Discovery Institute vs. transgender people

Groups Reviewed August 28, 2026 5 min read

The Discovery Institute is a conservative think tank that promotes “intelligent design,” a pseudoscientific argument for the existence of God. It is a form of creationism developed to oppose the teaching of evolution.

Discovery Institute has published and produced consistently anti-transgender content.

Background

In 1991, Discovery Institute was founded by Bruce Chapman and George Gilder as a non-profit offshoot of the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank. They have developed several initiatives:

Discovery Institute Press
Physicians and Surgeons for Scientific Integrity
Teach the Controversy campaign
Center for Science and Culture
Center on Wealth & Poverty

People

Board

Howard Ahmanson
Dave Barber
Bruce Chapman
Kathy Connors
Mike Dunn
Eric Garcia
Skip Gilliland
Richard Greiling
Annmarie Kelly
Charles Lundberg
Bryan Mistele
Edmund C. Moy
Walter Myers III
Byron Nutley
Mariana Parks
Cole Smead
James Spady
Paul Teller

Senior Fellows

Jonathan Choe
Frank Gregorsky
George Gilder
Keri D. Ingraham
David Klinghoffer
Jonathan Lesser
Robert Marbut
Andrew McDiarmid
Michael Medved
Stephen C. Meyer
Walter Myers III
Donald P. Nielsen
Marvin Olasky
Gale Pooley
Scott S. Powell
Jay W. Richards
Wesley J. Smith
Bill Walton
John G. West
John Wohlstetter
Tom Wolf

Fellows

Bruce Agnew
Arina Grossu Agnew
Jerry Bowyer
Ray B. Chambers
Paul Guppy
Robert J. Koch
Scott O. Kuznicki
Nathan Lewis
Edwin Meese III
Tim Scala
Tom Shakely

Staff

Serianna Anderson: Event and Donor Care Coordinator, Discovery Institute
Pam Bailey: Dallas Operations Manager, Discovery Institute Dallas
Steven J. Buri: President
Bruce Chapman: Chairman of the Board
Jonathan Choe: Journalist and Senior Fellow
Caitlin Cory: Communications Coordinator, Discovery Institute
Robert L. Crowther, II: Director of Communications, Center for Science & Culture
Steve Dilley: Director of Higher Education Outreach
Kate Garcia: Development Specialist, Center for Science & Culture
Rebekah George: Communications and Executive Assistant, American Center for Transforming Education
Bruce Gordon: Associate Research Director, Center for Science & Culture
Keri D. Ingraham: Director, American Center for Transforming Education
Nathan Jacobson: Director of Media and Branding
Mathew Johnson: Stewardship Officer, Discovery Institute
David Klinghoffer: Senior Fellow and Editor, Science & Culture Today, Center for Science & Culture
Tova Levengood: Development Specialist, Center for Science & Culture
Casey Luskin: Associate Director, Center for Science & Culture
Andrew McDiarmid: Director of Podcasting, Senior Fellow
Jonathan McLatchie: Resident Biologist & Fellow
Elaine Meyer: Director of Property Development
Matthew Meyer: Executive Assistant to the Director, Center for Science & Culture
Stephen C. Meyer: Director, Center for Science & Culture
Marsha Michaelis: Project Coordinator and Research Fellow, Fix Homelessness Initiative of Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth & Poverty
Brian Miller: Research Coordinator, Center for Science & Culture
Dan Nutley: Director, IT
Erik L. Nutley: Program Director
Daniel Reeves: Director, Education & Outreach
Charles Said: Web Assistant, Center for Science & Culture
Emily Sandico: Special Projects Coordinator, Center for Science & Culture
Eric Schneider: Stewardship Officer, Major Gifts, Center for Science & Culture
Steve Schwarz: Director of Finance & Operations
Elliot Stephens: Development Assistant, Center for Science & Culture
Leslie Thompson: Finance Assistant
Kelley J. Unger: Director, Discovery Society, Center for Science & Culture
Andrea Waggoner: Donor Care Coordinator, Center for Science & Culture
John G. West: Vice President, Discovery Institute, and Managing Director, Center for Science & Culture
Katherine West: Web Developer and Data Administrator
Brian Westad: Business Manager and Executive Assistant to the Managing Director, Center for Science & Culture
Thomas Winkler: Regional Ambassador, Center for Science and Culture
Jonathan Witt: Executive Editor, Discovery Institute Press, Senior Fellow and Senior Project Manager, Center for Science & Culture

