the psychiatric unit at a hospital in Richmond (part of Vancouver Coastal Health). Hamm resides in New Westminster, British Columbia.

In 2011, Hamm responded to the question “If you could live in a certain time period and place what would it be?” Hamm said:

1950s, small-town ‘merica. I could go for some “ignorance is bliss”. I’d be a stupid housewife with a stupid optimistic outlook on life.

Hamm (2011)

Hamm ended up in a much more modern cliché. Hamm is divorced and has children. Hamm has discussed being a single parent and the stigma involved:

It has been a few years since I left my marriage, and I did end up meeting someone wonderful. In the time between, I realized that single motherhood is the largest unquestioned stigma of my era. It can be achingly lonely and—if you let it get to you—it can crush your self-esteem.

Hamm (2023)

Anti-transgender activism

Hamm is a sex segregationist who co-founded gender critical group Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (caWsbar) in 2019. Hamm claims to be fighting “the harms that gender-identity ideology was inflicting on women and children.”

In 2021 and 2022 Hamm and “Esme Vee” hosted Gender Critical Story Hour podcast. Episodes include:

  • 0 – trailer
  • 1 – Meghan Murphy (February 21, 2021)
  • 2 – Marguerite Stern (February 22, 2021)
  • 3 – Laoise Uí Aodha de Brún (February 23, 2021)
  • 4 – Barbara Kay (February 24, 2021)
  • 5 – Graham Linehan (February 28, 2021)
  • 6 – Heather Mason and Madeline Riversong (March 20, 2021)
  • 7 – Linda Blade (June 4, 2021)
  • 8 – Bad Women: Amy & Esme (June 20, 2021)
  • 9 – Cancel Club: Amy & Esme (July 26, 2021)
  • 10 – Heather Mason and Linda Blade (April 7, 2022)
  • 11 – Sue-Ann Levy (April 26, 2022)
  • 12 – The Haters Inside the Canadian “Anti-Hate” Network (July 25, 2022)
  • 13 – How Far Can They Go: Are we reaching peak trans? (September 29, 2022)

Hamm and Holly Stamer co-founded GIDYVR, an anti-trans speaker series based in Vancouver. Their first event at the Vancouver Public Library on January 10, 2019 featured Meghan Murphy, Fay Blaney, and Lee Lakeman, moderated by Mary-Lee Bouma. Vancouver Public Library Chief Librarian Christina de Castell issued a statement about the event.

Hamm is best known for purchasing billboards that say “I ♥ JK Rowling” with Chris Elston. They have been quickly removed for being a reference to anti-transgender views of transphobic author J.K. Rowling.

Hamm’s writing has appeared in conservative and fascist publications including the Post Millennial, The New Westminster Times, Human Events, and Quillette.

Disciplinary hearing

In 2022 the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) initiated a disciplinary hearing against Hamm:

Between approximately July 2018 and March 2021, you made discriminatory and derogatory statements regarding transgender people, while identifying yourself as a nurse or nurse educator. These statements were made across various online platforms, including but not limited to, podcasts, videos, published writings and social media.

BCCNM (2022)

Hamm reportedly rejected a proposed settlement from the college that would have included a two-week license suspension and social media training.

Hamm was represented by Lisa Bildy and Karen Bastow of Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF). JCCF brought in anti-trans activists James Cantor, Kathleen Stock, and Linda Blade to testify on Hamm’s behalf in 2023.

On March 13, 2025, the College found that Hamm, while identifying herself as a member of the medical profession, made statements that were “untruthful and unfair as they challenge the existence of transgender women, argue for less constitutional protection for transgender women, and are designed, in part, to elicit fear, contempt and outrage against members of the transgender community.”

Tabs 4, 24, 28 and S3 of the Extract were found to be violative:

  • Tab 4: Responded stated “trans activists determined to infiltrate or destroy women-only spaces.” Respondent also stated that Vancouver Women’s Shelter [VRR] will “surely (and maddeningly) face continued backlash from trans activists determined to infiltrate or destroy women-only spaces. The women of VRR, however, are clearly up to the task”. […] The suggestion that trans activists are seeking to “infiltrate or destroy” women-only spaces strongly connotes illegal, aggressive, and improper conduct and mischaracterizes transgender women seeking access to support services available to cisgender women in crisis situations as dangerous individuals. The Panel finds that the statement is not true nor is it fair to transgender women.
  • Tab 24: in her article entitled “On feeling like a woman”. The Respondent states “there is no absconding” from female bodies, the feeling of being a woman does not exist, and there is no “incantation or initiation that can transcend bodily reality.” The Panel finds that these statements are untrue and unfair to transgender women as they deny the possibility that that an individual born into a male body can feel like a woman and effectively deny the existence of transgender women.
  • Tab 28: In a book review entitled “Review: ‘Love Lives Here – A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family,” Respondent refers to the “falsehood that babies can be ‘born in the wrong body’ or that humans can change their sex”. She asserts that everyone “who believes in wrong bodies or innate genders” would rather devastate a child than acknowledge that men cannot become transgender women, that gender identity ideology is akin to a Satanic Panic craze, that lesbians do not have penises, that a gender soul does not exist, and that men cannot literally become women. […] These statements, which appear to be designed to elicit fear, contempt and hostility towards the transgender community, particularly transgender women
  • S3 of the Extract: Respondent makes several statements in the context of the YouTube interview entitled, “The Same Drugs Live with Amy Hamm on I heart JK Rowling”. As the Respondent is asked in the interview about the background to the billboard, those comments must be considered in conjunction with the billboard itself and J.K. Rowling’s essay. The billboard message must be assessed from the perspective of a “reasonable person in the claimant’s circumstances” […] From the perspective of a transgender person, the essay contains some references that could be interpreted as portraying them as a risk to cisgender women and girls and predatory. Such characterizations unquestionably elicit fear and hostility towards transgender people.

