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‘Arc Digital’ vs. transgender people

Arc Digital is a group blog that bills itself as “the internet’s best op-ed page.”

While Arc has included some fair and accurate opinions on trans topics (most notably Alan Elrod), the blog has featured a number of prominent anti-trans activists, including Alex Byrne, Libby Emmons, Christopher J. Ferguson, Jesse Singal, Aaron Smuts, Oliver Traldi, and Cathy Young.

Background

Arc Digital was launched on Medium in August 2016 as a blog featuring opinion pieces on politics, philosophy, culture, science, and public affairs. Founders Berny Belvedere and Ryan Huber soon added Nicholas Grossman in an editorial role.

Upon the move to Substack, Arc announced several newsletters:

  • The Discourse Report (DiscRep) [email only]
  • Cathy Young
  • Arc Conversations
  • Point/Counterpoint
  • Polyarchy
  • The Arc Digi Review of Books (arcdigital.media/s/arcbooks)
  • Nicholas Grossman (arcdigital.media/s/nicholasgrossman)
  • Belvyland (belvyland.arcdigital.media)

Podcasts

Upon the move to Substack, Arc announced podcasts, including:

  • Cathy Convos hosted by Cathy Young (3 released episodes, 2019–2021)
  • Arc Digicast hosted by Berny Belvedere and Nicholas Grossman [apparently unreleased]
  • Belvyland hosted by Berny Belvedere [apparently unreleased]

Co-founder Ryan Huber’s last published piece was in May 2018. In October 2023, Berny Belvedere left the project for a role as senior editor of The UnPopulist. Nicholas Grossman has edited the publication since then.

Selected posts by anti-trans authors

Young, Cathy (December 9, 2021). Abortion and the Gender Wars: Anti-abortion politics are often seen as the ultimate patriarchal attack on women. It’s not that simple. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/abortion-and-the-gender-wars

Young, Cathy (November 28, 2021). The Professor and the Pedophiles: Allyn Walker’s writings on “minor-attracted people” are troubling—but so is the assault on academic freedom. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/the-professor-and-the-pedophiles

Young, Cathy (October 30, 2021). “Trans Bathroom Attack” Story Becomes the Right’s “Rape Culture” Panic: Many conservatives and “anti-woke” centrists have urged caution in response to sexual assault charges—until now. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/trans-bathroom-attack-story-becomes

Young, Cathy (October 27, 2021). Nothing To See Here: An unconvincing rebuttal to “cancel culture” claims. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/nothing-to-see-here

Young, Cathy (September 27, 2021). “Theying” Pauli Murray: The black feminist icon’s story is more about the cultural pressures of her time than about 21st century conceptions of gender. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/theying-pauli-murray

Young, Cathy (September 19, 2021). The Wi Spa Debacle Continues: As more evidence emerges that a serial sex offender may have been using transgender status for cover, mostly silence from the media. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/the-wi-spa-debacle-continues

Young, Cathy (July 21, 2021). The Battle of Wi Spa: The latest clash over trans rights shows the civil rights paradigm has its limitations, Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/the-battle-of-wi-spa

Young, Cathy (June 21, 2021). Dispatches from the (Trans)Gender Wars. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/dispatches-from-the-transgender-wars

Young, Cathy (June 20, 2021). The Feminist vs. The Cancelers: Celebrated Nigerian feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie revives the debate about “cancel culture” and transgender issues—and her critics prove her point. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/the-feminist-vs-the-cancelers

Young, Cathy (December 24, 2021). The “Transgender Moment” Jumps the Shark. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/the-transgender-moment-jumps-the

Ferguson, Christopher J. (April 15, 2021). Discourse Victimology: The propensity to view yourself as a victim may be a personality trait. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/discourse-victimology

Young, Cathy (April 9, 2021). Dissidents, Crackpots, and Bad Allies: How not to fight “wokeness.” Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/dissidents-crackpots-and-bad-allies

Young, Cathy (July 26, 2020). Shut Up, He Voxsplained: Some critics of the Harper’s letter on open debate boost its case. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/shut-up-he-voxsplained-52ff986ee589

Young, Cathy (July 17, 2020). In Defense of The Letter: The chilly climate for dissent is real. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/in-defense-of-the-letter-ee6f7164f9c1

Singal, Jesse (July 6, 2020). Don’t Publish Personal Attacks Based on Misinformation: A response to Noah Berlatsky, and a brief argument about what Arc Digital should — and shouldn’t — be. Medium https://medium.com/arc-digital/dont-publish-personal-attacks-based-on-misinformation-54cd66f7278c

