Athena Forum vs. transgender people

Groups Reviewed July 27, 2026 5 min read

Athena Forum is a European anti-trans group based in Austria. It produces legal briefings, policy submissions, and commentary intended to influence European legislative and regulatory debates concerning “sex-based rights.”

note: for the trans-supportive resource by Washington State Health Care Authority’s Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, see The Athena Forum.

Background

Athena Forum was formally incorporated in Austria on August 1, 2025 by Kurt Krickler and Faika El-Nagashi, weeks after the website and social media accounts went live.

Anti-trans activism

Their first project was a 2025 report titled “Beneath the surface: How gender identity is reshaping Europe.” That was followed by a report titled “Policy brief on the EU LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026–2030.”

In January 2026, they released a report critical of conversion therapy bans that included anti-trans conversaion therapy, titled “A Deceptive Label: Briefing on the Dangers and Distortions of Conversion Therapy Bans on Gender Identity/Expression.”

In June 2026, members of Athena Forum participated in a secretive anti-trans workshop series in Hungary.

Podcast

In July 2025, Athena Forum launched the podcast On the Record hosted by Annette Pacey. Guests have included Zsófi Balogh and Anne Kalvig.

People

Faika El-Nagashi: Founder, Director, Deputy Chair
Kurt Krickler: Co-chair
Annette Pacey: Communications & Media Enquiries
Elfriede Rometsch: National Liaison & Country Monitoring
Paul Steger: Research & Data
Martin Cleaver: Member (via LinkedIn)

Board

Marianne Driessen

Advisory Group

Maya Forstater
Stella O’Malley
Frederick Schminke
Anna Zobnina

Expert Network

Esohe Aghatise: Italy
Nuala Ahern: Ireland
Zsófi Balogh: Hungary
Linda Hart: Finland
Magdalena Grzyb: Poland
Anne Kalvig: Norway
Alexander Korte: Germany
Stéphane Mitchell: Switzerland
Silvia Carrasco Pons: Spain
Bettina Reiter: Austria
Jacqueline Vejlstrup: Denmark

References

Staff report (May 13, 2026). Brüssel lehnt EU-weites Verbot von Konversionstherapien vorerst ab [Brussels rejects EU-wide ban on conversion therapies for now]. Der Standard https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000320677/br252ssel-lehnt-eu-weites-verbot-von-konversionstherapien-vorerst-ab

Sugg, Aaron (February 3, 2026). Council of Europe votes to ban conversion practices despite last-ditch lobbying from Sex Matters. Attitude https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/council-of-europe-voted-ban-conversion-practices-511053/

Sugg, Aaron (January 26, 2026). Good Law Project urges action against Sex Matters infiltrating conversion practices ban. Attitude https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/good-law-project-sex-matters-conversion-practises-ban-510262/

Staff report (November 9, 2025). Wegen Genderideologie: Lettland will raus aus Istanbul-Konvention [Due to gender ideology: Latvia seeks to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention].

Brandt, Sasha; Marks, Archie (November 3, 2025). Europe’s Next Culture War: Athena Forum and the British Connection Against the Trans Movement. Gay45 https://gay45.eu/europes-next-culture-war-athena-forum-and-the-british-connection-against-the-trans-movement/

Gill, Joanna (October 15, 2025). Why the EU’s new LGBTQ+ strategy is drawing fire. Context https://www.context.news/socioeconomic-inclusion/why-the-eus-new-lgbtq-strategy-is-drawing-fire

Staff report (October 5, 2025). ATHENA – Neuer Think Tank gegen Entbiologisierung von Geschlecht. Queer Nations https://queernations.de/athena-neuer-think-tank/

Anti-trans coverage

Leidenfrost, Martin (June 12, 2026). Transdisidentka v Bratislave: Jej boj je kľúčový, len ja sa ťažko vžívam do ľudí, ktorí si odseknú zdravú ruku, aby sa mohli cítiť ako postihnutí [Trans dissident in Bratislava: Her fight is crucial, but I find it hard to empathize with people who cut off their healthy arm so they can feel like they are disabled]. Postoj https://www.postoj.sk/195832/jej-boj-je-klucovy-len-ja-sa-tazko-vzivam-do-ludi-ktori-si-odseknu-zdravu-ruku-aby-sa-mohli-citit-ako-postihnuti

La Alianza contra el Borrado de las Mujeres (May 19, 2026). Contra el manifiesto transactivista que busca legalizar la prostitución [Against the trans activist manifesto that seeks to legalize prostitution]. https://contraelborradodelasmujeres.org/contra-el-manifiesto-transactivista-que-busca-legalizar-la-prostitucion/