On March 27, 2025, Hamm reported being fired without severance from Vancouver Coastal Health.

References

Ruttle, Joseph (March 13, 2025). B.C. nurse committed professional misconduct with transgender commentary, hearing rules. Vancouver Sun https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-nurse-misconduct-transgender-commentary-hearing-rules

British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (March 13, 2025). In the matter of a Discipline Hearing under s. 38 of the Health Professions Act, RSBC 1996, c 183 between British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives and Amy Eileen Hamm. https://bccnm.ca/Documents/complaints/2025_03_13_BCCNM_Hamm_Decision.pdf

Higgins, Michael (Jan 23, 2023). Michael Higgins: B.C. nurse Amy Hamm is being persecuted for believing in biology. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/michael-higgins-amy-hamm-is-being-persecuted-for-believing-in-biology

Lindsay, Bethany (October 23, 2023). Nurse’s ‘discriminatory and derogatory’ comments on transgender people at issue in B.C. hearing. CBC https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-amy-hamm-disciplinary-hearing-1.7005480

Lindsay, Bethany (October 24, 2023). Controversial psychologist tells B.C. hearing he feels a duty to speak out on transgender issues. CBC https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-amy-hamm-disciplinary-hearing-oct-24-1.7007014

Lindsay, Bethany (October 25, 2023). Lawyer says contentious psychologist will ‘dispel the myth’ that B.C. nurse’s comments harm trans people. CBC https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-amy-hamm-disciplinary-hearing-oct-25-1.7008318

Lindsay, Bethany (November 3, 2023). Nurse tells B.C. hearing she’s not transphobic, but calls gender identity ‘metaphysical nonsense.’ CBC https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-amy-hamm-disciplinary-hearing-nov-3-1.7018573

Pawson, Chad (September 12, 2020). I Love J.K. Rowling sign makes brief, controversial appearance in Vancouver. CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/i-love-j-k-rowling-sign-makes-brief-controversial-appearance-in-vancouver-1.5722244

Takeuchi, Craig (September 12th, 2020). Transphobia concerns prompt East Vancouver billboard supporting J.K. Rowling to be covered up. The Georgia Straight https://www.straight.com/living/transphobia-concerns-prompt-east-vancouver-billboard-supporting-jk-rowling-to-be-covered-up

Christina de Castell (January 27, 2020). Statement from VPL’s Chief Librarian regarding March 21 GIDYVR event. Vancouver Public Library https://www.vpl.ca/statement-on-gidyvr-event

Publications by Hamm

Hamm, Amy Eileen (June 22, 2023). On the stigma of single motherhood. Substack https://preta6.substack.com/p/on-the-stigma-of-single-motherhood

Hamm, Amy Eileen (February 14, 2023). Teaching UBC Medical Scholars that Biological Sex is a ‘Colonial Imposition.’ Quillette https://quillette.com/blog/2023/02/14/teaching-ubc-medical-students-that-biological-sex-is-a-colonial-imposition/

Hamm, Amy Eileen (April 8, 2022). I’m Being Investigated by the British Columbia College of Nurses Because I Believe Biological Sex Is Real. Quillette https://quillette.com/2022/04/08/im-being-investigated-by-the-british-columbia-college-of-nurses-because-i-believe-biological-sex-is-real/

Resources

BCCNM (bccnm.ca)

  • Notice: Hamm, Amy, RN Hearing
  • bccnm.ca/Public/complaints/Pages/Notice.aspx?NoticeID=790
  • Hamm Citation (June 28, 2022)
  • bccnm.ca/Documents/complaints/2022_06_28_BCCNM_Hamm_Citation.pdf
  • Hamm Decision (March 13, 2025)
  • bccnm.ca/Documents/complaints/2025_03_13_BCCNM_Hamm_Decision.pdf

Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (cawsbar.ca)

Substack (substack.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

Reddit (reddit.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)

Gwendolyn Ann Smith is an American writer, designer, and transgender rights activist. Smith is a pioneer in online trans resources and created what became the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Background

Gwendolyn Ann “Gwen” Smith was born July 22, 1967. Smith attended Pasadena City College, then began doing desktop publishing and digital design under the entity designstylestudios. Smith was an early adopter in online communities, rising to Programming Director at America Online’s onQ community, which later merged with PlanetOut.