Young, Cathy (December 26, 2019). Harry Potter and the Transgender Revolution: J.K. Rowling’s tweet sparked accusations of transphobia — but the debate about gender identity raises real and complicated issues. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/harry-potter-and-the-transgender-revolution-926ad6519451

Singal, Jesse (September 6, 2019). ContraPoints and the Scandal That Shouldn’t Be. Why a segment of left-wing Twitter is at its own throat. Medium / Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/contrapoints-and-the-scandal-that-shouldnt-be-15ac97f330d4

Young, Cathy (July 3, 2019). Antifa, Quillette, and Media Bias: Who got smeared? Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/antifa-quillette-and-media-bias-a6fa7652d38a

Traldi, Oliver (June 15, 2019). In Defense of a Bizarre Charade. Arc Digital https://medium.com/@olivertraldi/in-defense-of-a-bizarre-charade-4a17d814b703

Smuts, Aaron (June 1, 2019). On Transwomen and Sports: Examining the arguments. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/on-transwomen-and-sports-54fe1a8963e

Emmons, Libby (March 30, 2019). The Language of Women’s Rights: Reports from the front line of an evolving debate. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/the-language-of-womens-rights-a98a067ece87

Emmons, Libby (February 8, 2019). The Feminist Schism: Are we in a feminist revival or the decimation of the movement? Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/the-feminist-schism-15f412bb4be1

Byrne, Alex (January 9, 2019). What Is Gender Identity? The elusive true gender self. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/what-is-gender-identity-10ce0da71999

Byrne, Alex (December 1, 2018). Is Sex Socially Constructed? Examining the arguments. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/is-sex-socially-constructed-81cf3ef79f07

Young, Cathy (November 22, 2018). Sex, Lies, and Campus Tribunals: Betsy DeVos has proposed reforms to Title IX guidelines. Some of the attacks she’s faced are unfair. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/sex-lies-and-campus-tribunals-88cc33c30262

Byrne, Alex (November 2, 2018). Is Sex Binary? The answer offered in a recent New York Times opinion piece is more confusing than enlightening. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/is-sex-binary-16bec97d161e

Young, Cathy (October 1, 2018). Truth, Justice, and the Gender Wars: Dispatches from the war zone. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/truth-justice-and-the-gender-wars-962c8d7e818a

Young, Cathy (May 20, 2018). Who’s Afraid Of The “Intellectual Dark Web”? Bari Weiss claimed that certain institutions are dominated by an increasingly narrow groupthink. Her critics heard something totally different. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/whos-afraid-of-the-intellectual-dark-web-27ccdc052515

Young, Cathy (March 9, 2018). No Platform for Heresy: When a dissident feminist speaker gets shouted down at a law school, some on the left take the side of the bullies. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/no-platform-for-heresy-5a0fc10687c9

Selected publications about Arc

Belvedere, Berny (October 4, 2023). A Note To Our Readers. https://www.arcdigital.media/p/a-note-to-our-readers

Belvedere, Berny (April 9, 2021). The Next Phase of Arc Digital is Here: We’ve taken our talents to Substack. Arc Digital https://www.arcdigital.media/p/welcome-to-arc

Belvedere, Berny (March 31, 2021). Farewell, Medium: Our time on this platform has come to an end. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/farewell-medium-b3644704fa96

Singal, Jesse (July 6, 2020). Don’t Publish Personal Attacks Based on Misinformation: A response to Noah Berlatsky, and a brief argument about what Arc Digital should — and shouldn’t — be. Medium / Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/dont-publish-personal-attacks-based-on-misinformation-54cd66f7278c

Staff report (August 15, 2016). Welcome to Arc. Arc Digital https://medium.com/arc-digital/welcome-to-arc-44a4a48d7214

Media

Arc Digital / Cathy Convos with Cathy Young and Christina Hoff Sommers (April 14, 2021). Cathy Young talks to Christina Hoff Sommers | Cathy Convos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPcMdHyITlI

Arc Digital / Cathy Convos with Cathy Young and John McWhorter (June 9, 2019). Cathy Young talks to John McWhorter | Cathy Convos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziVitE30wFM

Arc Digital / Cathy Convos with Cathy Young and Jesse Singal (April 24, 2019). Cathy Young talks to Jesse Singal | Cathy Convos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWRIfDoFudM

Resources

Media Bias / Fact Check (mediabiasfactcheck.com)

Arc Digital (arcdigital.media)

  • original url thearcmag.com [archive]

Substack (substack.com)

Medium (medium.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)