“Emily Hobbie” is the pseudonym of an American transgender activist who created one of the important early transgender forums, GenderPeace. The support forum was active from 2002 until it was eventually ruined by transgender troll Denise Magner. The site went offline in 2008.
Background
“”Emily Hobbie” was born in 1969 and graduated from Brookland-Cayce High School in 1987. “Hobbie” earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Virginia in 1991. “Hobbie” worked at Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation in 1992, designing the space frame fuselage of the Perseus A, NASA’s Small High Altitude Science Aircraft (SHASA). From 1992 to 1993, “Hobbie” worked in the UVa Department of Applied Mechanics as a graduate research assistant. Hobbie then worked at Blue Cross/Blue Shield in several techincal roles from 1994 to 2015.
“Autogynephilia” activism
“Hobbie” began having significant personal life issues in 2009, and by 2015, Hobbie had turned to Alice Dreger for attention and validation, as Denise Magner and many other indigent trans people had done previously. At some point, “Hobbie” became an “autogynephilia” activist.
In 2016, “Hobbie” read Dreger’s book Galileo’s Middle Finger and began getting involved in the trans community response, almost all of which was negative. When the Lambda Literary Foundation rescinded their nomination of the book for a possible award in March, “Hobbie” sprung into action defending Dreger. “Hobbie” and fellow “autogynephilia” activist Jamie Faye Fenton launched blogs supporting Dreger on the same day in March 2016. This was the only entry by “Hobbie”:
I hate “AGP” as it’s misrepresented. Here is my representation.
I think the way I experience what I think of as my gender is most intensely is during sex. I suspect this is true for the vast majority of people and part and parcel of being sexual beings. I don’t believe in a “true” gender any more than a “true” sex — sex and gender are both way complicated — but I do think that the gender I feel most keenly during sexual arousal is the gender that makes the sense for me to live by, and happily tracks with the gender my sexual partners and society in general relate to me as much more naturally than that suggested by my XY chromosome or naughty bits with which I was born.
“Hobbie” (2016)
“Hobbie,” under the username TugWildGeese, created a single-purpose account on Wikipedia and used it between April 6 and 10, 2016 to puff up Dreger’s biography.
As with Magner, there’s a lot more to this sad tale. It’s a shame that someone whose legacy would have been fondly remembered tacked on this unfortunate epilogue during a time of personal crisis.
References
“Hobbie, Emily” (March 27, 2016). I hate “AGP” as it’s misrepresented. Here is my representation. genderpeaceblog https://genderpeaceblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/27/i-hate-agp/
Resources
GenderPeace (genderpeace.com) [archive]
WordPress (wordpress.com)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Candace Owens is a conservative American writer and anti-transgender activist. Owens is part of a group of conspiracy theorists involved in “transvestigations,” where they make claims that public figures are secretly transgender.
Background
Candace Amber Owens was born on April 29, 1989. Owens grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, graduated from Stamford High School, and attended University of Rhode Island, dropping out before completing a degree. After an internship at Vogue, Owens worked at a private equity firm in administration.
Owens married George Farmer in 2019. They have two children.
In 2021, Owens joined The Daily Wire and hosted Candace, a political talk show. Owens left Daily Wire in March 2024, reportedly over remarks about Israel.
Anti-transgender activism
In 2017, Owens supported banning transgender people without bottom surgery from serving in the United States military.
In 2022, Owens falsely claimed the Robb Elementary School shooter could be transgender.
In 2022, Owens described Drag Queen Story Hour as “child abuse,” adding that parents who take their children “should have their children taken away from them.”
In 2022, Owens said that society would benefit by discriminating more against transgender and non-binary people.
In 2023, Owens said “It is worse than Jim Crow laws because we are mutilating the bodies of children. […] It is Frankenstein. These are human experiments that are being performed on children.”
In February 2025 Owens released Becoming Brigitte, a “transvestigation” into Brigitte Macron, First Lady of France and spouse of French president Emmanuel Macron. Owens concludes that Brigitte Macron is trans, and there’s a vast conspiracy to keep this information hidden.