Smith has been involved with the game Second Life since its release in 2003 and since 2019 has offered high-end professional support to the game’s power users.

Smith is married to Bonnie “Bon” Smith and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Transgender activism

Starting in 1992, Smith was the driving force behind making America Online (AOL) trans-friendly, lobbying them to change anti-trans policies. Smith developed and maintained a repository of information and resources on AOL and hosted many chats. Smith developed the Transgender Community Forum (TCF), which AOL forced to close.

In 1998, Smith founded the Remembering Our Dead Project to document anti-trans murders. That project evolved into the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

In 2000, Jamison Green, Dallas Denny, Jessica Xavier, Gwen Smith, Penni Ashe Matz, and Sandra Cole launched the nonprofit Gender Education and Advocacy (GEA) at the website gender.org.

Smith has written and edited for many publications, including LGBTQ Nation, The New Civil Rights Movement, and Genderfork. Smith has written a column titled “Transmisisons” for the Bay Area Reporter since 2000.

Smith designed the accompanying booklet and attended our 2004 all-transgender benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues.

Smith is subject of the 2017 book Trans/Active: A Biography of Gwendolyn Ann Smith.

This site (transgendermap.com) is dedicated to Smith and Melanie Anne Phillips for their key roles in early online resources for the community.

References

Leveque, Sophia Cecilia (2017). Trans/Active: A Biography of Gwendolyn Ann Smith. ISBN 9781618460448

Burns, Katelyn (November 20, 2019). Founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith on the 20th Anniversary of Transgender Day of Remembrance. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/gwendolyn-ann-smith-interview-transgender-day-of-remembrance

Inkster, Andy (2008). Gwendolyn Ann Smith (1967–). In LGBTQ America Today: An Encyclopedia. ISBN 978-0313339905

Resources

Gwen Smith (gwensmith.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Transgender Day of Remembrance (tdor.info) [archive]

Gender.org (gender.org) [archive]

  • Remembering Our Dead: gender.org/remember [archive]
  • Host: Above & Beyond (abgender.com) [archive]

Bay Area Reporter (ebar.com)

Genderfork (genderfork.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

Twitter (twitter.com)

Bluesky (bsky.app)

Dan Savage is an American author and activist. Savage has been glitter-bombed many times for anti-transgender views. Some of Savage’s views have evolved following criticism.

Savage has written about sex and relationships since the 1990s and has supported the work of many gender critical and transphobic public figures. Savage has also been involved in a number of important projects that have improved the lives of sex and gender minorities, including trans people.

Background

Daniel Keenan “Dan” Savage (born October 7, 1964) grew up in a Catholic household in Chicago. Savage graduated with a theater degree from University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, then moved to Germany for two years before moving to Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1991 The Onion founder Tim Keck told friend Savage about a plan to start The Stranger, an alternative newspaper in Seattle. Savage suggested writing a sex and relationship advice column. The title was proposed as Hey Faggot!, but Keck refused to use that title, so they settled on Savage Love. For years, all answered letters started with “Hey Faggot!” as the greeting. The column was syndicated, and Savage dropped the greeting in 1999 when the column started accepting emailed questions.

Savage moved to Seattle for the job. Under the stage name “Keenan Hollahan,” Savage also founded Seattle’s Greek Active Theater, producing reimagined classics in the mid-1990s. Savage was active in the Seattle theater scene until around 2003.

Savage created the It Gets Better project in 2010 with spouse Terry Miller. They were married in Canada in 2005 and remarried in the US when it was legalized. They have one child. The nonprofit has helped many trans and gender diverse young people through its message. The nonprofit’s President Paul Dien and founding member Seth Levy have noted that Savage is no longer involved in the project day to day:

“I don’t agree with what he has said, and I think it’s important to call out our privileges,” said Dien. “I think in our communities, cisgender white folks do have that privilege, and it’s okay to talk about when people are wrong or offensive to other parts of our community. And I think it’s important to have those discussions.”

“I really can’t comment on whatever Dan’s relationship with the trans community is; that’s been a complicated one for a long time,” added Levy. “All I know is that as a co-founder with them and having done a lot of work with them over the years, he’s done a lot for that community, often through this project. And so I hope at the end of the day, that’s what people start to understand, is that we’ve all really been trying to fight the same fight, even if we don’t always get along along the way.”

Ennis (2021)

Controversies

Savage’s strong opinions and acerbic tone have been criticized by numerous groups.

