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‘CounterPunch’ and transgender people

CounterPunch is an AmericanĀ media organization. It is a left-wing online magazine and print newsletter that publishes political commentary, investigative journalism, and critiques of mainstream media.

Their coverage of transgender people has been generally fair and accurate, but they have also published a number of gender critical feminists as part of their “contrarian” ethos, including Elizabeth Hungerford, Derrick Jensen, Robert Jensen, Lierre Keith, and Julian Vigo.

Background

CounterPunch was created as a newsletter in 1993 by investigative reporter Ken Silverstein. In 1994 Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair joined as co-editors. CounterPunch has positioned itself as a platform for contrarian perspectives, covering topics such as U.S. foreign policy, corporate power, environmental issues, and social movements. Its editorial stance emphasizes skepticism toward both mainstream liberal and conservative narratives.

The publication has an eclectic mix of contributors, ranging from established journalists to independent analysts. Following Cockburnā€™s death in 2012, St. Clair continued as the primary editor. Over time, CounterPunch has developed a reputation for providing space to controversial or radical viewpoints, including critiques of neoliberalism, imperialism, and identity politics.

Selected anti-trans coverage

Jensen, Robert (April 4, 2025). Academic Freedom Under Attack: From the Government But Also From Within. Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (February 18, 2025). Understanding Biology ā‰  Biological Essentialism. Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (July 31, 2024). What Is Cancel Culture, and Is It a Good Thing? Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (May 24, 2024). Radical Feminism and the Failures of the Left. Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (January 2, 2023). Drag Story Hour and Cultural Appropriation. Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (July 8, 2021). Making Sense of Sex and Gender. Counterpunch

Vigo, Julian (February 11, 2020). How Privilege and Woke Politics are Destroying the Left. Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (July 15, 2020). ā€˜Cancel Cultureā€™ Cannot Erase a Strong Argument. Counterpunch

Vigo, Julian (February 26, 2019). Why We Canā€™t Have Nice Things: The Crisis of Online Feminism Today. Counterpunch

Vigo, Julian (June 15, 2018). On the Smearing of Jordan Peterson: On Dialogue and Listening. Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (May 18, 2018). Neither cis nor TERF. Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (June 5, 2017). Can We Talk? How Dogma Degrades Democracy. Counterpunch

Vigo, Julian (August 25, 2014). Dispelling Fictions and Disrupting Hashtags. Counterpunch

Jensen, Robert (June 13, 2014). Some Basic Propositions About Sex, Gender and Patriarchy. Counterpunch

Hungerford, Elizabeth (August 2, 2013). Sex is Not Gender. Counterpunch https://www.counterpunch.org/2013/08/02/sex-is-not-gender/

Keith, Lierre; Jensen, Derrick (June 21, 2013). The Emperorā€™s New Penis. Counterpunch

Resources

Counterpunch (counterpunch.org)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

InfluenceWatch (influencewatch.org)