References
Smith, Ian (February 4, 2025). Why are false rumours about Brigitte Macron being transgender resurfacing? MSN https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/why-are-false-rumours-about-brigitte-macron-being-transgender-resurfacing/ar-AA1yom8r
Staff report (April 6, 2023). Candace Owens says the existence of trans people is “worse than Jim Crow laws.” Media Matters for America https://www.mediamatters.org/candace-owens/candace-owens-says-existence-trans-people-worse-jim-crow-laws
Assunção, Muri (December 13, 2022). Candace Owens calls for discrimination against trans, nonbinary people: ‘Society would be safer if we discriminated more’. New York Daily News https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-cancace-owens-discrimination-trans-nonbinary-people-sam-brinton-20221213-irewcydb2jg4bgwgdarw2jgupi-story.html
Sardarizadeh, Shayan; Devlin, Kayleen (May 27, 2022). Texas shooting: How false rumours spread that gunman was trans. BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/61607042
Yurcaba, Jo; Goggin, Ben; Collins, Ben (May 25, 2022). Trans woman’s photo used to spread baseless online theory about Texas shooter. NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/trans-womans-photo-used-spread-baseless-online-theory-texas-shooter-rcna30511
Alcorn, Chauncey (June 23, 2018). Critics call out Candace Owens’ transphobic views and want Kanye West, Caitlyn Jenner to do the same. Mic [archive] https://mic.com/articles/189887/critics-call-out-candace-owens-transphobic-views-and-want-kanye-west-caitlyn-jenner-to-do-same
Bernstein, Joseph (May 15, 2018). The Newest Star of the Trump Movement Ran a Trump-Bashing Publication – Less Than Two Years Ago. BuzzFeed [archive] https://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/the-newest-star-of-the-trump-movement-ran-a-trump-bashing
Resources
GLAAD Accountability Project (glaad.org/gap)
Candace Owens (candaceowens.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Paul Garcia-Ryan is a conservative American social worker and ex-transgender activist. Garcia-Ryan believes people under age 26 should not get trans healthcare under an informed consent model.
Do not go to Garcia-Ryan for therapy. If you are a minor forced to see Garcia-Ryan, do everything in your power to end the sessions and find a supportive local therapist.
Background
Paul A. Garcia-Ryan was born on June 17, 1991. At age 15, Garcia-Ryan reportedly met with a therapist about gender identity and expression.
As an adult, Garcia-Ryan began using the name Charlotte Garcia-Ryan and took medical transition steps.
Garcia-Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree from Alfred University in 2014 and a master’s degree from Hunter College in 2018.
In 2021, at age 30, Garcia-Ryan made additional gender changes following reportedly poor surgical results.
Practice
Garcia-Ryan is president of Therapy First, a directory of therapists who believe they should be paid to determine if trans and gender diverse people should be allowed to undertake medical transition steps.
Garcia-Ryan has been affiliated with the Open Therapy Institute and was listed with these therapists:
- Camilo Ortiz
- Katherine Cullen
- Neil Kressel
- Paul Garcia-Ryan
That site stated: “Paul Garcia-Ryan is a New York City based psychotherapist providing care to a wide variety of patients, including gay and lesbian adults who don’t feel they have a place in LGBT culture and individuals/families facing gender related challenges.”
Garcia-Ryan feels that young adults should not be allowed to make a gender transition unless they pay for “gender exploratory therapy” from Garcia-Ryan or other conservative colleagues.
Garcia-Ryan is listed on the Gender Exploratory Therapy Association site. “Gender exploratory therapy” is a non-affirming model of care. The American Academy of Pediatrics calls this practice “delayed transition” and advises against it.
Garcia-Ryan’s promotional site includes quotes from anti-trans activists Lisa Marchiano, Leonore Tiefer, and Lisa Selin Davis.
Ex-transgender activism
Garcia-Ryan was an invited participant at a 2023 anti-trans conference organized by the SLPC-designated hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine.
In 2024, Garcia-Ryan was featured in a New York Times article by anti-trans activist Pamela Paul. Garcia-Ryan stated:
“When a professional affirms a gender identity for a younger person, what they are doing is implementing a psychological intervention that narrows a person’s sense of self and closes off their options for considering what’s possible for them.”