Biphobia allegations

Savage’s support of transphobic psychologist J. Michael Bailey and like-minded sexologists has caused the greatest reputational harm. Savage uncritically repeated Bailey’s claims that bisexual men don’t exist, and Savage told gay men “DON’T MESS AROUND WITH BISEXUALS” and likened bisexuality to “incest and dog-fucking.”

It was “the way most gay men were at the time, and it was shitty,” Savage says now. “A lot of my hostility to bi guys early was because I dated bi guys who were gay closet cases who felt superior to the gay men that they were dating, because they weren’t 100 percent polluted by gayness.” Over the years, “pushback from my readers” and some new bi lovers helped change his mind.

Anderson (2021)

Bailey and friends magically “discovered” bisexuality as soon as they got a payment from The American Institute of Bisexuality. Savage supported Bailey’s claims about that “discovery” as well.

Transphobia allegations

Then there are the transphobic slurs that frequently appeared in Savage Love over the first 20-odd years, along with some gender nonaffirming advice about trans people and cheap jokes about the appearance of trans women. Savage told me that he used those words in the same spirit as he invited readers to call him a “faggot.” He offered a similar explanation when, at a much-covered event at the University of Chicago in 2014, he was challenged by a trans student who objected to his continued use of the slurs while talking about the slurs, and wrote a scorched-earth takedown of the student in the Stranger. (Savage now uses the phrase “t-slur” instead of saying the word out loud.)

Anderson (2021)

Savage says those views have evolved:

“How do you disprove a charge like you’re transphobic? I’m not afraid of trans people. […] I certainly have had a journey in the last 20 years — as have we all — on trans issues. When I started writing Savage Love 20 years ago, and you can yank quotes 15, 18 years ago and flat them up today and say, ‘You know, that’s transphobic,’ I’d probably agree with you. 15 years ago I didn’t know as much as I know now — nor did anybody.”

Badash (2014)

Savage is one of the few people to reify “autogynephilia,” writing in 2010: “You might want to google autogynephilia. Not saying that’s where you’re at or headed, don’t know enough about it to endorse it, but . . . it seemed relevant.” Gender critical and anti-trans people Savage has platformed and supported include:

Here Savage cites Singal’s promotion of conservative clinician Erica Anderson as evidence Singal is not transphobic.

There is a tendency among this collection of people to back each other up and logroll for each other when accused of acting against the best interests of the trans community. Let’s hope that changes in the future, as their monopolization of media opportunities by shutting out trans critics is one of the key ways they perpetuate harm.

References

Rude, Mey (March 24, 2021). Cis Men Like Jesse Singal, Dan Savage Don’t Decide What’s Transphobic. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2021/3/24/cis-men-jesse-singal-dan-savage-dont-decide-whats-transphobic

Badash, David (April 29, 2014). Dan Savage Does Not Hate You. The New Civil Rights Movement. https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2014/04/dan_savage_does_not_hate_you/

Anderson, LV (September 23, 2021). Dan Savage Revolutionized Sex. Then the Revolution Came for Him. Slate https://slate.com/human-interest/2021/09/dan-savage-advice-savage-love-criticism-interview.html

Savage, Dan (December 2, 1999). Gay Ol’ Time. Savage Love https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=2686 [archive]

Abad-Santos, Alexander (November 3, 2011). Dan Savage: Queer-on-Queer Glitter-Bombing Victim. The Wire via The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/11/dan-savage-queer-queer-glitter-bombing-victim/335921/

Lowder, J. Bryan (November 4, 2011). Did Dan Savage Deserve to be Glitter-Bombed?. Slate. http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2011/11/04/did_dan_savage_deserve_to_be_glitter_bombed_.html

Dan Savage Gets Glitterbombed, Called Transphobic At University Of Oregon. The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/02/dan-savage-glitterbombed-oregon-transphobia-_n_1071627.html

Hill-Meyer, Tobi (November 2, 2011). Dan Savage Gets Glitter Bombed for Being Transphobic. The Bilerico Project. http://www.bilerico.com/2011/11/dan_savage_gets_glitter_bombed_for_being_transphob.php

Hill-Meyer, Tobi (November 14, 2011). Dan Savage Glittered Again, Student Arrested. The Bilerico Project. http://www.bilerico.com/2011/11/dan_savage_glittered_again_student_arrested.php

Oommen, Isaac (January 21, 2012). Dan Savage Glitterbombed. Vancouver Media Co-op. http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/photo/dan-savage-glitterbombed/9681

Schmidt, Christine (May 30, 2014). Comments at IOP spark controversy. [archive] Chicago Maroon http://chicagomaroon.com/2014/05/30/comments-at-iop-spark-controversy/

University of Chicago Institute of Politics (May 27, 2014). IOP Statement on Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion. http://politics.uchicago.edu/news/entry/iop-statement-on-commitment-to-diversity-inclusion

