Ben Appel vs. transgender people

Ben Appel is an American author and anti-transgender activist. Appel is a contributor to Queer Majority, UnHerd, Quillette, Spiked, Washington Examiner, The Atlantic, New York Post, Reality’s Last Stand, and other anti-trans publications. Appel is associated with anti-trans hate group Genspect and anti-trans separatist group LGB Alliance.

Background

Benjamin John “Ben” Appel was born in February 1983 to Nancy Sue (Lipman) Gunzelman (born 1954) and Randy Appel (1949–2019). Appel grew up in Catonsville and Ellicott City, Maryland in a “fundamentalist” Catholic household with three siblings: Erin, Jessica, and Bret.

Appel had many “feminine” interests as a child (particularly My Pretty Pony) and has concerns that similar children are now encouraged to make a gender transition. Citing anti-trans psychologists Devita Singh, Susan Bradley, and Kenneth Zucker, Appel wote:

“I, like a lot of other LGB (and some trans) people, believe that many children and some adolescents presenting at gender clinics today would likely desist and grow up to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual if they were given proper emotional support. In other words, in many cases, the medicalization of “trans kids” might actually be the medicalization of homosexuality.”

In 2015 Appel married attorney Andrew Charles “Drew” Leaser (born 1976). They live in New York.

Appel worked as a hairdresser in Maryland for ten years before earning a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in 2020.

Appel has written about getting sober and has criticized Alcoholics Anonymous for working toward inclusivity:

“I was finishing my last year of study at Columbia University. Having entered the university in 2017 as a self-described radical progressive planning a career in LGBT activism, I was graduating an exile. I had become disillusioned with, and spoken out against, my fellow progressives’ tactics: suppressing free speech, purity policing and reducing every individual to his or her skin colour, gender and sexual orientation. During my last semester, which was moved online due to the pandemic, I’d sign on to virtual AA meetings after class, and immediately be struck by how similar the two spaces had become. Pronouns lit up the screen. Whereas opening readings once consisted of the AA preamble, the 12 Steps and 12 traditions, and details about the meeting, now some groups chose to add a thinly veiled threat: ‘We will not tolerate racist, homophobic, sexist or transphobic rhetoric in this space.’”

Appel was also upset that AA revised its language to be more gender-inclusive.

Anti-transgender activism

In 2023, Appel was announced as a participant in an anti-trans conference by SPLC-designated hate group Genspect.

Appel is an “autogynephilia” activist and frequently criticizes “gender ideology.”

Appel’s 2025 memoir Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic was pitched as:

about growing up in a Christian fundamentalist cult before becoming a gay rights activist while a student at Columbia University, only to encounter there a cultural landscape ruled by gender ideology and a puritanical cult of social justice resembling The Handmaid’s Tale dystopia of his childhood.

Appel’s book was blurbed by anti-trans activists Konstantin Kisin, Julie Bindel, James Kirchick, and Brandon Showalter.

In October 2025, Appel spoke at The Unspeakeasy in NYC: A Small Gathering for Big Ideas hosted by Meghan Daum. Announced guests were Appel, Lisa Selin Davis, Andrew Hartz, Rob Henderson, Carole Hooven, John McWhorter, Peter Moskos, Alana Newhouse, and Mike Pesca.

Podcasts

In December 2024, Appel began co-hosting Informed Dissent, a “gender critical” podcast with Cori Cohn, Lisa Selin Davis, “Eliza Mondegreen”, and Jamie Reed. Guests include Alex Byrne, Anna Hutchinson, Maud Maron, Leor Sapir, Lauren Schwartz. Appel left in September 2025.

In May 2025, Appel started a podcast titled The Ben Appel Podcast. The only episode posted in 2025 was Pear Joseph.

