Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) vs. transgender people

by Andrea James Reviewed September 29, 2026 7 min read

Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) is an American organization dedicated to anti-transgender extremism and sex segregationism. They espouse a trans-exclusionary version of what they call radical feminism.

WoLF is notable for frequently collaborating with anti-feminist groups, including Alliance Defending Freedom, The Heritage Foundation, Family Policy Alliance, and Independent Women’s Forum.

Background

WoLF was founded by Lierre Keith in 2013, incorporated in 2016, and earned non-profit status in 2018.

In 2016, WoLF applied for a grant from religious conservative group Alliance Defending Freedom for a lawsuit challenging a May 13 Obama Administration guidance on Title IX, which directed agencies to interpret “on the basis of sex” to mean on the basis of gender identity.

Starting in 2016, WoLF began organizing an event called WoLF Fest.

WoLF Fest

Staring in 2016, the organization held an annual conference, continued until 2019.

2016

Dominique Christina, author of The Bones, The Breaking, The Balm: A Colored Girl’s Hymnal, They Are All Me, This Is Woman’s Work
Lierre Keith
Max Dashu
Cindy Sheehan podcast Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox
Saba Malik Fertile Ground Institute
Samantha Berg Genderberg.com and Johnstompers.com
Mary Lou Singleton Albuquerque midwife
Erin Graham Vancouver. PhD 2014
Sera Rabbett serarabbett.bandcamp.com
Thistle Pettersen thistlespace.org
Susan Cox
Raquel Rosario Sánchez
Ree Walker
Meghan Murphy

Attacks on gender diverse youth

WoLF endorsed an anti-trans “Parents Resource Guide”(genderresourceguide.com) with

Women’s Liberation Radio News

On May 5th, 2016, WoLF launched a podcast called Women’s Liberation Radio News hosted by Thistle Pettersen.

2019 collaboration with Heritage Foundation

In 2019, WoLF collaborated on an event with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative group known for:

Opposing abortion rights and supporting Roe‘s reversal
Seeking to restrict or reverse FDA approval of mifepristone
Enforcing the Comstock Act against mailing abortion pills
Removing “reproductive health” language from federal programs
Shifting family-planning funding away from Planned Parenthood
Opposing the Paycheck Fairness Act
Downplaying discrimination as a cause of the gender pay gap
Opposing federal paid-leave mandates
Opposing the Equal Rights Amendment
Objecting to parts of Violence Against Women Act reauthorizations
Removing “gender equality” from federal documents
Emphasizing traditional married-family structures in policy
Opposing same-sex marriage and Obergefell
Supporting religious exemptions to decline same-sex weddings
Opposing the Equality Act
Removing sexual orientation and gender identity terms from federal rules and data

The reason WoLF is willing to overlook all of this is that Heritage Foundation shares Beck’s unremitting contempt for trans and gender diverse people. Their shared goals include:

Defining sex as biological in law, including Title IX
Opposing gender-transition care for minors
Opposing transgender women in women’s sports
Opposing transgender military service
Describing “transgender ideology” as pornography that should be outlawed (Project 2025 foreword)

The panels included WoLF members Julia Beck, Jennifer Chavez, and Kara Dansky.

YouTube channel

2019 “Lesbians on Chairs” panel

Corrina D’Annibale
Jocelyn Macdonald
Marian Rutigliano
Linda Bellos

2020 “canceled women” panels

Meghan Murphy
“Posie Parker”
Linda Bellos
Libby Emmons
Natasha Chart
Dominique Christina

2019 Women Stand Up panel

2020 Fighting the New Misogyny: A Feminist Critique of Gender Identity panel

Meghan Murphy
Saba Malik
Kara Dansky
Cherry Smiley [in absentia]
Lierre Keith

2022 Women’s Bill of Rights

In 2022, Women’s Liberation Front and Independent Women’s Voice developed the Women’s Bill of Rights as a way to erase transgender people in law and policy. Supporters want to set legal definitions of woman, man, male, female, and sex. They want to use the “gametic definition” of sex, which says that sex is based on the type of gamete (egg or sperm) a person’s body is built to produce.