Johnson, Andrew (June 5, 2014). UChicago Students: Dan Savage’s Use of ‘T-Slur’ Made Us Feel ‘Unsafe’. National Review http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/379649/uchicago-students-dan-savages-use-t-slur-made-us-feel-unsafe-andrew-johnson

Soave, Robby (June 9, 2014). Dan Savage Stands Up to the Speech Police, Defends His Use of ‘Tranny’, Reason http://reason.com/blog/2014/06/09/dan-savage-stands-up-to-the-speech-polic

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

Ennis, Dawn (May 3, 2021). ‘It Gets Better’ Gets New Leadership. Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/dawnstaceyennis/2021/05/03/it-gets-better-gets-new-leadership/

Resources

Dan Savage (savage.love)

The Stranger (thestranger.com)

It Gets Better (itgetsbetter.org)

Twitter (twitter.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Instagram (instagram.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

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

Dylan Mulvaney is an American media personality who documented the first year of gender transition in a popular video series called “Days of Girlhood.”

Background

Mulvaney was born December 29, 1996 in San Diego, California, grew up in Southern California, and earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Cincinnati in 2019.

Mulvaney performed in the musical The Book of Mormon on its national tour, as well as in other musical theatre productions. Mulvaney also was brought up from the audience to dance with a friend at the Ellen show and appeared as a contestant on The Price Is Right.

“Days of Girlhood”

At the start of the pandemic, Mulvaney began posting comedy videos on social media. Mulvaney quickly amassed a large following after the “Day One of Being a Girl” post went viral on TikTok. Mulvaney was soon doing many endorsement deals and sponsored posts. Several of Mulvaney’s videos sparked criticism, including one about tampons, one about Ulta cosmetics, one about wearing tight clothing to “normalize the bulge,” and several where Mulvaney dressed up as a young girl.

In October 2022, Mulvaney was invited to speak with Joe Biden at the White House, which led to significant backlash from conservatives, including conservative trans people like Caitlyn Jenner.

Following 2022 facial feminization surgery, Mulvaney did a face reveal of the results in January 2023. At the 2023 Grammy Awards, Mulvaney talked over Laverne Cox while filming their first introduction. Though Mulvaney had solicited Cox’s advice, Mulvaney was clearly not listening, leading a number of prominent trans people to comment on the dynamics of the encounter.

In March 2023 Mulvaney held the live fundraising event Dylan Mulvaney’s Day 365 Live! to celebrate one year since starting transition. Those who showed Mulvaney support, including cisgender allies like Drew Barrymore, faced criticism.

In April 2023 Mulvaney made sponsored posts for Bud Light and Nike. The Nike post showed Mulvaney exercising in their sports bra and sparked more criticism from anti-trans people. The Bud Light posts promoted an NCAA March Madness giveaway and revealed the brand had made a customized Bud Light can with Mulvaney’s face on it.

Bud Light immediately faced bomb threats and boycotts after conservative demagogues like Tucker Carlson and anti-trans groups decided to make an example of the beer. Anti-trans troll Matt Walsh made such pointed and cruel personal attacks that Walsh’s YouTube channel was demonetized. In the first weeks, several conservative entertainers joined the boycott, Bud Light sales dropped about 25% year over year, two ABInBev marketing executives were ousted, the stock was downgraded by several firms, and Senator Ted Cruz announced a planned investigation into whether the brand was marketing to underage audiences. ABInBev released a noncommittal statement and a poorly received patriotic ad, announced they would buy back unsold beer, and hired conservative consultants to help with a rebrand. Bud Light lost its place as America’s favorite beer, ABInBev laid off hundreds of employees, and North American organic sales dropped $1.4 billion. The fiasco instantly became one of the worst marketing blunders in history and a setback for national brands supporting trans inclusion or offering brand endorsements to trans people.

Facing extreme overexposure, Mulvaney reduced the frequency of posting and announced an upcoming book. In June 2023 Mulvaney reflected on the first three months of the controversy:

“What transpired from that video was more bullying and transphobia than I could have ever imagined. For months now, I’ve been scared to leave my house. I have been ridiculed in public. I’ve been followed. And I have felt a loneliness that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. And I’m not telling you this because I want your pity. I am telling you this because if this is my experience, from a very privileged perspective, know that it is much much worse for other trans people.”

Jones (2023)

In 2023 Attitude magazine honored Mulvaney as Woman of the Year.

To mark the 2024 anniversary of starting transition, Mulvaney posed with Lady Gaga and shared several messages with fans. In 2025, Mulvaney released the book Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer and announced a podcast called The Dylan Hour.