Paul (2024)
References
OTI (November 7, 2024). Coming soon: OTI shines light on overlooked clinical populations with Dr. Phil. Open Therapy Institute https://opentherapyinstitute.substack.com/p/whats-new-at-the-open-therapy-institute-3fb
Ryan, Benjamin (October 19, 2024). Pain, confusion and compassion: How the US has reached a trans ‘tipping point.’ New York Post https://nypost.com/2024/10/19/us-news/pain-confusion-compassion-how-the-us-has-reached-a-trans-tipping-point/
Kirkey, Sharon (July 17, 2024). Kids identifying as transgender need ‘talk therapy,’ not drugs, therapists say. National Post https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/transgender-gender-dysphoria-treatment
Ryan, Benjamin (February 24, 2024). A landmark Finnish study is changing how we approach transgender kids. New York Post https://nypost.com/2024/02/24/opinion/a-finnish-study-is-changing-how-we-approach-trans-kids/
Staff report (February 14, 2024). Young adults tell of irreparable damage caused in teens by trans-affirming medics. Christian Institute https://www.christian.org.uk/news/young-adults-tell-of-irreparable-damage-caused-in-teens-by-trans-affirming-medics/
McGhee White, Kaylee (February 8, 2024). For these detransitioners, there’s no reversing the cost of gender ideology’s lies. Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/2843144/for-these-detransitioners-theres-no-reversing-the-cost-of-gender-ideologys-lies/
Foley, Ryan (February 7, 2024). Founder of first pediatric gender clinic in the US fears providers are rushing gender transitions. Christian Post https://www.christianpost.com/news/doctors-are-rushing-gender-transition-process-psychologist-warns.html
Alexander, Harriet (February 3, 2024). Gay teens who couldn’t come to terms with their sexuality share how they removed their breasts and genitals in false hope that becoming transgender would ‘cure’ them, as concerns mount that ‘gender-affirming care’ for children is homophobic. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13040507/transgender-children-gay-teenagers-surgery-hormones-detransition.html
Hays, Gabriel (February 2, 2024). Detransitioners open up to NY Times about feeling abandoned, harm of ‘gender-affirming care:’ ‘It’s a mess.’ Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/media/detransitioners-open-ny-times-feeling-abandoned-harm-gender-affirming-care-mess
Paul, Pamela (February 2, 2024). As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/02/opinion/transgender-children-gender-dysphoria.html
Action Network (2024). Raising the Alarm on Gender Identity Change Efforts Disguised as Talk Therapy. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/raising-the-alarm-on-gender-identity-change-efforts-disguised-as-talk-therapy [archive]
SPLC (December 12, 2023). Group dynamics and division of labor within the anti-LGBTQ+ pseudoscience network. https://www.splcenter.org/captain/defining-pseudoscience-network
Reed, Erin (January 13, 2023). Unpacking ‘gender exploratory therapy,’ a new form of conversion therapy. Xtra https://xtramagazine.com/health/gender-exploratory-therapy-243833
Selected writing by Garcia-Ryan
Garcia-Ryan, Paul (April 18, 2024). Opinion: A new report roils the debate on youth gender care. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/18/cass-review-young-people-gender-transition/
- Resposes https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/25/cass-review-transgender-kids-treatment/
Resources
Paul Garcia-Ryan (paulgarciaryan.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Licensure
- NPI 1326685694
- NY License # 093503
Brooklyn Holistic Therapy (brooklynholisticpsychotherapy.com)
Open Therapy Institute (opentherapyinstitute.org)
Therapy First (therapyfirst.org)
Instagram (instagram.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Psychology Today (psychologytoday.com)
- Paul Garcia-Ryan
- psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/paul-garcia-ryan-brooklyn-ny/427351
Angel Eduardo is an American anti-transgender activist.
Background
Angel Lemuel Eduardo was born in March 1985 and grew up in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Eduardo earned a bachelor’s degree from New Jersey City University in 2008 and a master’s degree from Hunter College in 2015.
Eduardo was in the band Blue Food from 2008 to 2016 and contributed to NewsCult.com while doing research for TitleVest. Eduardo the wrote for Action Without Borders (also known as Idealist) from 2019 to 2021.
Eduardo has been a columnist for Center for Inquiry since 2020, and advisor for Greenhouse Scholars since 2022.
Anti-transgender activism
In 2021, Eduardo defended a transphobic special by Dave Chappelle.
Since 2022, Eduardo has been writing for anti-trans publication Quillette.
Eduardo joined Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism in 2022, quickly rising to board chair.
