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Dan Savage is an American author and activist. Savage has been glitter-bombed many times for anti-transgender views. Some of Savage’s views have evolved following criticism.

Savage has written about sex and relationships since the 1990s and has supported the work of many gender critical and transphobic public figures. Savage has also been involved in a number of important projects that have improved the lives of sex and gender minorities, including trans people.

Background

Daniel Keenan “Dan” Savage (born October 7, 1964) grew up in a Catholic household in Chicago. Savage graduated with a theater degree from University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, then moved to Germany for two years before moving to Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1991 The Onion founder Tim Keck told friend Savage about a plan to start The Stranger, an alternative newspaper in Seattle. Savage suggested writing a sex and relationship advice column. The title was proposed as Hey Faggot!, but Keck refused to use that title, so they settled on Savage Love. For years, all answered letters started with “Hey Faggot!” as the greeting. The column was syndicated, and Savage dropped the greeting in 1999 when the column started accepting emailed questions.

Savage moved to Seattle for the job. Under the stage name “Keenan Hollahan,” Savage also founded Seattle’s Greek Active Theater, producing reimagined classics in the mid-1990s. Savage was active in the Seattle theater scene until around 2003.

Savage created the It Gets Better project in 2010 with spouse Terry Miller. They were married in Canada in 2005 and remarried in the US when it was legalized. They have one child. The nonprofit has helped many trans and gender diverse young people through its message. The nonprofit’s President Paul Dien and founding member Seth Levy have noted that Savage is no longer involved in the project day to day:

“I don’t agree with what he has said, and I think it’s important to call out our privileges,” said Dien. “I think in our communities, cisgender white folks do have that privilege, and it’s okay to talk about when people are wrong or offensive to other parts of our community. And I think it’s important to have those discussions.”

“I really can’t comment on whatever Dan’s relationship with the trans community is; that’s been a complicated one for a long time,” added Levy. “All I know is that as a co-founder with them and having done a lot of work with them over the years, he’s done a lot for that community, often through this project. And so I hope at the end of the day, that’s what people start to understand, is that we’ve all really been trying to fight the same fight, even if we don’t always get along along the way.”

Ennis (2021)

Controversies

Savage’s strong opinions and acerbic tone have been criticized by numerous groups.

Biphobia allegations

Savage’s support of transphobic psychologist J. Michael Bailey and like-minded sexologists has caused the greatest reputational harm. Savage uncritically repeated Bailey’s claims that bisexual men don’t exist, and Savage told gay men “DON’T MESS AROUND WITH BISEXUALS” and likened bisexuality to “incest and dog-fucking.”

It was “the way most gay men were at the time, and it was shitty,” Savage says now. “A lot of my hostility to bi guys early was because I dated bi guys who were gay closet cases who felt superior to the gay men that they were dating, because they weren’t 100 percent polluted by gayness.” Over the years, “pushback from my readers” and some new bi lovers helped change his mind.

Anderson (2021)

Bailey and friends magically “discovered” bisexuality as soon as they got a payment from The American Institute of Bisexuality. Savage supported Bailey’s claims about that “discovery” as well.

Transphobia allegations

Then there are the transphobic slurs that frequently appeared in Savage Love over the first 20-odd years, along with some gender nonaffirming advice about trans people and cheap jokes about the appearance of trans women. Savage told me that he used those words in the same spirit as he invited readers to call him a “faggot.” He offered a similar explanation when, at a much-covered event at the University of Chicago in 2014, he was challenged by a trans student who objected to his continued use of the slurs while talking about the slurs, and wrote a scorched-earth takedown of the student in the Stranger. (Savage now uses the phrase “t-slur” instead of saying the word out loud.)

Anderson (2021)

Savage says those views have evolved:

“How do you disprove a charge like you’re transphobic? I’m not afraid of trans people. […] I certainly have had a journey in the last 20 years — as have we all — on trans issues. When I started writing Savage Love 20 years ago, and you can yank quotes 15, 18 years ago and flat them up today and say, ‘You know, that’s transphobic,’ I’d probably agree with you. 15 years ago I didn’t know as much as I know now — nor did anybody.”

