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Jan Rivers vs. transgender people

Jan Rivers is an anti-trans activist based in New Zealand. Rivers is a member of anti-trans hate group Genspect.

Background

According the the Genspect New Zealand page:

Jan Rivers is a former public servant whose roles were in information management, library services and information policy. She is also a lesbian, an activist on public issues and works part-time as a meditation teacher. Passionate about the quality of public services and democracy in New Zealand she was involved with others working on issues of the public good such as open government, trade agreements, media policy and the use of big data and algorithms in government.  In 2018 she recognised gender ideology as a threat to the public sector, to social cohesion and to women, children and same-sex attracted people. She helped found some of New Zealand’s gender-critical organisations and is the author of articles on the impact of gender ideology on government and the dangers to children and young people of gender medicine.

In 2013, Rivers and Rosemary Neave founded Public Good, a blog about getting involved in civic affairs. In around 2018, Rivers began publishing anti-trans views on the blog, until it was almost exclusively focused on anti-trans activism.

Anti-trans activism

According to an article in The Spinoff, “Rivers has lodged a number of Media Council and BSA complaints (against a variety of outlets, including The Spinoff) regarding opinion articles in support of trans people and trans-inclusive language, and news items that acknowledge trans people’s right to healthcare.”

In 2024, Rivers filed a complaint against The Press for an article about the Cass Review. That complaint was not upheld.

References

MacManus, Joel (May 22, 2024). Fear, hate and a putrid stench: Inside the Unsilenced anti-trans event. The Spinoff https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/22-05-2024/fear-hate-and-a-putrid-stench-inside-the-unsilenced-anti-trans-event

New Zealand Media Council (December 2, 2024). Jan Rivers against The Press. https://www.mediacouncil.org.nz/rulings/jan-rivers-against-the-press/

New Zealand Media Council (8 May 2023). Jan Rivers against Stuff. https://www.mediacouncil.org.nz/rulings/jan-rivers-against-stuff-3398/

Selected anti-trans writing by Rivers

Rivers, Jan (March 11, 2025). Seven long years: My comments to the Health Select Committee in 2019 are still as relevant today. Jan Rivers https://swannieriv.substack.com/p/seven-long-years

Rivers, Jan (). New Policy on Transgender Medicine is a risk to all Children in Oranga Tamariki Care. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/?page_id=10504

Rivers, Jan (August 15, 2024). Bullying and intinmidation by transactivists in New Zealand, Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2024/08/15/10705/

Rivers, Jan (May 16, 2024). Comments made at the Inflection Point Conference 18-5-2024. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2024/05/16/comments-made-at-the-inflection-point-conference-18-5-2024/

Rivers, Jan (April 9, 2024). Opportunities for gender critical people to use the Declarations of Inconsistency with the Bill of Rights Act Legislation. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2024/04/09/opportunities-for-gender-critical-people-to-use-the-declarations-of-inconsistency-with-the-bill-of-rights-act-legislation/

Rivers, Jan (March 10, 2024). Why was removing language about women not erasing them? Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2024/03/10/why-was-removing-language-about-women-not-erasing-them/

Rivers, Jan (February 4, 2024). Oranga Tamariki’s new policy for ‘rainbow’ children is carelesssness dressed up as responsiveness. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2024/02/04/10514/

Rivers, Jan (August 23, 2023). An assessment of the PATHA guideline. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2023/08/23/an-assessment-of-the-patha-guideline/

Rivers, Jan (June 10, 2023). Gender Scepticism. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2023/06/10/gender-scepticism/

Rivers, Jan (April 23, 2023). Jan Rivers: Questions mount around the use of puberty blockers for children. New Zealand Herald https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/jan-rivers-questions-mount-around-the-use-of-puberty-blockers-for-children/JVKMNIUYUVBXDPCFPYSNZ34RWE/

Rivers, Jan (September 13, 2022). The closure of England’s youth gender medicine clinic and its impacts for New Zealand. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2022/09/13/the-closure-of-englands-youth-gender-medicine-clinic-and-its-impacts-for-new-zealand/

Rivers, Jan (June 21, 2022). The New Zealand Association of Counsellors capitulates to pressure from trans-activists. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2022/06/21/the-new-zealand-association-of-counsellors-capitulates-to-pressure-from-trans-activists/

Rivers, Jan; Abigail, Jill (December 2, 2020). Another Unfortunate Experiment? New Zealand’s transgender health policy and its impact on children. Jan Rivers and Jill Abigail. Public Good https://www.publicgood.org.nz/2020/12/02/another-unfortunate-experiment/

Media

Genspect with Jan Rivers (Jan 20, 2024). AusNZ Webinar: New Zealand’s Transgender Health Guidelines with Jan Rivers.

Resources

X/Twitter (x.com)

Genspect (genspect.org)

Public Good (publicgood.org.nz)

Substack (substack.com)