Skip to content

Scott Semenyna vs. transgender people

Scott Semenyna is a Canadian psychologist and anti-transgender activist. Semenyna is one of the few “autogynephilia” activists under age 60.

Semenyna was also a student presenter at the 2018 “Heterodox Psychology Conference” inspired by anti-trans group Heterodox Academy, 

Background

“Originally from Evansburg, Alberta, Semenyna heard Vasey give a talk when he was an undergraduate student studying at MacEwan University. Vasey’s research and knowledge of evolutionary psychology piqued Semenyna’s interest and he made the move to the U of L to pursue further studies with Vasey.”

Scott W. Semenyna earned a doctorate from University of Lethbridge in 2020. Semenyna frequently collaborates with anti-trans activist Paul Vasey and frequently publishes in anti-trans “academic” journal Archives of Sexual Behavior.

2025 “autogynephilia” meeting

In 2025, Semenyna participated in a meeting with other key “autogynephilia” activists:

References

Chafer, Luke (7 October 2024). Having an older sibling increases the odds of being gay by a fifth, major study finds. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13925153/gay-brother-sister-odds.html

Ring, Trudy (April 17, 2024). Can scientific research on the causes of homosexuality be used against LGBTQ+ people? The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/news/gay-older-brother-effect

Simmons-Duffin, Selena (April 15, 2024). Gay people often have older brothers. Why? And does it matter? All Things Considered / WAMU https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/04/15/1243861703/sexuality-birth-order-gay-siblings

Mitchell, Alex (April 15, 2024). Why gay men often have older brothers: ‘Many confirmations that this pattern exists.’ New York Post https://nypost.com/2024/04/15/lifestyle/why-gay-men-often-have-older-brothers-fraternal-birth-order-effect-explained/

Simmons-Duffin, Selena (April 10, 2024). The order your siblings were born in may play a role in identity and sexuality. Short Wave / NPR

Staff report (December 1, 2023). Psychology Professor Achieves ‘Once-in-a-Scientific-Lifetime Success.’ Stetson Today https://www2.stetson.edu/today/2023/12/psychology-professor-achieves-once-in-a-scientific-lifetime-success/

Staff report (August 16, 2018). Globetrotting U of L sex researchers making a name for themselves. University of Lethbridge https://www.ulethbridge.ca/unews/article/globetrotting-u-l-sex-researchers-making-name-themselves

Publications

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL, Honey PL (2025). Relationships Among Sex, Sexual Orientation, Dark Triad Traits, Sociosexuality, and Sexual Excitation/Inhibition. Arch Sex Behav. 2025;54(??):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03092-8

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL, Honey PL (2024). Sex and Sexual Orientation Differences in Dark Triad Traits, Sexual Excitation/Inhibition, and Sociosexuality. Arch Sex Behav. 2024;53(??):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02895-5

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2024). Inter-sexual Mate Competition in Humans: A Historical Example from Seventeenth Century Portugal. Arch Sex Behav. 2024;53(6):2083–2090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02833-5

Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, VanderLaan DP, Vasey PL (2023). Male androphilia, fraternal birth order, and female fecundity in Samoa: A 10‑y retrospective. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023;120(50):e2313284120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2313284120

Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, Vasey PL (2023). Mate Competition between the Sexes: Evidence from Two Non‑Western Cultures. In: Vasey PL, ed. Oxford Univ Press; 2023 https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197536438.013.5

Frederick DA, Alley JC, Semenyna S, Garcia JR (2023). Mating Strategy Variation by Sexual Orientation. In: The Oxford Handbook of Human Mating. 2023:286–314. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197536438.013.25

Semenyna SW, Rule NO, Vasey PL (2022). Fertility Status Does Not Facilitate Women’s Judgment of Male Sexual Orientation. Arch Sex Behav. 2022;51(7):3351–3360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02356-x

Honey PL, Semenyna SW (2022). Confronting Assumptions About Our Grandmothers’ Legacy and Challenges Faced by Our Female Ancestors. Arch Sex Behav. 2022;51(7):3279–3282. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02231-1

Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, Vasey PL (2022). Confounds, Causality, and Sexual Orientation: The Implications of a Population-level Study of Sibling Characteristics and Same-sex Attraction. J Sex Res. 2022;59(6):690–696. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1990199

Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, Vasey PL (2022). Intra‑ and Intersexual Mate Competition in Two Cultures: A Comparison of Women’s Response to Mate Competition with Women and Gender‑Nonbinary Males in Samoa and among the Istmo Zapotec. Hum Nat. 2022; https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-022-09424-0

Semenyna S, Vasey PL, Honey PL (2022). The Female Sexual Orientation Spectrum in Evolutionary Perspective. In: The Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Perspectives on Sexual Psychology. 2022:3–27. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108943581.003

Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, Vasey PL (2021). Testing Women’s Trust in Other Women and Same‑Sex Attracted Males in Three Cultures. Arch Sex Behav. 2021;50(8):3479–3488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02139-w

Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, Vasey PL (2021). Women’s Reaction to Opposite‑ and Same‑Sex Infidelity in Three Cultures. Hum Nat. 2021;32(5):450–469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-021-09405-9

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2021). Women’s Trust in Gay Men: An Experimental Study. Pers Individ Dif. 2021;175:110727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.110727