Badash (2014)

Savage is one of the few people to reify “autogynephilia,” writing in 2010: “You might want to google autogynephilia. Not saying that’s where you’re at or headed, don’t know enough about it to endorse it, but . . . it seemed relevant.” Gender critical and anti-trans people Savage has platformed and supported include:

Here Savage cites Singal’s promotion of conservative clinician Erica Anderson as evidence Singal is not transphobic.

There is a tendency among this collection of people to back each other up and logroll for each other when accused of acting against the best interests of the trans community. Let’s hope that changes in the future, as their monopolization of media opportunities by shutting out trans critics is one of the key ways they perpetuate harm.

References

Rude, Mey (March 24, 2021). Cis Men Like Jesse Singal, Dan Savage Don’t Decide What’s Transphobic. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2021/3/24/cis-men-jesse-singal-dan-savage-dont-decide-whats-transphobic

Badash, David (April 29, 2014). Dan Savage Does Not Hate You. The New Civil Rights Movement. https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2014/04/dan_savage_does_not_hate_you/

Anderson, LV (September 23, 2021). Dan Savage Revolutionized Sex. Then the Revolution Came for Him. Slate https://slate.com/human-interest/2021/09/dan-savage-advice-savage-love-criticism-interview.html

Savage, Dan (December 2, 1999). Gay Ol’ Time. Savage Love https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=2686 [archive]

Abad-Santos, Alexander (November 3, 2011). Dan Savage: Queer-on-Queer Glitter-Bombing Victim. The Wire via The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/11/dan-savage-queer-queer-glitter-bombing-victim/335921/

Lowder, J. Bryan (November 4, 2011). Did Dan Savage Deserve to be Glitter-Bombed?. Slate. http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2011/11/04/did_dan_savage_deserve_to_be_glitter_bombed_.html

Dan Savage Gets Glitterbombed, Called Transphobic At University Of Oregon. The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/02/dan-savage-glitterbombed-oregon-transphobia-_n_1071627.html

Hill-Meyer, Tobi (November 2, 2011). Dan Savage Gets Glitter Bombed for Being Transphobic. The Bilerico Project. http://www.bilerico.com/2011/11/dan_savage_gets_glitter_bombed_for_being_transphob.php

Hill-Meyer, Tobi (November 14, 2011). Dan Savage Glittered Again, Student Arrested. The Bilerico Project. http://www.bilerico.com/2011/11/dan_savage_glittered_again_student_arrested.php

Oommen, Isaac (January 21, 2012). Dan Savage Glitterbombed. Vancouver Media Co-op. http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/photo/dan-savage-glitterbombed/9681

Schmidt, Christine (May 30, 2014). Comments at IOP spark controversy. [archive] Chicago Maroon http://chicagomaroon.com/2014/05/30/comments-at-iop-spark-controversy/

University of Chicago Institute of Politics (May 27, 2014). IOP Statement on Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion. http://politics.uchicago.edu/news/entry/iop-statement-on-commitment-to-diversity-inclusion

Johnson, Andrew (June 5, 2014). UChicago Students: Dan Savage’s Use of ‘T-Slur’ Made Us Feel ‘Unsafe’. National Review http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/379649/uchicago-students-dan-savages-use-t-slur-made-us-feel-unsafe-andrew-johnson

Soave, Robby (June 9, 2014). Dan Savage Stands Up to the Speech Police, Defends His Use of ‘Tranny’, Reason http://reason.com/blog/2014/06/09/dan-savage-stands-up-to-the-speech-polic

Savage, Dan (2014). About That Hate Crime I Committed at University of Chicago | Slog”. The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2014/06/07/about-that-hate-crime-i-committed-at-university-of-chicago

Ennis, Dawn (May 3, 2021). ‘It Gets Better’ Gets New Leadership. Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/dawnstaceyennis/2021/05/03/it-gets-better-gets-new-leadership/

Resources

Dan Savage (savage.love)

The Stranger (thestranger.com)

It Gets Better (itgetsbetter.org)

Twitter (twitter.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Instagram (instagram.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Note: In 2025, this site phased out AI illustrations after artist feedback. The previous illustration is here.

