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New Statesman vs. transgender people

The New Statesman is a British publication that has regularly featured writing by prominent anti-trans activists, most notably Hannah Barnes, Louise Perry, and Helen Lewis.

Background

The New Statesman was founded in 1913 by Sidney and Beatrice Webb. It was created to support the views of the socialist Fabian Society. In 1931 it merged with the Liberal weekly The Nation and Athenaeum, becoming the New Statesman and Nation until 1964. In 1934, it acquired The Week-end Review.

Philip Jeffrey invested in New Statesman in the 1990s to shore up its struggling finances. It was sold to Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson in 1996.

Trans coverage

The New Statesman has profiled a number of trans and gender diverse public figures and those who support them, including Shon Faye, Judith Butler, Esther Ghey, Jacqueline Rose, Anohni, Sam Smith, Nicola Sturgeon, Munroe Bergdorf, Eddie Izzard, and Billy Bragg.

A far greater portion of their coverage is written by anti-trans contributors or profiles anti-trans public figures, including Jordan Peterson, Reem Alsalem, Kemi Badenoch, Elon Musk, Hadley Freeman, Rosie Duffield, Mary Harrington, JK Rowling, Megan Phelps-Roper, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Enoch Burke, Justine Roberts, Kathleen Stock, and Katharine Birbalsingh.

Contributors

Prominent anti-trans contributors include:

Selected anti-trans articles

Barnes, Hannah (14 June 2025). Do our politicians understand the Supreme Court’s gender ruling? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-report/2025/06/do-our-politicians-understand-the-supreme-courts-gender-ruling

Barnes, Hannah (27 May 2025). Exclusive: Why Wes Streeting changed his mind on cross-sex hormones. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2025/05/exclusive-why-wes-streeting-changed-his-mind-on-cross-sex-hormones

Barnes, Hannah (23 April 2025). Labour’s cynical shift on biological sex. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2025/04/labours-cynical-shift-on-biological-sex

Barnes, Hannah (26 March 2025). How gender ideology corrupted government data New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2025/03/how-gender-ideology-corrupted-government-data

Barnes, Hannah (27 February 2025). The new puberty blockers trial is expensive and adds little New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/02/the-new-puberty-blockers-trial-is-expensive-and-adds-little

Barnes, Hannah (12 February 2025). Katharine Birbalsingh: “They’re going to destroy our schools.” New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/education/2025/02/katharine-birbalsingh-interview-destroy-our-schools-bridget-phillipson-academies

Barnes, Hannah (23 January 2025). Are politicians trying to undermine the Cass Review? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/01/are-politicians-trying-to-undermine-the-cass-review

Barnes, Hannah (20 December 2024). Why courts could stop a teenager changing their gender New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/12/why-courts-could-stop-a-teenager-changing-their-gender

Barnes, Hannah (29 November 2024). The Scottish government is ignoring women’s rights New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024/11/scottish-government-is-ignoring-womens-rights

Barnes, Hannah (3 December 2024).Why courts could stop a teenager changing their gender New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2024/12/why-courts-could-stop-a-teenager-changing-their-gender

Barnes, Hannah (November 2024).The Scottish government is ignoring women’s rights New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024/11/scottish-government-is-ignoring-womens-rights

Barnes, Hannah (21 October 2024). Questions remain over NHS youth gender care, despite Cass Review. https://www.newstatesman.com/thestaggers/2024/09/the-bma-turns-away-from-rejecting-the-cass-report

Barnes, Hannah(27 September 2024). The BMA turns away from rejecting the Cass Report New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/09/the-bma-turns-away-from-rejecting-the-cass-report

Barnes, Hannah (25 September 2024). The intolerant age New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/09/intolerant-age-free-speech-britain-institutions

Barnes, Hannah (18 September 2024). Data and ideology don’t mix New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024/09/data-and-ideology-dont-mix

Banres, Hannah (25 September 2024). Has Labour shifted on sex-based rights? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/09/has-labour-shifted-on-sex-based-rights

Barnes, Hannah (8 August 2024). Hundreds of doctors are challenging the BMA’s stance on puberty blockers New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/08/hundreds-of-doctors-are-challenging-the-bmas-stance-on-puberty-blockers