Eduardo joined Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression as a senior writer in 2023.
Eduardo joined the Institute for Liberal Values as an advisor in 2023.
References
Eduardo, Angel (October 27, 2021). ‘The Closer’ Isn’t About Laughing at Trans People. It’s About Laughing at Yourself | Opinion. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/closer-isnt-about-laughing-trans-people-its-about-laughing-yourself-opinion-1643101
Resources
Angel Eduardo (angeleduardo.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Diane Frank is a American crossdressing activist. Frank was Director of Outreach and Communications for the Alpha Omega Society AOS), a group which split from Tri-Ess, a national crossdressing group. AOS became inactive in 2005.
The Man Who Would Be Queen
In 2003 Frank was quoted on the Joseph Henry Press site promoting anti-trans book The Man Who Would Be Queen, though the full comments are much more reflective of Frank’s views:
Mike Bailey has finally published his book “The Man Who Would be Queen”. Drawing heavily on Blanchard (see above), Bailey describes in a readable form a theory that works as follows: Boys who are feminine will mostly grow up to be gay, and a few will become what I’ll call transkids. These transkids often go through a ‘gay boy’ phase before seeking to transition. Like gay men, these people who seek sex changes early in life are promiscuous, or “boy crazy” in one observer’s mind. They also seek to become exotically beautiful women and seek heterosexual men as partners. To the extent that so many of these kids are throw aways whose parents cannot face their gender differences, Bailey may be again confusing cause and effect when he talks about promiscuity, sex work and the like in these cases. But it is clear that he does not regard them wholly as women. (According to one ex-trans kid I’ve corresponded with, they don’t care!) Boys who are not particularly feminine discover crossdressing at puberty, and it is an erotic turn on. For some the turn on becomes focused on the idea of actually having a woman’s body, although Bailey cites examples of fantasies about being in a women’s knitting circle as being in this category as well. Blanchard called this kind of eroticism ‘autogynephilia’. Few people like this transition early in life, instead they attempt to cope with a forbidden eroticism, get conventional jobs, marry, have children and so forth. Some will, in middle age find themselves unable to cope with the accumulated desires and ideation and find it impossible to live further as men. Thus, one kind of transsexuality is related to ‘gayness’, while another kind is related to a sexual kink shared with ‘heterosexual crossdressers’. In either case he believes the cause is not a question of moral weakness or bad parenting, but instead is the result of variations in brain development. In other words, it’s not anyone’s fault.
Bailey is not unsympathetic to the plight of either kind, and states emphatically and forcefully that old notions of morality do nothing to help the individuals or improve the situation. He believes the distress caused by these conditions is real, and some people can and should be treated by sexual reassignment. He also notes that the general public finds ‘homosexual transsexuals’ understandable and is generally sympathetic to them, while not understanding and being totally unsympathetic to either crossdressers or late transitioning transsexual’s alleged sexual motivation. He is also emphatic about not believing stories from late transitioning transsexuals or heterosexual crossdressers that don’t acknowledge autogynephilia as part of their being.
I’ll keep my comments brief on this right now: While Bailey and Blanchard are correct in recognizing the existence of ‘autogenyphilia’ as a possible sometime motivator for some late transitioning transsexuals and some heterosexual crossdressers, they confuse cause and effect. We know that there is massive rewiring of the during adolescence. The question of which comes first at this point, identification with the other gender and then a variant eroticism or variant eroticism followed by identification with the other gender. This is a difficult question and I suspect that the answer is that both occur. The other point that Blanchard, Bailey and the rest seem to willfully overlook is about outcomes. Face it, marriages generally don’t occur in Western Societies where people pick their own mates because of sincere devotion, admiration, understanding and mutual respect…and sex comes along as the caboose on the train. We live in a sex saturated society because the sex drive does come first…but out of it come devoted couples who admire, understand and respect each other. Thus the real question isn’t so much why or about categories, but what circumstances can create positive outcomes from these variations, just as we expect positive outcomes from typical heterosexuality? So much of human experience rises from the muck. What we should look for are the transcendent outcomes that show paths to being better people.