References

Mulvaney, Dylan (2025). Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer. Harry N. Abrams, ISBN 978-1419770395

Huston, Caitlin (March 5, 2025). Dylan Mulvaney Launches Podcast With Lemonada Media. Hollywood Reporter https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/dylan-mulvaney-podcast-lemonada-media-1236154656/

Editors (March 20, 2025). Behind the scenes at Dylan Mulvaney’s Advocate cover shoot. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/exclusives/dylan-mulvaney-advocate-cover-shoot

Puckett-Pope, Lauren; Gaffney, Adrienne (March 14, 2025). Dylan Mulvaney and Laverne Cox on What It Means to Be a Trans ‘It’ Girl. Elle https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a64135694/dylan-mulvaney-laverne-cox-interview-paper-doll-trans-it-girl/

Factora, James (March 12, 2025). Here’s What Dylan Mulvaney Learned on Her Ayahuasca Trip. them https://www.them.us/story/dylan-mulvaney-paper-doll-late-bloomer-book-ayahuasca-trip-details

Sanders, Wren (June 6, 2023). Dylan Mulvaney Is Ready for Life After “Girlhood.” them. https://www.them.us/story/dylan-mulvaney-life-after-girlhood-now-awards-2023

VanHoose, Benjamin (March 1, 2025). How Dylan Mulvaney ‘Healed’ After Bud Light Scandal: I’m ‘a Thousand Times Stronger’ Now (Exclusive). People https://people.com/dylan-mulvaney-stronger-two-years-after-bud-light-controversy-exclusive-11687040

Lange, Maggie (February 18, 2025). Dylan Mulvaney Dreams of Privacy. Really. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/style/dylan-mulvaney-paper-doll-book.html

Jones, CT (June 29, 2023). Trans Influencer Dylan Mulvaney Breaks Her Silence on Bud Light Controversy. Rolling Stone https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/dylan-mulvaney-trans-bud-light-controversy-1234780871/

Bellware, Kim; Javaid, Maham (April 6, 2023). She’s on Bud Light cans and all over the internet. Who is Dylan Mulvaney? The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/04/06/dylan-mulvaney-transgender-influencer-tiktok/

Billson, Chantelle (October 17, 2022). Beauty giant Ulta bombarded with transphobic hate over video of trans woman. PinkNews [archive] https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/10/17/ulta-beauty-trans-dylan-mulvaney/

Miller, Julius (June 1, 2022). Dylan Mulvaney On Transitioning and Becoming a TikTok ‘Trailblazer’. lamag.com. [archive] https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/dylan-mulvaney-on-transitioning-and-becoming-a-tiktok-trailblazer/

Malkin, Marc (March 9, 2023). TikTok Star Dylan Mulvaney Recalls Coming Out as Trans at Age 4, Tells Trans Youth: ‘There Is a Light at the End of the Tunnel’. Variety. [archive] https://variety.com/2023/digital/podcasts/tiktok-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-1235547512/

Dellatto, Marisa (November 22, 2022). ‘#BoycottTampax’ Trends On Twitter After Viral Tweet From Tampon Company. Forbes [archive]

Iftikhar, Asyia (October 27, 2022). Caitlyn Jenner joins right-wing pile-on of trans TikToker Dylan Mulvaney. PinkNews [archive] https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/11/22/boycotttampax-trends-on-twitter-after-viral-tweet-from-tampon-company/?sh=7a5ab1ba72a9

Holpuch, Amanda (April 14, 2023). Behind the Backlash Against Bud Light’s Transgender Influencer. New York Times [archive] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/14/business/bud-light-boycott.html

St. Martin, Emily (March 14, 2023). Drew Barrymore sat on the floor with trans TikToker Dylan Mulvaney. Online turmoil ensued. Los Angeles Times. [archive] https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-03-14/drew-barrymore-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-online-hate

Coen, Susie; Corless, Blathnaid (April 7, 2023). Sharron Davies calls for Nike boycott after trans influencer promoted its sports bra. The Telegraph [archive] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/07/sharron-davies-dylan-mulvaney-nike-transgender-bra-boycott/

Williamson, Harriet (April 15, 2023). Budweiser targeted by bomb threats as right-wing snowflakes keep raging over Dylan Mulvaney collab. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/04/15/budweiser-bomb-threats-dylan-mulvaney-bud-light/

Picchi, Aimee (April 25, 2023). Maybelline faces boycott over partnership with Dylan Mulvaney. CBS News. [archive] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/maybelline-dylan-mulvaney-boycott/

Ziady, Hanna (February 29, 2024). Bud Light boycott likely cost Anheuser-Busch InBev over $1 billion in lost sales. CNN https://www.advocate.com/business/has-bud-light-lost-sales

Resources

Dylan Mulvaney (dylanmulvaney.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Instagram (instagram.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

IMDb (imdb.com)

TikTok (tiktok.com)

The Westminster Declaration is a 2023 open letter signed by many key anti-transgender extremists.

They claim to be a group of “free speech champions” who oppose the “censorship industrial complex.”