Barnes, Hannah (26 July 2024). Why are BMA Council’s confidential discussions on the Cass Review a matter of public interest? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024/07/why-are-bma-councils-confidential-discussions-on-the-cass-review-a-matter-of-public-interest

Barnes, Hannah (16 July 2024). Why are British doctors considering rejecting the Cass report? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2024/07/why-are-british-doctors-voting-to-reject-the-cass-report

Barnes, Hannah (26 June 2024). The vexed history of British feminism. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2024/06/the-vexed-history-of-british-feminism

Barnes, Hannah (25 June 2024). Labour’s women problem New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/labour/2024/06/labour-starmer-women-problem-jk-rowling-gender

Barnes, Hannah (12 June 2024).Politicians ignore the Mumsnet manifesto at their peril New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/06/politicians-ignore-the-mumsnet-manifesto-at-their-peril

Barnes, Hannah (5 June 2024). Why won’t Labour tell the truth about the NHS? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/06/why-wont-labour-tell-truth-about-nhs-debates

Barnes, Hannah (5 June 2024). Kemi Badenoch and the legal definition of sex New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/06/kemi-badenoch-and-the-legal-definition-of-sex

Barnes, Hannah (30 May 2024). The government’s 11th-hour ban on puberty blockers New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2024/05/government-11th-hour-ban-puberty-blockers-gender

Barnes, Hannah (8 May 2024). Hilary Cass: “Do I regret doing it? Absolutely not” New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/ns-interview/2024/05/hilary-cass-interview-review-transgender-identity-tavistock-puberty-blockers-do-i-regret-it

Staff (April 11, 2024). How will the gender care report affect politics? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2024/04/how-will-the-gender-care-report-affect-politics

Barnes, Hannah (10 April 2024). The Cass Review into children’s gender care should shame us all New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2024/04/the-cass-review-into-childrens-gender-care-should-shame-us-all

Barnes, Hannah (20 March 2024). Inside the collapse of the Tavistock Centre New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/03/inside-the-collapse-of-the-tavistock-centre

Barnes, Hannah (24 February 2024). Reem Alsalem on the biggest obstacles to ending violence against women New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-interview/2024/02/reem-alsalem-biggest-obstacles-ending-violence-against-women

Barnes, Hannah (8 February 2024). Kemi Badenoch sticks to the facts New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/02/kemi-badenoch-facts-select-committee

Dawkins, Richard (26 July 2023). Why biological sex matters New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2023/07/biological-sex-binary-debate-richard-dawkins

Smith, Joan (30 January 2023). Why liberals keep being fooled in the gender debate New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2023/01/liberals-keep-being-fooled-gender-debate-keir-starmer-nicola-sturgeon

Barnes, Hannah (24 March 2024). New legal challenge aims to restrict private gender clinics for teenagers New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/03/legal-challenge-stop-private-gender-clinics-teenagers-tavistock

Barnes, Hannah (12 March 2024). No more puberty blockers for children, says NHS England New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/03/no-more-puberty-blockers-for-children-says-nhs-england

Barnes, Hannah (16 January 2024). Inside NHS England’s faltering plan to replace the Tavistock New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/01/inside-nhs-englands-faltering-plan-to-replace-tavistock

Deerin, Chris (27 January 2023). A Scottish transgender rapist has exposed Nicola Sturgeon’s dangerous complacency New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2023/01/scottish-transgender-rapist-exposed-nicola-sturgeon-dangerous-complacency

Perry, Louise (13 July 2022). Dating apps need to stop pretending men and women want the same thing. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/thestaggers/2022/07/big-dating-apps-stop-pretending-men-women-want-same

Perry, Louise ( 22 June 2022). Why the gender wars become so extreme New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/thestaggers/2022/06/gender-wars-trans-critical-activists-become-extreme

Perry, Louise (31 May 2022). Feminists must abandon their delusions about the sexual revolution. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2022/05/louise-perry-feminists-illusion-limitless-liberty-case-against-sexual-revolution

McBain, Sophie (18 May 2022). Mumsnet’s founder Justine Roberts: “It is a place where women can speak the truth.” New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/media/2022/05/mumsnet-founder-justine-roberts-interview

Perry, Louise (17 May 2022). Playing language games with sex obscures the reality of rape and abuse. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2022/05/playing-language-games-sex-obscures-reality-rape-abuse