In August, Frank sent this follow-up note:
I got a rather snarky reply from Mautner…but they’ve pulled our quote from the website…I had suggested that if they really wanted the proper context for quoting me they should substitute as follows:
If you really must quote us, how about “yet another version of the idea that crossdressing is only and always about sexuality (and transsexuality is just an extreme version of it), presented as if it were based on science but lacking a scientific foundation. Read it so you know what you’ll have to deal with”
Abnormal Psychology
Ms. Frank also excerpted relevant passages from a common anti-trans textbook taught in American colleges at the time: Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life (11th Edition)
authors:
References
Frank, Diane (2004). Psychiatric Writings. http://www.aosoc.org/Webmistress_Choices/psychiatric_writings.htm [archive]
Resources
The Alpha Omega Society (aosoc.org) [2003–2005 – archive]
- Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life excerpts
- http://www.aosoc.org/Webmistress_Choices/AbnormalPsychandModernLife.htm [archive]
Róisín Michaux is an Irish anti-transgender activist based in Brussels who claims to be “researching the explosion of the gender identity movement in EU/global institutions.”
Background
Michaux reportedly grew up experiencing poverty in a housing estate in a single-parent home.
Michaux “wrote for culture magazines in Belgium and abroad” before becoming a “Twitter TERF.”
Michaux is married and is a parent of children, one of whom was born in 2012.
Anti-transgender activism
Michaux writes anti-trans pieces for Substack, UnHerd, 4W, The Critic, and Reduxx.
Michaux says, “I am militant about stopping paediatric transgender transition.”
Working with right-wing media polemicist Roisin Michaux they seem to be the people promoting and hosting SFW followers from the mainland UK.
Peaked podcast
In 2023 and 2024, Michaux hosted a podcast that ran for 11 episodes.
- Ireland: new priestly caste, new child abuse scandal May 3, 2024
- Germany to vote on the wildest, weirdest self-id bill yet April 11, 2024
- Did liberté ideals ripen France for trans? March 26, 2024
- Italian girls haven’t escaped the gender meatgrinder March 16, 2024
- Ireland’s constitutional woman-ectomy March 7, 2024
- Wilders or women – who saved the Dutch from genderwang? Feb. 23, 2024
- The worrying silence on Germany’s self-ID bill Feb. 16, 2024
- Sex-clowning around in Slovakia Jan. 28, 2024
- The trans lobby rolls into rural Ireland July 19, 2023
- A date with a puberty blocker doctor July 17, 2023
References
Wallace, Freda (September 8, 2023). Terf Ireland / Emerald Vile. Inside the Hate Cult. Medium https://medium.com/@missfredawallace/terf-ireland-emerald-vile-f5a8b039e66f
Wallace, Freda (September 1, 2023). The Anti Science of Unherd- Dehumanisation 101. Medium https://medium.com/@missfredawallace/dehumanisation-24996b5686ae
Taln_Reich (December 2, 2022). Róisín Michaux [continued]. Fundies Say The Darndest Things https://fstdt.com/TCJ$N6R5HY$68
Taln_Reich (December 1, 2022). Róisín Michaux. Fundies Say The Darndest Things https://fstdt.com/W9RG.5BJY$S6K
Selected writing by Michaux
Michaux, Róisín; El-Nagashi, Faika; Zobnina, Anna (January 15, 2025). The EU is refusing to change course on gender: While national governments see sense on gender identity, Brussels goes full-speed ahead. The Critic https://thecritic.co.uk/the-eu-is-refusing-to-change-course-on-gender/
Michaux, Róisín (September 7, 2023). Abuses of affirmation: Inside the communities of trans mums. The Critic https://thecritic.co.uk/abuses-of-affirmation/
Michaux, Róisín (September 7, 2023). The plot to redefine conversion therapy. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2023/06/how-the-un-perverted-conversion-therapy/
Michaux, Róisín (August 30, 2023). The new front in the war against HIV. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2023/08/the-new-front-in-the-war-against-hiv/
Michaux, Róisín (June 16, 2023). Gender critical in Geneva: Yet another failed attempt to silence women. The Critic https://thecritic.co.uk/gender-critical-in-geneva/
Michaux, Róisín (January 17, 2023). You Meet More Perverts When You’re Poor. 4W https://4w.pub/you-meet-more-perverts-when-poor/
Michaux, Róisín (November 30, 2022). These Men Were Promised Lesbians. 4W https://4w.pub/these-men-were-promised-lesbians/