Dylan Mulvaney is an American media personality who documented the first year of gender transition in a popular video series called “Days of Girlhood.”

Background

Mulvaney was born December 29, 1996 in San Diego, California, grew up in Southern California, and earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Cincinnati in 2019.

Mulvaney performed in the musical The Book of Mormon on its national tour, as well as in other musical theatre productions. Mulvaney also was brought up from the audience to dance with a friend at the Ellen show and appeared as a contestant on The Price Is Right.

“Days of Girlhood”

At the start of the pandemic, Mulvaney began posting comedy videos on social media. Mulvaney quickly amassed a large following after the “Day One of Being a Girl” post went viral on TikTok. Mulvaney was soon doing many endorsement deals and sponsored posts. Several of Mulvaney’s videos sparked criticism, including one about tampons, one about Ulta cosmetics, one about wearing tight clothing to “normalize the bulge,” and several where Mulvaney dressed up as a young girl.

In October 2022, Mulvaney was invited to speak with Joe Biden at the White House, which led to significant backlash from conservatives, including conservative trans people like Caitlyn Jenner.

Following 2022 facial feminization surgery, Mulvaney did a face reveal of the results in January 2023. At the 2023 Grammy Awards, Mulvaney talked over Laverne Cox while filming their first introduction. Though Mulvaney had solicited Cox’s advice, Mulvaney was clearly not listening, leading a number of prominent trans people to comment on the dynamics of the encounter.

In March 2023 Mulvaney held the live fundraising event Dylan Mulvaney’s Day 365 Live! to celebrate one year since starting transition. Those who showed Mulvaney support, including cisgender allies like Drew Barrymore, faced criticism.

In April 2023 Mulvaney made sponsored posts for Bud Light and Nike. The Nike post showed Mulvaney exercising in their sports bra and sparked more criticism from anti-trans people. The Bud Light posts promoted an NCAA March Madness giveaway and revealed the brand had made a customized Bud Light can with Mulvaney’s face on it.

Bud Light immediately faced bomb threats and boycotts after conservative demagogues like Tucker Carlson and anti-trans groups decided to make an example of the beer. Anti-trans troll Matt Walsh made such pointed and cruel personal attacks that Walsh’s YouTube channel was demonetized. In the first weeks, several conservative entertainers joined the boycott, Bud Light sales dropped about 25% year over year, two ABInBev marketing executives were ousted, the stock was downgraded by several firms, and Senator Ted Cruz announced a planned investigation into whether the brand was marketing to underage audiences. ABInBev released a noncommittal statement and a poorly received patriotic ad, announced they would buy back unsold beer, and hired conservative consultants to help with a rebrand. Bud Light lost its place as America’s favorite beer, ABInBev laid off hundreds of employees, and North American organic sales dropped $1.4 billion. The fiasco instantly became one of the worst marketing blunders in history and a setback for national brands supporting trans inclusion or offering brand endorsements to trans people.

Facing extreme overexposure, Mulvaney reduced the frequency of posting and announced an upcoming book. In June 2023 Mulvaney reflected on the first three months of the controversy:

“What transpired from that video was more bullying and transphobia than I could have ever imagined. For months now, I’ve been scared to leave my house. I have been ridiculed in public. I’ve been followed. And I have felt a loneliness that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. And I’m not telling you this because I want your pity. I am telling you this because if this is my experience, from a very privileged perspective, know that it is much much worse for other trans people.”

Jones (2023)

In 2023 Attitude magazine honored Mulvaney as Woman of the Year.

To mark the 2024 anniversary of starting transition, Mulvaney posed with Lady Gaga and shared several messages with fans. In 2025, Mulvaney released the book Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer and announced a podcast called The Dylan Hour.