Selected writing by Discovery Institute

Smith, Wesley J. (2025). Frightening Abuses of Science with Wesley J. Smith. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/podcast/frightening-abuses-of-science-with-wesley-j-smith/

Smith, Wesley J. (January 21, 2025). New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Screed Defending “Gender-Affirming Care”. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/new-england-journal-of-medicine-publishes-screed-defending-gender-affirming-care/

Ingraham, Keri D. (September 9, 2024). The Majority of Kids Would Outgrow Gender Disorders if They Don’t Transition. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/the-majority-of-kids-would-outgrow-gender-disorders-if-they-dont-transition/

Smith, Wesley J. (August 29, 2024). The ‘Gender-Industrial Complex’ Makes Billions Annually. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/the-gender-industrial-complex-makes-billions-annually/

Smith, Wesley J. (April 5, 2024). Study: Most Gender-Confused Children become Gender-Conforming Adults. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/study-most-gender-confused-children-become-gender-conforming-adults/

Smith, Wesley J. (March 22, 2024). “Gender Science” Was Merely Ideology All Along. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/gender-science-was-merely-ideology-all-along/

Smith, Wesley J. (January 29, 2024). Jennifer Lahl On Her Newest Film, ‘The Lost Boys: Searching for Manhood’. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/podcast/jennifer-lahl-on-her-newest-film-the-lost-boys-searching-for-manhood/

Ingraham, Keri D. (January 23, 2024). Let’s Stop Calling It Gender-Affirming Care. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/lets-stop-calling-it-gender-affirming-care/

Smith, Wesley J.; Ingraham, Keri D. (October 9, 2023). Dr. Keri D. Ingraham on the Crisis in American Education. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/podcast/dr-keri-d-ingraham-on-the-crisis-in-american-education/

Smith, Wesley J. (August 16, 2023). ‘Gender Hybrid’ Children? Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/gender-hybrid-children/

Smith, Wesley J. (July 19, 2023). The Patriarchy Doesn’t Hate Women but the Trans Movement Does. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/the-patriarchy-doesnt-hate-women-but-the-trans-movement-does/

Smith, Wesley J. (April 27, 2023). Is Transgenderism the First Wave of Transhumanism? Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/is-transgenderism-the-first-wave-of-transhumanism/

Smith, Wesley J. (January 16, 2023). The Transgender Tide Is Turning. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/the-transgender-tide-is-turning/

Richards, Jay W. (November 28, 2022). Dr. Jay Wesley Richards on What Every Parent Should Know About Gender Ideology and Gender-Affirming Care. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/podcast/dr-jay-wesley-richards-on-what-every-parent-should-know-about-gender-ideology-and-gender-affirming-care/

Smith, Wesley J. (November 7, 2022). Jennifer Lahl on ‘The Detransition Diaries: Saving our Sisters’. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/podcast/jennifer-lahl-on-the-detransition-diaries-saving-our-sisters/

Ingraham, Keri D. (November 16, 2022). The Fight For Educational Freedom Is Just Warming Up. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/the-fight-for-educational-freedom-is-just-warming-up/

Ingraham, Keri D.; Agnew, Arina Grossu (July 28, 2022). Community Schools’ ‘Woke’ Indoctrination Agenda. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/community-schools-woke-indoctrination-agenda/

Smith, Wesley J. (June 22, 2022). Securing America with Dr. Wesley Smith. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/securing-america-with-dr-wesley-smith/

Smith, Wesley J. (July 27, 2021). At Last! Establishment Pushback Against Puberty Blocking. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/at-last-establishment-pushback-against-puberty-blocking/

Ingraham, Keri D. (June 2, 2021). The Radical Reshaping of K-12 Public Education (Part 1): Gender Redefinition & Self-Selection. Discovery Institute https://www.discovery.org/a/the-radical-reshaping-of-k-12-public-education-part-1-gender-redefinition-self-selection/