Michaux, Róisín (October 5, 2022). Trans Activists’ Speeches to Be Streamed into Classrooms of 15k Irish Schoolgirls. 4W https://4w.pub/stream-trans-activists-irish-girls/
Michaux, Róisín (September 22, 2022).Brighton: This is what #NoDebate looks like. 4W https://4w.pub/brighton-this-is-what-nodebate-looks-like/
Michaux, Róisín (September 22, 2022). Castrated ‘Eunuchs’ are Trans, Need Affirming care, says Professional Body. 4W https://4w.pub/castration-added-transgender-care/
Michaux, Róisín (September 13, 2022). The Forstater Verdict Has Wider Reach than You Think. 4W https://4w.pub/forstater-verdict-wider-reach/
Michaux, Róisín (August 31, 2022). Advocates for “Whores’” Rights Shut Down Prostitution Suvivors’ Event in Berlin. 4W https://4w.pub/prostitution-survivors-event/
Media
Paul Boonefaes (July 2, 2023). Roisin Michaux on The Based in Belgium Podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw9A241uNao
Women’s Declaration International (WDI) (January 25, 2023). No data, no problem? Róisín Michaux on dangers of Belgium self ID laws. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpiknHBmkkk
Resources
X/Twitter (x.com)
Substack (substack.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
4W (4w.pub)
UnHerd (unherd.com)
Reduxx (reduxx.info)
The Critic (thecritic.co.uk)
Muck Rack (muckrack.com)
“Mr. Menno” is the stage name of Menno Kuijper, a Dutch anti-transgender extremist and separatist based in the UK.
Background
Menno Kuijper was born June 19, 1976. Kuijper held numerous roles in marketing and social media from 1996 to 2012. From 2012 to 2021 Kuijper was head of design and production at mobile marketing firm Gappt.
Menno appeared in theatrical productions before focusing exclusively on anti-trans content. Performances include Brixton Batty Boy (2012).
Anti-trans activism
Since 2022 Kuijper has been director of communications for anti-trans group The Gay Men’s Network.
Kuijper considers the trans rights movement to be “gender woo woo,” promoting the outdated terminology “homosexual male” and other binary ideas about traits and behaviors.
In 2022 Kuijper created a “sea shanty” for queer trans-exclusionary group LGB Alliance.
Also in 2022, Kuijper showed up to an anti-trans “Save Our Sex Jubilee campaign” in a black morph suit and a diaper with a sign that said “Right Side of History.” Kuijper was apparently mocking black bloc protesters who interrupted the anti-trans “Standing for Women” protest in Manchester earlier that month. Transphobes mocked those protesters online as “Black Pampers,” a play on Black Panthers. Kuijper insisted it was not a blackface performance.
Kuijper appears in the 2023 anti-trans proaganda series Uncomfortable Truths.
Kuijper has appeared in the media with other anti-trans extremists, including Graham Linehan, joey brite, and Isabella Malbin.
References
Milton, Josh (June 2, 2022). Anti-trans protester wears black morph suit and nappy in bizarre stunt. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2022/06/02/anti-trans-denies-blackface-nappy-mr-menno/
Kuijper, Menno (August 15, 2012). Brixton Batty Boy Polari http://www.polarimagazine.com/tag/menno-kuijper/
Resources
Gay Men’s Network (gaymensnetwork.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Patreon (patreon.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
PayPal (paypal.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Dennis Prager is a conservative writer and anti-transgender activist.
Background
Dennis Mark Prager was born on August 2, 1948 in Brooklyn to Max and Hilda (Friedfeld) Prager. Prager has a sibling Kenneth.
Prager attended Yeshiva of Flatbush and earned a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College in 1970. Prager then took graduate courses but did not complete further degrees.
Prager was recruited by a British Jewish group to interview Jewish people in the Soviet Union, then toured speaking about the findings. From 1976 to 1983 Prager ran the Brandeis-Bardin Institute.
In 1982 Prager began a religious talk show and began writing more about antisemitism. Prager became known for criticism of narcissism and secularism. Prager has been married three times.
In the 1990s Prager began working to forge alliances between conservative Jews and Conservative Christians. Since 1999 Prager has hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show The Dennis Prager Show.
Anti-transgender activism
In 2009, Prager and producer Allen Estrin started PragerU, which creates five-minute videos promoting conservative views.