References

Bollinger, Alex (November 19, 2025). “Zohran Mamdani is going to force gay men to transition” & other stupid things straight media says. LGBTQ Nation https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/11/zohran-mamdani-is-going-to-force-gay-men-to-transition-other-stupid-things-straight-media-says/

Lieberman, Tucker (November 7, 2025). We Do Not Have to Keep Doing This (Yet Here’s Another Anti-Trans Book). Medium https://tuckerlieberman.medium.com/we-do-not-have-to-keep-doing-this-cis-white-gay-30751d03c3ed

Iacia, Samantha (January 14, 2015). Wedded: Ben Appel and Drew Leaser. Baltimore Sun https://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bs-lt-wedded-0118-20150114-story.html

Anti-trans coverage

Paresky, Pamela (December 1, 2025). He Escaped a Pious Cult—Then Found College to Be a New One. Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happiness-and-the-pursuit-of-leadership/202511/he-escaped-a-pious-cult-then-found-college-to

Bindel, Julie (November 30, 2025). ‘I grew up in a cult that said gay men were evil. After escaping, I found trans ideology was worse.’ The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/30/ben-appel-lamb-of-god-cult-trans-gender-ideology/

Showalter, Brandon (October 13, 2025). How a man survived 2 cults and lived to tell about it (book review). Christian Post https://www.christianpost.com/voices/how-a-man-survived-2-cults-and-lived-to-tell-about-it.html

Selected writing by Appel

Appel, Ben (March 3, 2026). In Defense of Effeminate Boys: If anyone had suggested that I might really be a girl, I don’t know how I would have responded. The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/03/gay-boys-lgbtq-trans/686179/

Appel, Ben (November 20, 2025). Cis, White, and Gay: In a new book, Ben Appel describes his journey from closeted Christian cult child, to recovering addict, to social-justice warrior, to self-confessed ‘gender heretic.’ Quillette https://quillette.com/2025/11/20/cis-white-and-gay/

Appel, Ben (February 20, 2026). This Is What They’re Doing: The gender surgeons speak for themselves. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/this-is-what-theyre-doing

Appel, Ben (February 13, 2026). The Cult of Niceness. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/the-cult-of-queer-niceness

Appel, Ben (February 5, 2026). There Is No Such Thing As ‘LGBTQ+.’ Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/there-is-no-such-thing-as-lgbtq

Appel, Ben (January 18, 2026). I’m Glad You Unfriended Me. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/im-glad-you-unfriended-me

Appel, Ben (November 17, 2025). Mamdani’s ‘gender-affirming care’ plan surgically erases gays — just like Iran. New York Post https://nypost.com/2025/11/17/opinion/mamdanis-gender-affirming-care-plan-surgically-erases-gays-just-like-iran/

Appel, Ben (September 9, 2025). The Demonization of the ‘Cis White Gay.’ Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/the-demonization-of-the-cis-white

Appel, Ben (August 21, 2025). The worst people on the planet. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/the-worst-people-on-the-planet

Appel, Ben (July 31, 2025). The f*g-to-trans-fashion-model pipeline. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/the-fg-to-trans-fashion-model-pipeline

Appel, Ben (June 30, 2025). Andrea Long Chu, the libertine. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/andrea-long-chu-the-libertine

Appel, Ben (June 24, 2025). Judith Butler says the quiet parts out loud. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/judith-butler-weighs-in-on-the-supreme

Appel, Ben (May 13, 2025). Do “LGBTQ+” orgs even care about gay people anymore? Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/do-lgbtq-orgs-even-care-about-gay

Appel, Ben (May 6, 2025). You have two options: become a “real man” or a trans prostitute. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/you-have-two-choices-become-a-real

Appel, Ben (July 10, 2025). I saw Columbia craziness up close — and New York City’s headed that way if Zohran Mamdani becomes mayor. New York Post https://nypost.com/2025/07/10/opinion/i-saw-columbia-craziness-up-close-and-the-citys-headed-that-way-if-zohran-mamdani-becomes-mayor/

