Genspect vs. transgender people

Genspect is a group of anti-transgender activists from the movement’s “gender critical” faction. It was founded by Stella O’Malley, a global ringleader against progressive policies and protocols that benefit transgender and gender diverse people. They maintain a number of anti-trans websites and resources, including:

  • Beyond Trans
  • Stats for Gender

The president of the 67,000-member American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) countered a Wall Street Journal opinion piece by anti-trans activists Julia Mason and Leor Sapir:

AAP advises pediatricians to offer developmentally appropriate care that is oriented toward understanding and appreciating the youth’s gender experience. This care is nonjudgmental, includes families and allows questions and concerns to be raised in a supportive environment. This is what it means to “affirm” a child or teen; it means destigmatizing gender variance and promoting a child’s self-worth. 

O’Malley responded to their response:

I am encouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ statement in its letter that gender-affirming care “doesn’t push medical treatments or surgery; for the vast majority of children, it recommends the opposite.” Unfortunately, this is not the experience of families of gender-distressed children.

Genspect represents thousands of parents of gender-questioning children and young people around the world. We are not aware of any cases in the U.S. or Canada in which children seeking “gender-affirming care” were not given the option of puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.

The AAP should recognizes this fundamental point: There is no consensus and no evidence base on which to confidently declare what is “medically appropriate” for gender transitioning of children.

Media Matters for America has noted how writer Katie J. M. Baker of the New York Times has laundered Genspect’s anti-trans views into their publication:

The latest piece — another entry in the genre of New York Times articles that start from the premise that trans people are perhaps too accepted in society — covers “a network of internet support groups for ‘skeptical’ parents of transgender children, some with thousands of registered members” without noting that the groups are run by Genspect, an organization that opposes bans on conversion therapy and has numerous members who support banning gender-affirming care for trans people under 25. 

Team

Advisors

2023 conference

O’Malley organized a conference in Ireland on April 27-29 2023 and featuring many gender critical activists.

References

Szilagyi, Moira (August 21, 2022). Academy of Pediatrics Responds on Trans Treatment for Kids. Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/trans-gender-pediatric-aap-kids-children-care-surgery-affirm-treatment-11660942086

Drennen, Ari (February 8, 2023). The New York Times helped fuel an anti-trans panic in 2022. Will 2023 be any better? Media Matters for America https://www.mediamatters.org/new-york-times/new-york-times-helped-fuel-anti-trans-panic-2022-will-2023-be-any-better

Baker, Katie J. M. (January 23, 2023). When Students Change Gender Identity, and Parents Don’t Know. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/22/us/gender-identity-students-parents.html

Resources

Genspect (genspect.org)

Genspect Unheard (genspectunheard.org)

Stats for Gender (statsforgender.org)

Beyond Trans (beyondtrans.org)