References
Vaush (March 1, 2023). Debunking DERANGED Anti-Trans Prager U Propaganda. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggPrrXnAPw
Jessie Gender (December 3, 2021). How PragerU Creates Transphobia (in Trans-Affirming Folks). YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-vIGz2SuO0
January, Brianna (November 23, 2020). YouTube removed anti-trans PragerU videos for violating hate speech policies. Media Matters for America
Staff report (Jun 30, 2022). Daily Wire Tightens Alliances With ‘The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast’ And Dennis Prager. Inside Radio https://www.insideradio.com/free/daily-wire-tightens-alliances-with-the-jordan-b-peterson-podcast-and-dennis-prager/article_4da336f0-f8ba-11ec-ab59-137e6e6efdb2.html
Ben Shapiro is a conservative American writer and anti-transgender activist.
Background
Benjamin Aaron “Ben” Shapiro was born January 15, 1984 in Los Angeles, California. Shapiro’s parent Cynthia Block Shapiro (born 1956) has worked as an executive coach, and parent David Jay Shapiro (born 1956) has been a writer and musician. David Shapiro has also written under the pseudonym “William Bigelow” and possibly “Hank Berrien,” often puff pieces praising child Ben.
Ben Shapiro studied classical violin as a child. Shapiro has a sibling named Leah and another sibling Abigail, a singer known as Classically Abby.
Shapiro used the online handle frumfiddle in college at UCLA, while earning a bachelor’s degree awarded in 2004. Shapiro was hired by Creators Syndicate at 17 to become America’s youngest nationally syndicated columnist, publishing the first of many subsequent books that year.
Shapiro earned a law degree from Harvard in 2007. Shapiro worked at Goodwin Procter LLP before setting up Benjamin Shapiro Legal Consulting in Los Angeles.
Ben Shapiro married Israeli physician Mor Toledano Shapiro (born 1988) in 2008. They have four children.
In 2012, Shapiro became editor of Breitbart News, resigning in 2016. In 2012, Shapiro also began work as a radio host.
In 2013, Shapiro and Jeremy Boreing co-founded conservative media watchdog TruthRevolt, which continued until 2018. In 2015, they founded Daily Wire and the podcast The Ben Shapiro Show. In 2020, Shapiro became editor emeritus of Daily Wire.
Shapiro frequently appears in the media and on campuses, usually making provocative statements in hopes of getting a response.
Anti-LGBTQ activism
Shapiro considers sex and gender minorities mentally ill and sinful. Shapiro does not think they should be able to marry or adopt.
Shapiro has said trans people should not be allowed to own guns, and Shapiro believes transgender youth are caused by “social contagion” or “crap parenting.”
References
Harris, Dan (September 2017). Outspoken conservative Ben Shapiro says political correctness breeds insanity. Nightline https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/outspoken-conservative-ben-shapiro-political-correctness-breeds-insanity-50603406 [archive]
Harris, Dan; Torres, Ignacio; Effron, Lauren (October 21, 2017). Conservative commentator on future of free speech on campus. ABC News https://abcnews.go.com/US/outspoken-conservative-ben-shapiro-free-speech-place-college/story?id=50610394 [archive]
Goldstein, Sasha (July 15, 2015). Ben Shapiro files complaint against transgender reporter Tur. New York Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ben-shapiro-files-complaint-transgender-reporter-tur-article-1.2298804 [archive]
Walker, Lauren (July 21, 2015). Editor Ben Shapiro Files Police Report Against Transgender Reporter After Heated TV Exchange. Newsweek http://www.newsweek.com/conservative-editor-files-police-report-against-transgender-reporter-after-355851 [archive]
Tobin, Andrew (July 21, 2015). Jewish pundit, trans journalist in on-air spat. The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-pundit-trans-journalist-in-on-air-spat/ [archive]
Walker, Lauren (July 21, 2015). Editor Ben Shapiro Files Police Report Against Transgender Reporter After Heated TV Exchange. Newsweek. https://web.archive.org/web/20170318225103/http://www.newsweek.com/conservative-editor-files-police-report-against-transgender-reporter-after-355851 [archive]
Tavernise, Sabrina (November 23, 2017). Ben Shapiro, A Provocative ‘Gladiator,’ Battles to Win Young Conservatives. The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/23/us/ben-shapiro-conservative.html [archive]