References

Mulvaney, Dylan (2025). Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer. Harry N. Abrams, ISBN 978-1419770395

Huston, Caitlin (March 5, 2025). Dylan Mulvaney Launches Podcast With Lemonada Media. Hollywood Reporter https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/dylan-mulvaney-podcast-lemonada-media-1236154656/

Editors (March 20, 2025). Behind the scenes at Dylan Mulvaney’s Advocate cover shoot. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/exclusives/dylan-mulvaney-advocate-cover-shoot

Puckett-Pope, Lauren; Gaffney, Adrienne (March 14, 2025). Dylan Mulvaney and Laverne Cox on What It Means to Be a Trans ‘It’ Girl. Elle https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a64135694/dylan-mulvaney-laverne-cox-interview-paper-doll-trans-it-girl/

Factora, James (March 12, 2025). Here’s What Dylan Mulvaney Learned on Her Ayahuasca Trip. them https://www.them.us/story/dylan-mulvaney-paper-doll-late-bloomer-book-ayahuasca-trip-details

Sanders, Wren (June 6, 2023). Dylan Mulvaney Is Ready for Life After “Girlhood.” them. https://www.them.us/story/dylan-mulvaney-life-after-girlhood-now-awards-2023

VanHoose, Benjamin (March 1, 2025). How Dylan Mulvaney ‘Healed’ After Bud Light Scandal: I’m ‘a Thousand Times Stronger’ Now (Exclusive). People https://people.com/dylan-mulvaney-stronger-two-years-after-bud-light-controversy-exclusive-11687040

Lange, Maggie (February 18, 2025). Dylan Mulvaney Dreams of Privacy. Really. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/style/dylan-mulvaney-paper-doll-book.html

Jones, CT (June 29, 2023). Trans Influencer Dylan Mulvaney Breaks Her Silence on Bud Light Controversy. Rolling Stone https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/dylan-mulvaney-trans-bud-light-controversy-1234780871/

Bellware, Kim; Javaid, Maham (April 6, 2023). She’s on Bud Light cans and all over the internet. Who is Dylan Mulvaney? The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/04/06/dylan-mulvaney-transgender-influencer-tiktok/

Billson, Chantelle (October 17, 2022). Beauty giant Ulta bombarded with transphobic hate over video of trans woman. PinkNews [archive] https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/10/17/ulta-beauty-trans-dylan-mulvaney/

Miller, Julius (June 1, 2022). Dylan Mulvaney On Transitioning and Becoming a TikTok ‘Trailblazer’. lamag.com. [archive] https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/dylan-mulvaney-on-transitioning-and-becoming-a-tiktok-trailblazer/

Malkin, Marc (March 9, 2023). TikTok Star Dylan Mulvaney Recalls Coming Out as Trans at Age 4, Tells Trans Youth: ‘There Is a Light at the End of the Tunnel’. Variety. [archive] https://variety.com/2023/digital/podcasts/tiktok-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-1235547512/

Dellatto, Marisa (November 22, 2022). ‘#BoycottTampax’ Trends On Twitter After Viral Tweet From Tampon Company. Forbes [archive]

Iftikhar, Asyia (October 27, 2022). Caitlyn Jenner joins right-wing pile-on of trans TikToker Dylan Mulvaney. PinkNews [archive] https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/11/22/boycotttampax-trends-on-twitter-after-viral-tweet-from-tampon-company/?sh=7a5ab1ba72a9

Holpuch, Amanda (April 14, 2023). Behind the Backlash Against Bud Light’s Transgender Influencer. New York Times [archive] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/14/business/bud-light-boycott.html

St. Martin, Emily (March 14, 2023). Drew Barrymore sat on the floor with trans TikToker Dylan Mulvaney. Online turmoil ensued. Los Angeles Times. [archive] https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-03-14/drew-barrymore-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-online-hate

Coen, Susie; Corless, Blathnaid (April 7, 2023). Sharron Davies calls for Nike boycott after trans influencer promoted its sports bra. The Telegraph [archive] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/07/sharron-davies-dylan-mulvaney-nike-transgender-bra-boycott/

Williamson, Harriet (April 15, 2023). Budweiser targeted by bomb threats as right-wing snowflakes keep raging over Dylan Mulvaney collab. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/04/15/budweiser-bomb-threats-dylan-mulvaney-bud-light/