Signatories

Alphabetically by surname:

  • Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Human Rights Activist, Author, Netherlands
  • James Allan, Professor of Law, University of Queensland, UK
  • Mia Ashton [Mia Hughes], Journalist, Canada
  • Julian Assange, Editor, Founder of Wikileaks, Australia
  • Stella Assange, Campaigner, UK
  • Diane Atkinson, Historian, Biographer, UK
  • Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive, Free Speech Union, New Zealand
  • Xavier Azalbert, Investigative Scientific Journalist, France
  • Marco Bassani, Political Theorist, Historian, Milan University, Italy
  • Steven Berkoff, Actor, Playright, UK
  • Jay Bhattacharya, Professor, Stanford, US
  • Giorgio Bianchi, Independent Journalist, Italy
  • Nigel Biggar, Chairman, Free Speech Union, UK
  • Peter Boghossian, Philosopher, Founding Faculty Fellow, University of Austin, US
  • Nellie Bowles, Journalist, USA
  • Mathias Bröckers, Author, Journalist, Germany
  • Dietrich Brüggemann, Filmmaker, Germany
  • Paolo Cesaretti, Professor of Byzantine Civilization, University of Bergamo, Italy
  • Melissa Chen, Journalist, Spectator, Singapore/US
  • Robert Cibis, Filmmaker, Germany
  • John Cleese, Comedian, Acrobat, UK
  • Adam B. Coleman, Founder of Wrong Speak Publishing, US
  • Alberto Contri, Mass Media Expert, Italy
  • Adam Creighton, Journalist, Australia
  • Richard Dawkins, Biologist, UK
  • Alessandro Di Battista, Political Activist, Writer, Italy
  • Nick Dixon, Comedian, UK
  • Laura Dodsworth, Journalist and Author, UK
  • Lee Fang, Independent Journalist, US
  • Thomas Fazi, Independent Journalist, Italy
  • Efrat Fenigson, Journalist, Podcaster, Israel
  • Niall Ferguson, Historian, Stanford, UK
  • Catherine Austin Fitts, The Solari Report, Netherlands
  • Marcello Foa, Journalist, Former President of Rai, Italy
  • Francis Foster, Comedian, UK
  • Kmele Foster, Journalist, Media Entrepreneur, USA
  • Claire Fox, Founder of the Academy of Ideas, UK
  • Carlo Freccero, Television Author, Media Expert, Italy
  • Dominic Frisby, Comedian, UK
  • Juan Carlos Girauta, Politician, Spain
  • Jill Glasspool-Malone, PhD., USA
  • Sarah Gon, Director, Free Speech Union, South Africa
  • David Goodhart, Journalist, Author, UK
  • Matt Goodwin, Politics Professor, University of Kent, UK
  • Glenn Greenwald, Journalist, US
  • Julius Grower, Fellow, St. Hugh’s College, UK
  • Ulrike Guerot, Founder of European Democracy Lab, Germany
  • Sunetra Gupta, Professor of Theoretical Epidemiology, Oxford, UK
  • Alex Gutentag, Journalist, US
  • Jonathan Haidt, Social Psychologist, NYU, US
  • Philip Hamburger, Professor of Law, Columbia, USA
  • Julia Hartley-Brewer, Journalist, UK
  • Chris Hedges, Journalist, Author, USA
  • Ana Henkel, Independent Journalist, Brazil
  • Heather E. Heying, Evolutionary Biologist, USA
  • Jeremy Hildreth, Independent, UK
  • Peter Hitchens, Author, Journalist, UK
  • Coleman Hughes, Writer, Podcaster, USA
  • Patrick Hughes, Artist, UK
  • Jan Jekielek, Journalist, Canada
  • Helen Joyce, Journalist, UK
  • Izabella Kaminska, Journalist, The Blind Spot, UK
  • Eric Kaufmann, Professor of Politics, Birkbeck, University of Buckingham, Canada
  • Eve Kay, TV Producer, UK
  • Aaron Kheiriaty, Psychiatrist, Author, USA
  • Rueben Kirkham, Co-Director, Free Speech Union of Australia, Australia
  • Konstantin Kisin, Author, UK
  • Martin Kulldorf, Professor of Medicine (on leave), Harvard, US
  • Holly Lawford-Smith, Associate Professor in Political Philosophy, University of Melbourne, Australia
  • Catherine Liu, Cultural Theorist, Author, USA
  • Isabella Loiodice, Professor of Comparative Public Law, University of Bari, Italy
  • Carlo Lottieri, Philosopher, University of Verona, Italy
  • Glenn Loury, Economist, USA
  • Andrew Lowenthal, liber-net, Australia
  • Greg Lukianoff, President and CEO Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, USA
  • Dara Macdonald, Co-Director, Free Speech Union, Australia
  • Robert W. Malone, MD, MS, USA
  • Winston Marshall, Journalist, The Spectator, UK
  • Paola Mastrocola, Writer, Italy
  • Aaron Mate, Journalist, USA
  • Iain McGilchrist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher, UK
  • David McGrogan, Professor of Law, Northumbria University, UK
  • Jacob Mchangama, Author, Denmark
  • John McWhorter, Linguist, Columbia, Author, US
  • Alan Miller, Together Association, UK
  • Stefan Millius, Journalist, Switzerland
  • Stephen Moore, Author and Analyst, Canada
  • Michael Nayna, Filmmaker, Australia
  • Micha Narberhaus, The Protopia Lab, Spain/Germany
  • Leandro Narloch, Independent Journalist, Brazil
  • Andrew Neish, KC, UK
  • Brendan O’Neill, Journalist, UK
  • James Orr, Associate Professor, University of Cambridge, UK
  • Martina Pastorelli, Independent Journalist, Italy
  • Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Psychologist, Author, Canada
  • Kira Phillips, Documentary Filmmaker, UK
  • Jordi Pigem, Philosopher, Author, Spain
  • Steven Pinker, Psychologist, Harvard, US
  • Helen Pluckrose, Author, US
  • Dirk Pohlmann, Journalist, Germany
  • Nina Power, Writer, UK
  • Nello Preterossi, Professor, University of Salerno, Scientific Director of the Italian Institute for Philosophical Studies, Italy
  • Jean F. Queralt, Technologist, Founder @ The IO Foundation, Malaysia/Spain
  • Luca Ricolfi, Professor, Sociologist, Turin University, Italy
  • Matt Ridley, Journalist, Author, UK
  • Tim Robbins, Actor, Filmmaker, US
  • Andrew Roberts, Historian, UK
  • Piers Robinson, Organization for Propaganda Studies, UK
  • Paul Rossi, Educator, Vertex Partnership Academics, US
  • Gad Saad, Professor, Evolutionary Behavioral Scientist, Author, Canada
  • Jeffrey D. Sachs, Columbia University, US
  • Michele Santoro, Journalist, TV Host, Presenter, Italy
  • Ben Scallan, Gript Media, Ireland
  • Ben Schwarz, Journalist, USA
  • Phil Shaw, Campaigner, Operation People, New Zealand
  • Michael Shellenberger, Public, US
  • Alex Sheridan, Free Speech Ireland
  • Michael Shermer, Science Writer, US
  • Jacob Siegel, Tablet, US/Israel
  • Dr. James Smith, Podcaster, Literature Scholar, RHUL, UK
  • Craig Snider, Independent, US
  • Edward Snowden, Whistleblower, US
  • Alan Sokal, Professor of Mathematics, UCL, UK
  • Juan Soto Ivars, Author, Spain
  • Doug Stokes, International Relations Professor, University of Exeter, UK
  • Oliver Stone, Filmmaker, US
  • Nadine Strossen, Professor of Law, NYLS, US
  • Matt Taibbi, Journalist, US
  • Andrew Tettenborn, Professor of Law, Swansea University,  UK
  • Robert Tombs, Historian, UK
  • Jeffrey Tucker, Author, USA
  • Yanis Varoufakis, Economist, Greece
  • Eli Vieira, Journalist, Genetic Biologist, Brazil
  • Toby Young, Journalist, Free Speech Union, UK
  • Andrea Zhok, Philosopher, University of Milan, Italy
  • Slavoj Žižek, Philosopher, Author, Slovenia
  • David Zweig, Journalist, Author, USA

