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Reitze Rodseth vs. transgender people

by Andrea James Reviewed October 24, 2026 4 min read

Reitze Rodseth is a South African anaesthesiologist, critical care specialist, researcher, and anti-transgender activist.

Rodseth is a member of “voluntary association” First Do No Harm Southern Africa, anti-trans Christian ministry Ratio Christi, and anti-trans hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine.

Rodseth considers affirming models of care for transgender people to be “sex-denialist” or “sex-rejecting” models.

Background

Reitze Nils Rodseth earned an undergraduate medical degree from University of Pretoria in 2000. Rodseth then did additional training at Colleges of Medicine of South Africa, completing diplomas in child health and anesthesiology in 2003. From 2006 to 2009, Rodseth was a fellow of the College of Anesthetists, completing an anesthesia subspecialty in critical care. in 2010, Rodseth completed a master of medicine degree in anaesthesiology from University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Rodseth also did a research fellowship in perioperative medicine and earned a master’s degree in health research methodology from McMaster University in 2013. That year, Rodseth also earned a doctorate in anaesthesiology from UKZN.

From 2013 to 2018, Rodseth practiced at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg as Head of the Clinical Unit for Anaesthesia and as a member of the UKZN Perioperative Research Group. Rodseth then practiced with Jones, Bhagwan and Partners until 2022.

Since 2017 Rodseth has held an honorary associate professorship at UKZN, and since 2022 has worked as a self-employed anaesthesiologist and critical care specialist. Rodseth has also worked at the private hospital group Netcare in Sandton, Johannesburg, first as Clinical Data Modelling Manager (2022–2025) and, since January 2025, as Head of Clinical Data Innovation and Research.

Rodseth has served on the advisory board of Ratio Christi, a Christian apologetics campus ministry which believes “sexual intimacy is designed by God to be expressed solely within a marriage between one adult biologically born male and one adult biologically born female. […] Because God originally created humans to bear his image in the distinct male and distinct female complementary manner, any attempt to blur or reverse such distinct complementary sexuality is contrary to God’s purposes and contrary to humanity’s good.”

Rodseth and spouse Miranda have two children.

Anti-trans activism

Rodseth frequently collaborates with physicians Allan Donkin and Janet Giddy in the anti-trans “voluntary association” First Do No Harm Southern Africa (FDNHSA). FDNHSA states that “children, adolescents, and vulnerable adults experiencing gender-related distress should not be labelled as ‘transgender.’ This labelling pathologises their distress and risks unnecessary medicalisation.”

Rodseth was a signatory on a 2023 letter in the Wall Street Journal attacking the Endocrine Society for supporting affirmative models of trans healthcare.

References

Professional Association for Transgender Health South Africa; Southern African HIV Clinicians Society (February 8, 2024). Response to First Do No Harm: Why we treat gender diverse youth. Daily Maverick https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-02-08-response-to-first-do-no-harm-why-we-treat-gender-diverse-youth/

Selected writing by Rodseth

Donkin, A., Rodseth, R., & Giddy, J. (2026). FDNHSA’s response to KL Dunkle et al.’s ‘Upholding clinical integrity and South African relevance: A defence of the SASOP position statement on the care of transgender and non-binary youth.’ South African Journal of Psychiatry, 32(0). https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v32i0.2602

  • reply to Dunkle, K., Lynch, I., Msweli, S., Addinall-van Straaten, R., Brouard, P., de Beer-Procter, J.-L., Madlala, N., McLachlan, C., Muller, M., Pickstone-Taylor, S., Pillay, M., Spitaels, A., Tomson, A., & de Vries, E. (2026). Locally relevant, ethically urgent: Defending SASOP’s stance on transgender and non-binary youth. South African Journal of Psychiatry, 32. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v32i0.2543

Donkin, A., Rodseth, R., & Giddy, J. (2025). A call for SASOP to review their position on the care of ‘transgender and non-binary youth.’ South African Journal of Psychiatry, 31(0). https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v31i0.2381

Giddy, J., Donkin, A., & Rodseth, R. (2025). ‘Gender affirming healthcare’ is not what the family physician needs to know. South African Family Practice, 67(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v67i1.6061

Donkin, Allan; Rodseth, Reitze; Giddy, Janet (July 21, 2024). Examining the Cass Review: Impacts on gender dysphoria treatment in South Africa. Mail & Guardian https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/2024-07-21-examining-the-cass-review-impacts-on-gender-dysphoria-treatment-in-south-africa/

Giddy, Janet; Donkin, Allan; Rodseth, Reitze (May 19, 2024). OPINION | The Cass Review on gender-affirming care: SA’s medical community now at a crossroads. TimesLIVE https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2024-05-19-opinion–cass-review-provides-guidance-on-gender-affirming-care-sas-medical-community-now-at-a-crossroads/ republished May 30, 2024 at https://www.news24.com/life/wellness/opinion-the-cass-review-on-gender-affirming-care-sas-medical-community-now-at-a-crossroads-20240528

First Do No Harm SA (February 19, 2024). Compassionate, evidence-based care for gender-dysphoric children and adolescents is paramount. Daily Maverick https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-02-19-gender-dysphoria-compassionate-evidence-based-care-is-key/

First Do No Harm SA (January 28, 2024). A call on SA medical professionals to heed evidence on child and adolescent gender distress. Daily Maverick https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-01-28-gender-distress-call-on-medical-professionals-to-heed-evidence/

Rodseth, Reitze; other signatories (July 14, 2023). Youth Gender Transition Is Pushed Without Evidence. Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/trans-gender-affirming-care-transition-hormone-surgery-evidence-c1961e27

Media

Association of Christian Media with Reitze Rodseth (November 9, 2022). Dr Reitze Rodseth – God, Sex and Gender. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjhR8vZEsds

Resources

First Do No Harm Southern Africa (fdnhsa.org)

University of KwaZulu-Natal Anesthesiology (anaesthetics.ukzn.ac.za)

Google Scholar (scholar.google.ca)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

Mail & Guardian (mg.co.za)

Ratio Christi South Africa (ratiochristi.co.za)

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