Yuan (Ray) Zhang vs. transgender people

by Andrea James Reviewed November 3, 2026 2 min read

Yuan (Ray) Zhang is a China-born researcher and anti-transgender activist based in Canada. Zhang co-authored the Trump Administration 2025 US HHS report attacking trans healthcare.

Zhang is closely affiliated with anti-trans hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM). Zhang spoke at several SEGM conferences:

Zhang got connected to SEGM via McMaster University, where a team led by Gordon Guyatt collaborated with SEGM in a formal research agreement.

Background

Yuan Zhang attended Peking University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 2010 and a master’s degree in 2012. Zhang earned a doctorate from McMaster University in 2017, followed by postdoctoral work in 2018.

Zhang worked as a health economist at Ontario Health from 2018 to 2024. Zhang has served as an assistant professor at McMaster University since 2019 and at Brock University since 2024.

On July 26, 2023, Zhang founded Evidence Bridge, described as a non-profit organization.

Zhang has co-authored work with McMaster employees Gordon Guyatt, Wojtek Wiercioch, Ivan Florez, and Romina Brignardello-Petersen, all of whom have also spoken at SEGM events.

Anti-trans activism

Zhang spoke at the 2024 SEGM conference in Athens, Greece. Zhang’s presentation was titled “Best Practices and Getting Consensus for Outcome Measures.” According to SEGM promotional materials:

Assistant Clinical Professor (adjunct) in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University, and an
Assistant Professor at Brock University. Ray’s research expertise includes evidence-based medicine, guideline development, patient values and
preferences, health economics, and health technology assessment. Yuan has authored over 60 peer-reviewed articles, amassing more than 10,000 citations and achieving an h-index of 40.

Selected writing by Zhang

Zhang, Yuan, McDeavitt, Kathleen; Laidlaw, Michael K. (preprint March 10, 2026). HHS Report on Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: What the Overview Reveals—and What It Does Not. SSRN https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6555578.

Abbruzzese, Evgenia; Byrne, Alex; Curlin, Farr; Gorin, Moti; Kaliebe, Kristopher; Laidlaw, Michael K.; McDeavitt, Kathleen; Sapir, Leor; Zhang, Yuan (December 8, 2025). We Wrote the HHS Review on Treatment for Minors with Gender Dysphoria. We Hope Our Critics Actually Read Our Report. STAT https://www.statnews.com/2025/12/08/hhs-gender-dysphoria-minors-report-authors/

Abbruzzese, Evgenia; Byrne, Alex; Curlin, Farr; Gorin, Moti; Kaliebe, Kristopher; Laidlaw, Michael K.; McDeavitt, Kathleen; Sapir, Leor; Zhang, Yuan (November 19, 2025). Supplement to Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Peer Reviews and Replies. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 19 Nov. 2025, https://opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-11/gender-dysphoria-report-supplement.pdf

Abbruzzese, Evgenia; Byrne, Alex; Curlin, Farr; Gorin, Moti; Kaliebe, Kristopher; Laidlaw, Michael K.; McDeavitt, Kathleen; Sapir, Leor; Zhang, Yuan (November 19, 2025). Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services https://opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-11/gender-dysphoria-report.pdf