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Leor Sapir vs. transgender people

Leor Sapir is a conservative political scientist and professional anti-transgender extremist. Sapir’s job is to make life harder for transgender adults and gender diverse young people by producing anti-transgender propaganda.

Background

Leor Shlomo Sapir was born in November 1982 and grew up living in the US and on a kibbutz in Israel. Sapir served in an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) combat unit as a young adult. Sapir earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Haifa in 2010.

Sapir’s original occupation involved tutoring and coaching debate teams in Israel at Lachman Psychometry and Zakai Institute for Rhetoric. Following a Tikvah Fellowship, Sapir was a visiting lecturer at National Law School of India University in 2012 and 2013. Sapir then began the graduate program in political science at Boston College in 2013. While working on a dissertation, Sapir was a visiting lecturer at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island in 2018 and at Wellesley College in 2019. Sapir’s dissertation was on Title IX Regulations during the Obama Administration. Sapir then did postdoctorate work at Harvard.

Anti-transgender activism

Sapir began working at the Manhattan Institute in 2022, focusing on undermining the rights of trans and gender diverse Americans. Sapir’s focus came after the Edelman Family Foundation donated $400,000 for a “gender identity initiative.”

Sapir frequently appears in conservative media to attack transgender people, including on shows hosted by Adam Carolla, Dennis Prager, The Current Catholic, and City Pages.

In the Wall Street Journal, Sapir joined fellow anti-trans activist Julia Mason in attacking mainstream pediatric organization American Academy of Pediatrics for supporting gender affirming care for youth. Sapir has also attacked New England Journal of Medicine editor Debra Malina, claiming Malina’s “Perspectives” section promoted gender affirming care because it financially benefited Malina’s child, a nonbinary therapist.

In January 2025, Sapir attended a “parental rights” event sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute.

In February 2025, Sapir and conservative trans media figure Brianna Wu appeared at Middlebury College for a discussion sponsored by the Alexander Hamilton Forum titled “What is the Right Approach on Public Policy and Transgender Medicine?”

References

Harthono, Thie; Power, Luke (February 27, 2025). College-sponsored transgender healthcare talk receives backlash, inspires alternative talk. The Middlebury Campus https://www.middleburycampus.com/article/2025/02/college-sponsored-transgender-healthcare-talk-receives-backlash-inspires-alternative-talk

Reed, Erin (August 16, 2024). Fact Check: ASPS Did Not “Break Consensus” On Trans Care, Opposes Bans. Erin In The Morning https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/fact-check-asps-did-not-break-consensus

Urquhart, Evan (December 26, 2023). ROGD Proponents Now Wish Littman “Spared Us the Headache” of Claiming a Rapid-Onset. Assigned Media https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/rogd-proponents-admit-no-rapid-onset

Redden, Molly (October 26, 2023). This Billionaire Hedge Funder Is Quietly Financing Anti-Trans Advocacy Across The U.S. HuffPost https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joseph-edelman-political-donor-transgender_n_653a8605e4b0783c4ba04deb

Reed, Erin (August 11, 2023). Debunked: “The Swedish Study” Doesn’t Say What Anti-Trans Activists Claim It Says. Erin In The Morning https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/debunked-the-swedish-study-doesnt

Urquhart, Evan (August 10, 2023). Conservatives Don’t Want You to Know: Trans Regret is Unusually Rare. Assigned Media https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/conservatives-dont-want-you-to-know-trans-surgical-regret-is-unusually-rare

Coverage in anti-trans press

Whitelocks, Sadie (February 27, 2025). Editor of New England Journal of Medicine has shocking secret revealed after pushing puberty blockers for kids. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14435347/Editor-New-England-Journal-Medicine-puberty-blockers-children.html

Sullivan, Andrew (September 29, 2023). Leor Sapir On Transing Gender-Dysphoric Kids. https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/leor-sapir-on-transing-gender-dysphoric

O’Neill, Tyler (February 7, 2024). Transgender Series, Part 1: What Is Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria and Why Does It Matter? Daily Signal https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/07/transgender-series-part-1-rapid-onset-gender-dysphoria/

Selected anti-trans writing by Sapir

note: most of Sapir’s anti-trans writing appears in the Manhattan Institute blog City Journal and can be viewed here.