This model legislation has since been introduced at both state and federal levels, with versions enacted in several US states.

People

The following people have been listed on the WoLF site from 2014 to September 2026. WoLF has stated that some people involved may not be listed.

Articles of incorporation (New Mexico)

Lierre Keith: Chair
Mahri Irvine: Executive Director
Kacie Moon: President and Director
Liz Fedak: Secretary and Director
Beth Lowe: Treasurer and Director
Charlotte Mountain: Treasurer
Mary Lou Singleton: Incorporator

Board

“Mindy” (2016)
Samantha Berg (2015–2016)
Devin Buckley (2022–2024)
Natasha Chart (2017–2020)
Jennifer Chavez (2017–2020)
Susan Cox (2016)
Elspeth Cypher: Secretary, President (2024, 2025–
Kara Dansky (2016; 2018–2020)
Jessica Dietzler (2022–2024)
Elizabeth “Liz” Fedak (2022–2025)
April Halley [on IRS listings] (2020–)
Margot Heffernan: Vace President (2024–)
Chante Holsey (2016)
Susan Hyatt (2016)
Sarah Jones (2016–2017)
Lierre Keith: Founder, Chair, Special Envoy (2014–2015; 2021–2023; 2025–)
Tonya Keogh (2018–2019)
Beth Lowe: Treasurer (2022–2024)
Kacie Mills / Kacie Moon: Secretary (2020–2023)
Charlotte “Charlie” Mountain (2018–2022)
Trish Oliver (2014–2016)
Marian Rutigliano (2020)
Michelle San Buenaventura Peixinho Smith (2016)
Mary Lou Singleton (2016)
Emma Spaulding (2017–2019)
Nancy Stade / NK Stade: Treasurer (2024–)
Sherrie Taha (2026–)
Carolynn Williams (2014–2015)

Staff

Lauren Adams Bone: Legal Director (2021–2022; 2024–)
Chenelle Brown: Political Consultant (2024)
Sharon Byrne: Executive Director (2023–2025)
M. K. Fain: Director of Communications / Communications & Technology Consultant (2021/2024–2025)
Jasmin Faulk: Executive Director (2026–)
Mahri Irvine: Executive Director (2021–2022)
Kellie-Jay Keen / “Posie Parker”: Special Advisor (2021–2023)
Constance Roberts: Volunteer Coordinator (2021)
Naima Schuller: Operations Manager (2023; 2026–)
Hannah Sullivan: Development Director (2021–2025)

Visionary Council (listed in 2022)

“Wonder Woman”
Jennifer Chavez
Alexandra Hecht [as “Alix Aharon”]
Kellie-Jay Keen
Myra Pearson [as “Genevieve Gluck”]
Angela Thompson

References

Quinlan, Casey (June 27, 2022). Experts on white nationalism say anti-trans rally in DC part of larger threat to democracy”. The American Independent https://americanindependent.com/white-nationalism-lgbtq-our-bodies-our-sports-anti-tran-rally-washington/

Egerton, Jayne (Autumn 2021). Women and the Religious Right. The Radical Notion, Issue 5, p. 74ff. https://theradicalnotion.org/issue-five-pdf/

Martinez, Christian (November 25, 2021). Suit takes aim at law that lets transgender inmates choose housing based on gender identity. Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-24/lawsuit-takes-aim-at-law-that-allows-transgender-inmates-to-choose-housing-location-based-on-gender-identity

Anita Noelle Green v. Miss United States of America, LLC, No. 21-35228 (9th Cir October 29, 2021). https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f232ea74d8342386a7ebc52/t/61802dee3eea9a7c7d33be5a/1635790318706/Filed.Green.v.MUSA.Amicus.Brief.WoLF.pdf

Norris, Sian (September 30, 2021). The Far-Right Co-Option of the Transgender Rights Issue. Byline Times https://bylinetimes.com/2021/09/30/the-far-right-co-option-of-the-transgender-rights-issue/