Appel, Ben (March 2, 2025). ‘Conclave’ Isn’t The Pro-Trans Film People Think It Is. Rather, it illustrates the insanity of the trans/queer movement. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/conclave-isnt-the-pro-trans-film

Appel, Ben (February 2, 2025). Enough With Their Lies: LGBT organizations and mainstream news outlets do more to contribute to the youth mental health crisis than the Trump Administration ever could. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/enough-with-their-lies

Appel, Ben (January 19, 2025). It’s Time for This Madness to End. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/perhaps-its-time-we-went-scorched

Appel, Ben (December 14, 2024). That Which Must Not Be Named. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/that-which-must-not-be-named

Appel, Ben (December 26, 2023). The Re-deminzation of the Gay Male. Queer Majority https://www.queermajority.com/essays-all/the-re-demonization-of-the-gay-male

Appel, Ben (May 14, 2023). Homophobia in drag: Transgender ideology has breathed new life into a dark, old prejudice. Spiked https://www.spiked-online.com/2023/05/14/the-new-homophobia/

Appel, Ben (September 4, 2022). Dispatches of a Gender Heretic: Thoughts on the prominence of gender heresy among gay men, cultural appropriation, and some updates on my latest work. Ben Appel’s Newsletter https://benappel.substack.com/p/dispatches-of-a-gender-heretic

Appel, Ben (September 2, 2022). Victimhood is one helluva drug. [alternate title: “Chase Strangio, you can have ‘fa**ot’ if you want it.”] Queer Majority https://www.queermajority.com/essays-all/victimhood-is-one-helluva-drug

Appel, Ben (May 12, 2023). How Alcoholics Anonymous lost its way Addicts with the ‘wrong opinions’ no longer fit in. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2023/05/how-alcoholics-anonymous-lost-its-way/

Appel, Ben (April 21, 2022). The New Homophobia | Opinion. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/new-homophobia-opinion-1698969

Adler, Dahlia (February 25, 2022). February 2022 deal announcements. LGBTQ Reads https://lgbtqreads.com/2022/02/25/february-2022-deal-announcements/

Appel, Ben (January 13, 2022). The stifling conformity of campus sexual politics. Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-stifling-conformity-of-campus-sexual-politics

Appel, Ben (July 8, 2021). As a Gay Child in a Christian Cult, I Was Taught to Hate Myself. Then I Joined the Church of Social Justice—and Nothing Changed, Quillette https://quillette.com/2021/07/08/as-a-gay-child-in-a-christian-cult-i-was-taught-to-hate-myself-then-i-joined-the-church-of-social-justice-and-nothing-changed/

Appel, Ben (January 17, 2018). How to Be Cisgender. Quarto https://quartomagazine.com/nonfiction/how-to-be-cisgender

Book

Appel, Ben (2025). Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic. Bombardier Books, ISBN 978-1637586280

Media

Unlicensed Philosophy with Chuong Nguyen and Ben Appel (December 26, 2025). Episode 603 – Second Interview with Ben Appel (Writer). https://musicallyspeaking.substack.com/cp/182650727

DIAG Democrats with “Ellie” and Ben Appel (December 9, 2025). Cis White Gay: A conversation with author Ben Appel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoTpTCy3v5U

Jack Jewell with Ben Appel (November 23, 2025). The Making of a Gender Heretic | Ben Appel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFcXjgzO-Ec

Quillette Podcast with Jonathan Kay and Ben Appel (November 20, 2025). Podcast #314: A Gay Author’s Escape from Cults, Drugs, Queer Radicalism, and ‘Scrupulosity.’ https://quillette.com/2025/11/30/podcast-314-a-gay-authors-escape-from-cults-drugs-queer-radicalism-and-scrupulosity/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL5tOou2t1c

The Unspeakable with Meghan Daum and Ben Appel (November 4, 2025). The Making of a Gender Heretic: Ben Appel on being cis, white, and gay. https://www.theunspeakablepodcast.com/p/the-making-of-a-gender-heretic