Maynes, Maria (May 14, 2026). EU is “captured” by transgender ideology, group says. Gript https://gript.ie/eu-is-captured-by-transgender-ideology-group-says/

Curzon, Michael (March 25, 2026). Parents in Firing Line as EU Debates ‘Conversion Practices’ Ban. The European Conservative https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/parents-in-firing-line-as-eu-debates-conversion-practices-ban/

Sveriges Kvinnoorganisationer (May 2026). Inbjudan: Delta i workshop i Budapest [Invitation: Participate in workshop in Budapest]. https://sverigeskvinnoorganisationer.se/inbjudan-delta-i-workshop-i-budapest/

MOTERIS (May 2026). Call for participants: Dates 29th of June – 1st of July 2026 MOTERIS in-person training Budapest (Hungary). https://www.migrantwomennetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/Call-for-participants-In-person-MOTERIS-training.pdf

Deconinck, Carl (January 30, 3036). Council of Europe expands definition of ‘conversion practices’ to include questioning of gender identity. Brussels Signal https://brusselssignal.eu/2026/01/council-of-europe-expands-definition-of-conversion-practices-to-include-questioning-of-gender-identity/

Louis, Chantal (January 23, 2026). Welche Rolle spielen EU & NGOs? Emma https://www.emma.de/artikel/die-rolle-von-eu-ngos-342195

Bartosch, Jo (January 19, 2026). How the Council of Europe could foist trans ideology on us all. Spiked https://www.spiked-online.com/2026/01/19/how-the-council-of-europe-could-foist-trans-ideology-on-us-all/

Waterfield, Bruno (October 9, 2025). Children free to change gender at any age under EU proposal. The Times https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/children-sex-change-transgender-eu-5vwgkhr98

Matozzo, Marissa (October 9, 2025). No age limit or medical checks on children s e eking gender switch under proposed new law. New York Post https://nypost.com/2025/10/09/lifestyle/eu-plan-lets-kids-pick-legal-gender-at-any-age/

Martin, Daniel (October 8, 2025). Children could pick their gender at school under EU proposal. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/10/08/children-pick-their-gender-at-school-under-eu-proposal/

Győri, Zolta (October 7, 2025). Transactivist Groups Are Changing the EU from the Inside, Report Warns. The European Conservative https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/athena-forum-report-eu-gender-agenda-exposed/

Deconinck, Carl (October 7, 2025). ‘The meaning of woman’ has been eroded in Europe’s gender policies. Brussels Signal https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/10/the-meaning-of-woman-has-been-eroded-in-europes-gender-policies/

Sex Matters (October 3, 2025). A new initiative for sex-based rights and political courage in Europe. https://sex-matters.org/posts/the-legal-system/a-new-initiative-for-sex-based-rights-in-europe/

Selected writing by Athena Forum

El-Nagashi, Faika (June 5, 2026). Faika El-Nagashi: Auch im Regenbogenmonat sollte Stolz den Verstand nicht aussetzen [Faika El-Nagashi: Even in Rainbow Month, pride should not override reason]. Exxpress https://exxpress.at/meinung/faika-el-nagashi-auch-im-regenbogenmonat-sollte-stolz-den-verstand-nicht-aussetzen/

El-Nagashi, Faika (April 10, 2026). Zu Trans-Themen darf nur zustimmend gesprochen werden. Wer kritisiert, gilt als rechts. [Only affirmative comments are allowed on trans issues. Anyone who criticizes them is considered right-wing]. Exxpress https://exxpress.at/meinung/zu-trans-themen-darf-nur-zustimmend-gesprochen-werden-wer-kritisiert-gilt-als-rechts/

Staff report (January 2026). A Deceptive Label: Briefing on the Dangers and Distortions of Conversion Therapy Bans on Gender Identity/Expression. Athena Forum https://athena-forum.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/briefing_a_deceptive_label_jan2026.pdf

Staff report (October 2025). Policy brief on the EU LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026–2030. https://athena-forum.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EU_LGBTIQ_Strategy_Brief.pdf

El-Nagashi, Faika; Zobnina, Anna; Forstater, Maya [foreword] (2025). Beneath the surface: How gender identity is reshaping Europe. Athena Forum https://athena-forum.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Beneath-the-surface_Spread.pdf

Media

Athena Forum / On the Record with Annette Pacey and Anne Kalvig (July 17, 2026). Academic heresy in Norway. https://athenaforumeu.substack.com/p/academic-heresy-in-norway

Athena Forum / On the Record with Annette Pacey and Zsófi Balogh (July 3, 2026). Hungary’s feminist troublemaker. https://athenaforumeu.substack.com/p/hungarys-feminist-troublemaker