Reem Alsalem is a Jordanian consultant, sex segregationist. and anti-transgender activist. Alsalem is a prominent critic of care for trans and gender diverse youth and a prominent opponent of trans athletes competing in sex-segregated competitive sport.
Alsalem is the point person laundering anti-transgender extremism into United Nations publications and policies.
Background
Alsalem earned a master’s degree from the American University of Cairo in 1999. then earned another master’s degree from the University of Oxford in 2003.
References
Baum, S. (July 18, 2025). Fact Check: Being Trans Is Not A Social Contagion, Despite Latest Submission To UN. Erin in the Morning https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/fact-check-being-trans-is-not-a-social
Sprayregen, Molly (July 15, 2025). United Nations appointee cites hate groups & junk science in report disparaging trans youth. LGBTQ Nation https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/07/united-nations-human-rights-council-cites-hate-groups-junk-science-to-disparage-trans-youth/
Adamczeski, Ryan (July 15, 2025). UN draft report calls gender dysphoria ‘socially contagious.’ The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/news/un-draft-report-gender-dysphoria
Hansford, Amelia (July 15, 2025). UN draft report claims gender dysphoria is ‘socially contagious.’ PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/07/15/un-gender-draft-report-socially-contagious/
Martin, Daniel (May 30, 2025). Don’t let trans rapists choose gender, UN warns police. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/30/dont-let-trans-rapists-choose-gender-un-warns-police/
Bartosch, Jo (February 18, 2025). UN official under fire for acknowledging biological reality. UnHerd https://unherd.com/newsroom/un-official-faces-backlash-for-acknowledging-biological-reality/
Agence France-Presse (February 13, 2025 ) UN expert hails Trump ban on trans athletes in women’s sports. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/2/13/un-expert-hails-trump-ban-on-trans-athletes-in-women-s-sports-1240
Bindel, Julie (November 1, 2024). Germany’s gender madness is a worry for women everywhere. The Spectator https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/germanys-gender-madness-is-a-worry-for-women-everywhere/
Downey, Carline (October 23, 2024). Female Athletes Lost Almost 900 Medals to Trans-Identifying Men Worldwide, U.N. Report Finds. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/news/female-athletes-lost-almost-900-medals-to-trans-identifying-men-worldwide-u-n-report-finds/
Brown, Oliver (October 8, 2024). United Nations adviser demands mandatory sex testing to protect females in sport. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/10/08/united-nations-mandatory-sex-testing-protect-females-sport/
Harris, Rob (October 2, 2024). Athletes not born female shouldn’t be able to compete in women’s sport, UN human rights expert says. Sky News https://news.sky.com/story/athletes-not-born-female-shouldnt-be-able-to-compete-in-womens-sport-un-human-rights-expert-says-13226756
Martin, Daniel (September 22, 2024). Conversion therapy ban for trans people could backfire and put girls at risk, UN expert warns. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/09/22/conversion-therapy-ban-trans-could-backfire/
Harris, Rob (August 3, 2024). Imane Khelif: Olympics should reintroduce sex testing in wake of Imane Khelif boxing row, UN adviser says. Sky News https://news.sky.com/story/olympics-should-reintroduce-gender-testing-in-wake-of-imane-khelif-boxing-row-un-adviser-says-13189690
Reed, Erin (June 17, 2024). UN Women calls gender-criticals an extremist anti-rights movement. Los Angeles Blade https://www.losangelesblade.com/2024/06/17/un-women-calls-gender-criticals-an-extremist-anti-rights-movement/ original url https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/un-women-calls-gender-criticals-an
Theilen, Jens (2024). Intersectionality’s Travels to International Human Rights Law. Michigan Journal of International Law. 45 (2). SSRN 4504732.
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A stark example of individual politics furthering rather than contesting oppression is found in the work of the current Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem, who is using women’s rights as a tool to undermine trans rights; see the protest letter AWID, There Is No Place for Anti-Trans Agendas in the UN (2023)
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Nobre, Andreia (May 16, 2024). Leaked Audio Reveals Reem Alsalem 2023 Brazil Visit “Indefinitely Postponed” Due to Alleged “Transphobia.” 4W https://4w.pub/leaked-audio-reveals-reem-alsalem-2023-brazil-visit-indefinitely-postponed-due-to-alleged-transphobia/
Barnes, Hannah (24 February 2024). Reem Alsalem on the biggest obstacles to ending violence against women. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-interview/2024/02/reem-alsalem-biggest-obstacles-ending-violence-against-women
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She has been on the receiving end of two open letters signed by NGOs and women’s groups, accusing of her being “anti-trans”, an allegation she forcefully rejects.
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Bickerton, James (February 23, 2024). UN Official Says Joe Biden’s Transgender Plan Threatens Women. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/un-official-says-joe-bidens-transgender-plan-threatens-women-1872845
Gentleman, Amelia (January 9, 2024). UN envoy criticises ‘one-sided’ WHO approach to trans health guidelines. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/jan/09/un-envoy-criticises-one-sided-who-approach-trans-health-guidelines
Young, Gregor (October 16, 2023). JK Rowling speaks at FiLiA feminist conference labelled ‘transphobic.’ The National https://www.thenational.scot/news/23857658.jk-rowling-speaks-filia-feminist-conference-labelled-transphobic/
Phillips, Aleks (June 15, 2023). What is Trantifa? Far-Left Trans Movement Spreading Across U.S. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/what-trantifa-far-left-movement-transgender-violence-1807032
Reinly, James (June 11, 2023). The new face of extremism unmasked: The UN and Republicans are watching ‘Trantifa’ – the hard-left transgender activists who flirt with violence to promote their radical agenda. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11995903/The-new-face-extremism-unmasked-Republicans-watching-trantifa.html
Afsari, Mana (May 23, 2023). UN calls out intimidation of gender-critical feminists. UnHerd https://unherd.com/newsroom/un-calls-out-intimidation-of-gender-critical-feminists/
Association for Women’s Rights in Development (May 18, 2023). There Is No Place for Anti-Trans Agendas in the UN. https://www.awid.org/news-and-analysis/there-no-place-anti-trans-agendas-un
Morrison, Hamish (November 30, 2022). Scottish feminists hit back at UN gender recognition warning. The National https://www.thenational.scot/news/23160294.scottish-feminists-hit-back-un-gender-recognition-warning/
Staff report (December 16, 2022). UN chief backs Scottish government’s gender recognition reforms. BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-63993415
Paletta, Daniele (October 7, 2021). The new UN Rapporteur on violence against women will prioritize sexual orientation, gender identity and expression in the upcoming three years. ILGA World https://ilga.org/news/sr-wav-priority-sogie-gbv/
Selected writing by Alsalem
Staff report (October 30, 2024). Germany: Gender self-ID law fails to address implications for women and girls, says Special Rapporteur. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/10/germany-gender-self-id-law-fails-address-implications-women-and-girls-says
Alsalem, Reem (August 27, 2024). Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences: Violence against women and girls in sports. https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/249/94/pdf/n2424994.pdf
Alsalem, Reem (6 September 2023). Statement by Reem Alsalem on AWID ‘s open letter of 18 May 2023 “There Is No Place for Anti-Trans Agendas in the UN.” https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/women/sr/activities/SR-VAWG-Response-AWID.pdf
Media
UN Human Rights Council (June 25, 2025). Disregarding the material reality of sex can have devastating effects, says Reem Alsalem | HRC59. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMWH96JjSWo
Resources
RationalWiki (rationalwiki.org)
- Reem Alsalem (best overview)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (ohchr.org)
- Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls
- ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-violence-against-women
X/Twitter (x.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)