Perry, Louise (20 April 2022). How social media influencers are trying to combat the myths and misinformation around sex. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2022/04/how-social-media-influencers-are-trying-to-combat-the-myths-and-misinformation-around-sex

Perry, Louise (11 April 2022). “Sex means nothing, and everything”: Christine Emba on consent, incels and modern dating https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2022/04/sex-means-nothing-and-everything-christine-emba-on-consent-incels-and-modern-dating

Aldred, Tanya (30 March 2022). There’s got to be a better way to include transgender women in sport New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2022/03/theres-got-to-be-a-better-way-to-include-transgender-women-in-sport

Perry, Louise (8 February 2022). Trans activists ask us to redefine what most consider to be truth. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2022/02/trans-activists-ask-us-to-redefine-what-most-consider-to-be-truth

Perry, Louise (2 February 2022). Joe Rogan captures the American mood, whether liberals like it or not. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/media/2022/02/joe-rogan-captures-the-american-mood-whether-liberals-like-it-or-not

Perry, Louise (16 September 2021). The symbolic politics of Judith Butler are all very well, but sometimes reality interjects. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2021/09/the-symbolic-politics-of-judith-butler-are-all-very-well-but-sometimes-reality-interjects

Perry, Louise (28 July 2021). It’s still possible to “cancel” gender-critical feminists, but this strategy won’t work New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2021/07/it-s-still-possible-cancel-gender-critical-feminists-strategy-won-t-work

Perry, Louise (7 July 2021). The science of sexual conflict New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2021/07/bad-men-david-m-buss-evolutionary-science-sexism-review

Perry, Louise (29 June 2021). The Jess De Wahls debacle shows you can only really be cancelled by your friends New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2021/06/the-jess-de-wahls-debacle-shows-you-can-only-really-be-cancelled-by-your-friends

Perry, Louise (24 February 2021). The Slate Star Codex saga proves a new blasphemy code is emerging among liberals New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/world/2021/02/slate-star-codex-saga-proves-new-blasphemy-code-emerging-among-liberals

Perry, Louise (17 February 2021). Why using gender-neutral language risks excluding one minority group to include another. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2021/02/why-using-gender-neutral-language-risks-excluding-one-minority-group-include

Le Conte, Marie (4 February 2022). Feminism has been reduced to the transgender debate New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2022/02/feminism-has-been-reduced-to-the-transgender-debate

Lambert, Harry How Sussex University failed Kathleen Stock New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2021/11/how-sussex-university-failed-kathleen-stock

Lewis, Helen (22 May 2019). How an email with a secret location led me to the most vibrant feminist meeting of the year. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2019/05/how-email-secret-location-led-me-most-vibrant-feminist-meeting-year

Lewis, Helen (3 January 2019). Maria Miller called me a fake feminist over gender self-ID. Now she says I was right all along. The New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2019/01/maria-miller-called-me-fake-feminist-over-gender-self-id-now-she-says-i

Lewis, Helen (17 October 2018). The problem that gender self-ID is designed to solve is real but the debate has failed. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2018/10/problem-gender-self-id-designed-solve-real-debate-has-failed

Lewis, Helen (20 April 2018). The madness of our gender debate, where feminists defend slapping a 60-year-old woman. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2018/04/madness-our-gender-debate-where-feminists-defend-slapping-60-year-old

Lewis, Helen (19 March 2018). From immigration to gender, the left is avoiding the hard work of persuasion. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2018/03/immigration-gender-left-avoiding-hard-work-persuasion

Lewis, Helen (28 October 2016). Would you let your child change their gender? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2016/10/would-you-let-your-child-change-their-gender

Lewis, Helen (27 May 2016). So many teenage girls don’t want to identify as girls any more. And who can blame them? New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/2016/05/so-many-teenage-girls-don-t-want-identify-girls-any-more-and-who-can-blame

Lewis, Helen (28 January 2016). Deciding which jail to send a trans prisoner to isn’t always clear-cut. And accusations of bigotry don’t help. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2016/01/deciding-which-jail-send-trans-prisoner-isn-t-always-clear-cut-and-accusations

Lewis, Helen (27 October 2015). What the row over banning Germaine Greer is really about. New Statesman https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/10/what-row-over-banning-germaine-greer-really-about

Resources

New Statesman (newstatesman.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

X/Twitter (x.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Podfollow (podfollow.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

TikTok (tiktok.com)