Blanchard R, Beier KM, Gómez Jiménez FR, Grundmann D, Krupp J, Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2021). Meta‑analyses of Fraternal and Sororal Birth Order Effects in Homosexual Pedophiles, Hebephiles, and Teleiophiles. Arch Sex Behav. 2021;50:779–796. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01819-3

Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, VanderLaan DP, Vasey PL (2020). Inter‑sexual mate competition in three cultures. PLoS One. 2020;15(7):e0236549. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236549

Gómez Jiménez FR, Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2020). The Relationship Between Fraternal Birth Order and Childhood Sex‑Atypical Behavior Among the Istmo Zapotec Muxes. Dev Psychobiol. 2020;62(6):792–803. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.21987

Byers ES, Mustanski B, Semenyna S, Suschinsky KD, Vilain E (2020). The Role of Sex Research Organizations in Eliminating Sexual Harassment. Arch Sex Behav. 2020;49:1095. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01505-z

Gómez Jiménez FR, Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2020). Offspring Production Among the Relatives of Istmo Zapotec Men and Muxes. Arch Sex Behav. 2020;49(2):581–594. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01611-y

Semenyna SW (2020). Inter‑sexual Mate Competition: A Previously Unrecognized Factor in the Evolution of Human Mating [dissertation]. Lethbridge, Canada: Univ of Lethbridge; 2020. https://opus.uleth.ca/items/bb5d71e1-6c51-4a50-b2b4-98a752900d59

Vasey PL, Petterson LJ, Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, et al. (2020). Kin Selection and the Evolution of Male Androphilia. In: Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behavior. 2020:366–377. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108131797.031

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2019). Striving for Prestige in Samoa: A Comparison of Men, Women, and Fa’afafine. J Homosex. 2019;66(11):1535–1545. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2018.1503461

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL, Honey PL (2019). Replicating the Relationships Between Dark Triad Traits and Female Mate‑Competition Tactics in Undergraduate Women. Pers Individ Dif. 2019;147:73–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.04.028

Gómez F, Semenyna S, Court L, Vasey PL (2018). Familial Patterning and Prevalence of Male Androphilia Among Istmo Zapotec Men and Muxes. PLoS One. 2018;13(2):e0192683. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192683

Semenyna SW (2018). Narcissism. In: T.K. Shackelford, V.A. Weekes-Shackelford (eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_675-1

Semenyna SW, VanderLaan DP, Petterson LJ, Vasey PL (2017). Familial Patterning and Prevalence of Male Androphilia in Samoa. J Sex Res. 2017;54(8):1077–1084. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2016.1218416

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2017). Bullying, Physical Aggression, Gender‑Atypicality, and Sexual Orientation in Samoan Males. Arch Sex Behav. 2017;46:1375–1381. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0676-0

Semenyna S, Belu C, Vasey PL, Honey PL (2017). Not Straight and Not Straightforward: the Relationships Between Sexual Orientation, Sociosexuality, and Dark Triad Traits in Women. Evol Psychol Sci. 2017;3(4):???–???. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-017-0111-y

Semenyna SW, VanderLaan DP, Vasey PL (2017). Birth Order and Recalled Childhood Gender Nonconformity in Samoan Men and Fa’afafine. Dev Psychobiol. 2017;59(3):338–347. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.21498

Semenyna S. Fraternal Birth Order Effect. In: Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Vonk J, ed.; 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1967-1

Gómez FR, Semenyna SW, Court L, Vasey PL (2017). Recalled Separation Anxiety in Childhood in Istmo Zapotec Men, Women, and Muxes. Arch Sex Behav. 2017;46:109–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0917-x

Semenyna SW, Petterson LJ, VanderLaan DP, Vasey PL (2017). A Comparison of the Reproductive Output Among the Relatives of Samoan Androphilic Fa’afafine and Gynephilic Men. Arch Sex Behav. 2017;46:87–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0765-8

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2016). The Relationship Between Adult Occupational Preferences and Childhood Gender Nonconformity Among Samoan Women, Men, and Fa’afafine. Hum Nat. 2016;27:283–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-016-9258-7

Semenyna SW, Vasey PL (2015). Victimization Due to Bullying and Physical Aggression in Samoan Men and Women. Pers Individ Dif. 2015;87:85–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.07.032

Semenyna SW, Honey PL (2015). Dominance Styles Mediate Sex Differences in Dark Triad Traits. Pers Individ Dif. 2015;83:37–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.03.046

Semenyna SW (2015). Bullying, Physical Aggressivity, Gender Atypicality, and Sexual Orientation in Males [dissertation]. Lethbridge, Canada: Univ of Lethbridge; 2015. https://opus.uleth.ca/items/7f86b6b0-e60f-48d4-84ab-d6c804dd3b1d

Semenyna S, Schmaltz R (2012). Glossolalia Meets Glosso‑Psychology. Skeptic. 2012;17(4):40–43. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA313159922&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=10639330

Resources

MacEwan University (macewan.ca)

  • Scott Semenyna
  • macewan.ca/academics/academic-departments/psychology/our-people/profile/?profileid=semenynas

ResearchGate (researchgate.net)

Google Scholar (scholar.google.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)