Sapir, Leor (February 24 2025). The Corruption of The New England Journal of Medicine: A leading medical journal has capitulated to transgender activists. City Journal https://www.city-journal.org/article/new-england-journal-of-medicine-transgender-activists

Sapir, Leor; Friday, Erin (July 17, 2024). California passes deceptive trans policy in schools. UnHerd https://unherd.com/newsroom/california-passes-deceptive-trans-policy-in-schools/

Sapir, Leor (June 11, 2024). Dr. Haim Vowed to ‘First, Do No Harm,’ Now We Must Support Him. Reality’s Last Stand https://www.realityslaststand.com/p/dr-haim-vowed-to-first-do-no-harm

Sapir, Leor (April 4, 2024). Opinion: The reckoning over puberty blockers has arrived. The Hill https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/4573662-the-reckoning-over-puberty-blockers-has-arrived/

Sapir, Leor; Littman, Lisa (December 22, 2023). Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria and the U.S. Transgender Survey of 2015: A Response to Critics. Reality’s Last Stand

Sapir, Leor (August 6, 2023). Opinion: Second Thoughts on ‘Gender-Affirming Care.’ Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/opinion/second-thoughts-on-gender-affirming-care-american-academy-pediatrics-doctors-review-medicine-a7173276

Sapir, Leor; Wright, Colin (July 15, 2023). Medical Journal’s False Consensus on ‘Gender-Affirming Care.’ Reality’s Last Stand https://www.realityslaststand.com/p/medical-journals-false-consensus

Sapir, Leor and 200+ signatories (July 2023). An Open Letter from Jewish Scholars about Today’s Intellectual Environment. Fathom Journal https://fathomjournal.org/an-open-letter-from-jewish-scholars-about-todays-intellectual-environment/ petition url https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwRfscKQR3ZrgMGtxeEqloCLLlkQm7ETyfVwBq2XsGBGmZMg/viewform?pli=1

Sapir, Leor (June 28, 2023). Opinion: Why Europe and America are going in opposite directions on youth transgender medicine. The Hill https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/4070174-why-europe-and-america-are-going-in-opposite-directions-on-youth-transgender-medicine/

Sapir, Leor; Wright, Colin (June 9, 2023). Opinion: Medical Journal’s False Consensus on ‘Gender-Affirming Care.’ Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/opinion/medical-journals-false-consensus-on-gender-affirming-care-sex-change-procedure-transgender-f10cd52b

Sapir, Leor (February 21, 2023). Finland Takes Another Look at Youth Gender Medicine. Tablet https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/science/articles/finland-youth-gender-medicine

Sapir, Leor (October 2, 2022). The Distortions in Jack Turban’s Psychology Today Article on ‘Gender Affirming Care.’ Reality’s Last Stand https://www.realityslaststand.com/p/the-distortions-in-jack-turbans-psychology

Sapir, Leor (Septmeber 8, 2022). Dr. Richard Pan’s Claims in Support of California’s SB 107 Are False and Medically Irresponsible. Reality’s Last Stand https://www.realityslaststand.com/p/dr-richard-pans-claims-in-support

Sapir, Leor (August 22, 2022). A Victory for Child Welfare? Did the American Academy of Pediatrics tacitly reverse its stance on pediatric gender medicine? City Journal https://www.city-journal.org/did-the-aap-just-reverse-its-gender-transition-policy

Mason, Julia; Sapir, Leor (August 17, 2022). Opinion: The American Academy of Pediatrics’ Dubious Transgender Science. Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-american-academy-of-pediatrics-dubious-transgender-science-jack-turban-research-social-contagion-gender-dysphoria-puberty-blockers-uk-11660732791

Sapir, Leor (August 16, 2022). On ‘Gender’ the AAP Has Chosen Ideology Over Science. Reality’s Last Stand https://www.realityslaststand.com/p/on-gender-the-aap-has-chosen-ideology

Sapir, Leor (July 19, 2022). Pediatric Gender Medicine and the Moral Panic Over Suicide. Reality’s Last Stand https://www.realityslaststand.com/p/pediatric-gender-medicine-and-the

Sapir, Leor (June 25, 2022). Biden’s Title IX change is dangerous for kids. UnHerd https://unherd.com/newsroom/bidens-title-ix-change-is-dangerous-for-kids/

Sapir, Leor (April 22, 2022). Florida fights back against Biden’s trans agenda. UnHerd https://unherd.com/newsroom/florida-fights-back-against-bidens-trans-agenda/

Sapir, Leor (Aprill 1, 2022). How Florida’s Newly Enacted ‘Parental Rights in Education’ Law Actually Protects Gay Students. Quillette https://quillette.com/2022/04/01/how-floridas-newly-enacted-parental-rights-in-education-law-actually-protects-gay-students/

Sapir, Leor (January 30, 2022). Staying in their lane: the debate over transgender “inclusion” in women’s sports is theoretically confused and empirically flawed. City Journal https://www.city-journal.org/confused-and-flawed-debate-over-transgender-inclusion-in-womens-sports

Media

Beyond Gender with Stella O’Malley, Mia Hughes, and Leor Sapir (August 7, 2025). Leor Sapir: The Questions the New York Times Refused to Ask (#27). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLhWRmdnXNQ

Informed Dissent with Ben Appel, Cori Cohn, Lisa Selin Davis, “Eliza Mondegreen,” Jamie Reed, and Leor Sapir (June 21, 2025). Episode 30: Unpacking the Skrmetti decision, with special guest Leor Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3cFc5kebe0

American Thought Leaders – The Epoch Times with Jan Jekielek and Leor Sapir (February 8, 2025). How the Gender Industry Suppressed Evidence of Harm: Leo Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx8MzZTPeZE