Staff report (April 26, 2021). Far-Right Groups Flood State Legislatures With Anti-Trans Bills Targeting Children. Southern Poverty Law Center https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2021/04/26/far-right-groups-flood-state-legislatures-anti-trans-bills-targeting-children

Lee, Mia (February 24, 2021). Inclusion of anti-trans group in UW employment fair sparks controversy. The Badger Herald https://badgerherald.com/news/2021/02/24/print-2-23-inclusion-of-anti-trans-group-in-uw-employment-fair-sparks-controversy

Kolowrat, Hayden (February 1, 2021). UPDATED: QLaw opposes Women’s Liberation Front’s involvement in UW Law interview program. The Badger Herald. https://badgerherald.com/news/2021/02/01/qlaw-opposes-womens-liberation-fronts-involvement-in-uw-law-interview-program

Gevisser, Mark (June 27, 2020). The front line of the new gender wars. Financial Times https://www.ft.com/content/003c71d6-b55c-11ea-8ecb-0994e384dffe

Bauer, Sydney (February 11, 2020). The New Anti-Trans Culture War Hiding in Plain Sight. New Republic https://newrepublic.com/article/156539/new-anti-trans-culture-war-hiding-plain-sight

Schmidt, Samantha (February 7, 2020). Conservatives find unlikely ally in fighting transgender rights: Radical feminists. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2020/02/07/radical-feminists-conservatives-transgender-rights/

Staff report (December 11, 2019). Event at Seattle Public Library causes firestorm, group accused of being ‘hate group'”. KIRO 7 News Seattle. https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/controversial-hate-group-event-seattle-public-library-causes-firestorm/SHZT7665XZAYRNCV3FT5OM5IWA/

Paul, Crystal (December 9, 2019). Amid outcry, Seattle Public Library weighs decision to provide venue for ‘radical feminist’ event criticized as anti-trans. Seattle Times https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/amid-outcry-seattle-public-library-weighs-decision-to-provide-venue-for-radical-feminist-event-criticized-as-anti-trans/

Burns, Katelyn (September 9, 2019). The rise of anti-trans “radical” feminists, explained. Vox https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/9/5/20840101/terfs-radical-feminists-gender-critical

Hachey, Isabelle (June 12, 2019). La femme qui dérange. La Presse https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2019-06-12/la-femme-qui-derange

Ring, Trudy (January 30, 2019). Anti-Trans Feminists Appear at Panel of Right-Wing Heritage Foundation. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2019/1/30/anti-trans-feminists-appear-panel-right-wing-heritage-foundation

Fitzsimons, Tim (January 29, 2019). Conservative group hosts anti-transgender panel of feminists “from the left.” NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/conservative-group-hosts-anti-transgender-panel-feminists-left-n964246

Langas, Amelia (November 14, 2017). ‘Radical’ feminist organization criticizes ETHS transgender locker room policy. Daily Northwestern https://dailynorthwestern.com/2017/11/14/city/radical-feminist-organization-criticizes-eths-transgender-locker-room-policy/

Signatories (May 1, 2017). Petition for Rulemaking to Protect the Safety and Privacy of Women in Need of Shelter Due to Homelessness or Violence (PDF). https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f232ea74d8342386a7ebc52/t/5f2b1755105b13309f4d0484/1596659541814/HUD-Hands-Across-the-Aisle-Letter-to-HUD_dated-5-1-17.pdf

Haywood, Phaedra (August 12, 2016). Radical feminists sue Obama administration in New Mexico court over bathroom directive. The Santa Fe New Mexican http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local%20news/radical-feminists-sue-obama-administration-in-new-mexico-court-over/article/53f86667-80aa-58dd-8d8c-299ca8b533d1.html

Joseph-Charles, Saeeda; Walz, Mackenzie (August 11, 2016). Case: Women’s Liberation Front v. U.S. Department of Justice. Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse https://clearinghouse.net/case/15477/