Wilburn, Caroline (November 1, 2022). Ben Shapiro visits A&M, criticizes transgender community. The Battery https://www.thebatt.com/news/ben-shapiro-visits-a-m-criticizes-transgender-community/article_9340e138-5a5f-11ed-bd70-4b233c964e13.html
Henry, Vesper (March 22, 2023). Facts trump Ben Shapiro’s feelings on social contagion theory of trans identity. Media Matters for America https://www.mediamatters.org/ben-shapiro/facts-trump-ben-shapiros-feelings-social-contagion-theory-trans-identity
Staff report (March 7, 2023). Ben Shapiro accuses parents of trans children of “crap parenting.” Media Matters for America https://www.mediamatters.org/ben-shapiro/ben-shapiro-accuses-parents-trans-children-crap-parenting
Prieb, Natalie (April 13, 2022). Ben Shapiro gets into scrap with student at ‘Men Cannot Be Women’ event. The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/3266482-ben-shapiro-gets-into-scrap-with-student-at-men-cannot-be-women-event/
Staff report (March 31, 2023). Ben Shapiro says trans people should be banned from owning firearms. Media Matters for America https://www.mediamatters.org/ben-shapiro/ben-shapiro-says-trans-people-should-be-banned-owning-firearms
Resources
Media Matters for America (mediamatters.org)
GLAAD Accountability Project (glaad.org/gap)
Daily Wire (dailywire.com)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
X/Twitter (x.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
PragerU is a conservative American nonprofit advocacy group that frequently posts anti-transgender media.
Background
PragerU was founded by Dennis Prager and Allen Estrin in 2009. They create short-form animated content that explains a conservative view on a subject.
Key people include:
In 2020, YouTube took down two anti-trans videos featuring Candace Owens for violating their policy on hate speech, wherein being transgender was likened to schizophrenia and disease.
Anti-trans content
DETRANS: The Dangers of Gender-Affirming Care (October 25, 2023)
Abigail Shrier
- Why Girls Become Boys (March 29, 2021)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7bMJd_QAXs
- critical of trans and gender diverse youth
- Preferred Pronouns or Prison (April 15, 2019)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn5opUFNs-I
- critical of gender recognition bills
Ashley McGuire
- Gender Identity: Why All the Confusion? Oct 3, 2017
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAAlFya89aw
- critical of Fallon Fox and trans athletes
Amala Ekpunobi
- A (Biological) Woman’s Take on Trending TRANS TikToker Dylan Mulvaney- Unapologetic LIVE (Apr 18, 2022)
- critical of Dylan Mulvaney
- A Conservative, Transgender, & Transexual Walk Into A Studio… (Dec 2, 2022)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpRJ6YZErdA
- Guests Blossom Brown and Buck Angel
- Children Should Not Choose Their Gender: An Unapologetic Special (May 8, 2022)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUZ_o5kX6u0
Aldo Buttazzoni
- If You Can Choose Your Gender Can You Choose Your Race? Apr 26, 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJQOSV3lJNw
- Should San Francisco Guarantee Income for Trans People? Dec 7, 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=827PcqodBc8
Marissa Streit
- Child Regrets Transitioning Soon after Mastectomy & Hormones (Dec 22, 2022)
- Guest Chloe Cole
Selina Soule
- The End of Women’s Sports (November 16, 2020) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BuV-s1SYLk
- critical of trans athletes Andraya Yearwood and Terry Miller
Christina Hoff Sommers
- War on Boys (May 19, 2014)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFpYj0E-yb4
References
Anderson, Drew (2019-08-06). “BACKGROUNDER: PragerU’s Ties to White Supremacy, Horrific Anti-LGBTQ Record”. GLAAD. Archive
Ingram, Mathew. Congress and the platforms: The circus is back in town. Columbia Journalism Review.
Vaush (March 1, 2023). Debunking DERANGED Anti-Trans Prager U Propaganda. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggPrrXnAPw
Jessie Gender (December 3, 2021). How PragerU Creates Transphobia (in Trans-Affirming Folks). YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-vIGz2SuO0
January, Brianna (November 23, 2020). YouTube removed anti-trans PragerU videos for violating hate speech policies. Media Matters for America
Resources
PragerU (prageru.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)