The Third Rail with Daniel Idfresne, Maud Maron, and Ben Appel (August 22, 2025). Episode 2: How We Became ‘Problematic.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQtO_kkMskM

The Third Rail with Daniel Idfresne, Maud Maron, and Ben Appel (August 21, 2025). Episode 1: Russia Hoaxes and Mamdani Socialists. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7dpRogJQM8

Queer Majority with Andrew Sullivan and Ben Appel (June 18, 2025). Andrew Sullivan & Ben Appel: On The Category Errors of Sexual Politics. https://queermajority.substack.com/cp/166270694

Queer Majority with Andrew Sullivan and Ben Appel (June 16, 2025). Andrew Sullivan & Ben Appel: The Category Errors of Sexual Politics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIy-af6mNqc

Ben Appel’s Podcast with Ben Appel and Pear Joseph (May 1, 2025). Podcast: Pear Joseph doesn’t give a f***. https://benappel.substack.com/p/episode-1-pear-joseph-doesnt-give

The Distance with Matt Osborne and Ben Appel (April 16, 2025). How Cis White Gay Ben Appel Beat His Social Justice Activism Habit. https://www.thedistancemag.com/p/how-cis-white-gay-ben-appel-beat-685 alt url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ob0axDXcZM

The Distance with Matt Osborne and Ben Appel (April 1, 2025). How Cis White Gay Ben Appel Beat His Social Justice Activism Habit. https://www.thedistancemag.com/cp/161402688

LGB Alliance with Eileen Gallagher, Julie Bindel, Cath Leng, Ben Appel and Simon Edge (November 16, 2024). Sounding The Alarm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_TpfWtObjs

Institute for Liberal Values / Queer Majority with “Rio Veradonir,” Wilfred Reilly, Iona Italia, “Phil Illy,” Jimmy Bangash, and Ben Appel (September 10, 2024). Liberalism in Practice: Wilfred Reilly, Ben Appel, Jimmy Bangash, and Phil Illy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W6thStKErI

Sky News / The Rita Panahi Show with Rita Panahi and Ben Appel (April 1, 2024). Number of children identifying as transgender has ‘skyrocketed.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnOpM6Av2DY

Genspect with Benjamin Boyce, Pamela Paresky, Lisa Selin Davis, Ben Appel, and “Christina Buttons” (December 12, 2023).
Mainstream Media & Gender: A Genspect Panel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7v6RLJpojw

Genspect with Benjamin Boyce, Pamela Paresky, Lisa Selin Davis, Ben Appel, and “Christina Buttons” (November 25, 2023). What the Left Media WON’T Tell You About the Trans Movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHQfd-sdTVQ

Heterodorx with Nina Paley, Corinna Cohn, and Ben Appel (June 29, 2023). Doin’ the 12-Step with Ben Appel. https://heterodorx.substack.com/p/doin-the-12-step-with-ben-appel-742

Sky News / The Rita Panahi Show with Rita Panahi and Ben Appel (May 20, 2023). ‘Maybe you do need to be fixed’: Ben Appel reveals trans ideology concerns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_NIdtV3F4Q

The Lou Perez Podcast with Lou Perez and Ben Appel (May 9, 2023). The Lou Perez Podcast Episode 71 – Ben Appel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPkRD5JIeB0

Heterodorx with Nina Paley, Corinna Cohn, and Ben Appel (September 20, 2022). The Parts We Play with Ben Appel. https://heterodorx.substack.com/p/the-parts-we-play-with-ben-appel-5c1

Julie Bindel’s Podcast with Julie Bindel and Ben Appel (June 12, 2022). An interview with Ben Appel. https://juliebindel.substack.com/p/an-interview-with-ben-appel

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce and Ben Appel (May 24, 2022). The New Homophobia | with Ben Appel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhUOev9OFo0

HumanGayMale with James Paul Roberts and Ben Appel (May 11, 2022). Conversation with Ben Appel, 11th May 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM6W99t-yvs