Undercurrents with Emily Jashinsky and Leor Sapir (February 3, 2025). Leor Sapir: Gender medicine has suffered a crushing defeat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrUCehihq5c

RealClearPolitics with Tom Bevan and Leor Sapir (January 31, 2025). Leor Sapir: Trump is Taking a “Forceful, Detailed” Approach to “Gender-Affirming Care” for Minors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9ZjW8VsJAQ

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce and Leor Sapir (December 24, 2024). Child Gender Medicine & US Law | with Leor Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpNKXpnp5vE

Do No Harm with Ian Kingsbury, Aaron Sibarium, and Leor Sapir (September 17, 2024). Navigating the Voter Pulse on Pediatric Gender Medicine and DEI (Part 2/2). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsLqeQA_nLA

Dr. Phil Primetime with Phil McGraw, Eithan Haim, and Leor Sapir (August 13, 2024). Dr. Phil: Children’s Hospital Closes Trans Program After Doctor Whistleblower | Dr. Phil Primetime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw31NMto5hE

DIAG Democrats with “Ellie Swimmer,” Tomas Bogardus, Moti Gorin, and Leor Sapir (July 30, 2024). Where Ethics Meets Medicine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNynWLIwRu0

Dr. Phil Primetime with Phil McGraw, Eithan Haim, and Leor Sapir (April 11, 2024). Dr. Phil: The Truth Behind Teen Transgender Clinic Exposed | Dr. Phil Primetime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_UCcoqR3dg

Gender: A Wider Lens with Stella O’Malley, Sasha Ayad, and Leor Sapir (February 16, 2024). The Consumerism of Gender-Affirming Care with Leor Sapir | Episode 150. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1_fjn90hKo

Genspect (November 21, 2023). How Gender Ideology has been Embedded within America with Leor Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8wkPPr7YQQ

The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan and Leor Sapir (September 29, 2023). Denying trans kids future orgasms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odvOh6mT9bU

Manhattan Insights (August 10, 2023). The Gender Identity Divide | Leor Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvJFAvADio8

Richard Helppie’s Common Bridge with Richard Helppie and Leor Sapir (June 10, 2023). Richard Helppie’s Common Bridge TV EP 211 Leor Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2rZ73E96ac

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce and Leor Sapir (May 13, 2023). The Legal Side of Gender | with Leor Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNQ4SlxR618

The Josh Hammer Show with Josh Hammer and Leor Sapir (May 2, 2023). Transgenderism in America: A Great Medical Scandal (Feat: Leor Sapir). https://art19.com/shows/the-josh-hammer-show/episodes/32ad7c82-505f-43ab-918a-35bb5e9dcabd

Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan Profit, Amy Jacobson, and Leor Sapir (March 29, 2023). Manhattan Institute’s Leor Sapir corrects the record on social transition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr2ijbRDKOE

Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard with Harvey C. Mansfield, Delba Winthrop, and Leor Sapir (January 12, 2023). Leor Sapir on The Controversy over Pediatric Gender Medicine in the United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwbCDYZlAXw

Stephanie Winn (Some Kind of Therapist) and Leor Sapir (December 5, 2022). 34. Paved with Good Intentions: How Human Rights Got Hijacked, with Leor Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OPRE96mVDk

Parents Unite with Colin Wright, Leor Sapir, Robert Eitel, and Joanna Williams (November 16, 2022). Gender, Culture, School, and the Law Q & A. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhxjOw1QGjw

Parents Unite with Leor Sapir (November 16, 2022). The Medicalization Of Gender Nonconformity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZpijyN8FLE

Liz Wheeler and Leor Sapir (November 13, 2022). Researchers LIE About Puberty Blockers ft. Leor Sapir | The Liz Wheeler Show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5d4dVdW2rQ

Gender: A Wider Lens with Stella O’Malley, Sasha Ayad, and Leor Sapir (September 23, 2022). EPISODE 88 – Gender: Philosophy, Institutions, and Policy w/ Leor Sapir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emB9V-jyySk

The Adam Carolla Show with Adam Carolla, Gina Grad, Bryan Bishop, and Leor Sapir (June 30, 2022). Leor Sapir | The Adam Carolla Show 06/30/22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixpDwxsdcWA

Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan Profit, Amy Jacobson, and Leor Sapr (March 30, 2022). Manhattan Institute’s Leor Sapir explains Transgender Confusions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P_2JvUmbIA

Resources

Manhattan Institute (manhattan.institute)

  • Leor Sapir
  • manhattan.institute/person/leor-sapir
  • original url: manhattan-institute.org/expert/leor-sapir

City Journal (city-journal.org)

  • Leor Sapir
  • city-journal.org/person/leor-sapir
  • original url: city-journal.org/contributor/leor-sapir_1907

UnHerd (unherd.com)

  • Leor Sapir
  • unherd.com/author/leor-sapirunherd-com

Quillette (quillette.com)

Substack (substack.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

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