References

Masnick, Mike ( October 24, 2023). ‘Twitter Files’ Hucksters Are Once Again Cosplaying as Free Speech Martyrs. Daily Beast https://www.thedailybeast.com/twitter-files-hucksters-are-cosplaying-as-free-speech-martyrs

Resources

The Westminster Declaration (westminsterdeclaration.org)

Public is a Substack platform and podcast by anti-transgender extremist Michael Shellenberger.

Largely through the efforts of contributor Mia Hughes, Public has showcased many leading figures in anti-transgender extremism, including Az Hakeem, Julia Mason, Helen Joyce, Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans (PITT), “Michelle Alleva,” Bev Jackson, Kate Harris, “Chloe Cole,” J. Michael Bailey, Stephanie Winn, “Christina Buttons,” Meghan Murphy, “K. Yang,” Women’s Declaration International, Peter Boghossian, and Stephen B. Levine.

People

Contributors to Public include:

Resources

Substack (substack.com)

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)

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

Background

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

Transgender coverage

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

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

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

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

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

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

References

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resources

The Stranger (thestranger.com)

Wikipedfia (en.wikipedia.org)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

X/Twiiter (x.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Bluesky (bsky.app)

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.

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)

References

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/

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/

Graham Linehan (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 (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 (27 January 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 (March 4, 2024). The WPATH Files. Environmental Progress https://environmentalprogress.org/big-news/wpath-files

Media

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

The Epoch Times (Nov 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 (Apr 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)

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