Picchi, Aimee (April 25, 2023). Maybelline faces boycott over partnership with Dylan Mulvaney. CBS News. [archive] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/maybelline-dylan-mulvaney-boycott/

Ziady, Hanna (February 29, 2024). Bud Light boycott likely cost Anheuser-Busch InBev over $1 billion in lost sales. CNN https://www.advocate.com/business/has-bud-light-lost-sales

Resources

Dylan Mulvaney (dylanmulvaney.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Instagram (instagram.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

IMDb (imdb.com)

TikTok (tiktok.com)

The Westminster Declaration is a 2023 open letter signed by many key anti-transgender extremists.

They claim to be a group of “free speech champions” who oppose the “censorship industrial complex.”

Signatories

Alphabetically by surname:

  • Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Human Rights Activist, Author, Netherlands
  • James Allan, Professor of Law, University of Queensland, UK
  • Mia Ashton [Mia Hughes], Journalist, Canada
  • Julian Assange, Editor, Founder of Wikileaks, Australia
  • Stella Assange, Campaigner, UK
  • Diane Atkinson, Historian, Biographer, UK
  • Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive, Free Speech Union, New Zealand
  • Xavier Azalbert, Investigative Scientific Journalist, France
  • Marco Bassani, Political Theorist, Historian, Milan University, Italy
  • Steven Berkoff, Actor, Playright, UK
  • Jay Bhattacharya, Professor, Stanford, US
  • Giorgio Bianchi, Independent Journalist, Italy
  • Nigel Biggar, Chairman, Free Speech Union, UK
  • Peter Boghossian, Philosopher, Founding Faculty Fellow, University of Austin, US
  • Nellie Bowles, Journalist, USA
  • Mathias Bröckers, Author, Journalist, Germany
  • Dietrich BrĂŒggemann, Filmmaker, Germany
  • Paolo Cesaretti, Professor of Byzantine Civilization, University of Bergamo, Italy
  • Melissa Chen, Journalist, Spectator, Singapore/US
  • Robert Cibis, Filmmaker, Germany
  • John Cleese, Comedian, Acrobat, UK
  • Adam B. Coleman, Founder of Wrong Speak Publishing, US
  • Alberto Contri, Mass Media Expert, Italy
  • Adam Creighton, Journalist, Australia
  • Richard Dawkins, Biologist, UK
  • Alessandro Di Battista, Political Activist, Writer, Italy
  • Nick Dixon, Comedian, UK
  • Laura Dodsworth, Journalist and Author, UK
  • Lee Fang, Independent Journalist, US
  • Thomas Fazi, Independent Journalist, Italy
  • Efrat Fenigson, Journalist, Podcaster, Israel
  • Niall Ferguson, Historian, Stanford, UK
  • Catherine Austin Fitts, The Solari Report, Netherlands
  • Marcello Foa, Journalist, Former President of Rai, Italy
  • Francis Foster, Comedian, UK
  • Kmele Foster, Journalist, Media Entrepreneur, USA
  • Claire Fox, Founder of the Academy of Ideas, UK
  • Carlo Freccero, Television Author, Media Expert, Italy
  • Dominic Frisby, Comedian, UK
  • Juan Carlos Girauta, Politician, Spain
  • Jill Glasspool-Malone, PhD., USA
  • Sarah Gon, Director, Free Speech Union, South Africa
  • David Goodhart, Journalist, Author, UK
  • Matt Goodwin, Politics Professor, University of Kent, UK
  • Glenn Greenwald, Journalist, US
  • Julius Grower, Fellow, St. Hugh’s College, UK
  • Ulrike Guerot, Founder of European Democracy Lab, Germany
  • Sunetra Gupta, Professor of Theoretical Epidemiology, Oxford, UK
  • Alex Gutentag, Journalist, US
  • Jonathan Haidt, Social Psychologist, NYU, US
  • Philip Hamburger, Professor of Law, Columbia, USA
  • Julia Hartley-Brewer, Journalist, UK
  • Chris Hedges, Journalist, Author, USA
  • Ana Henkel, Independent Journalist, Brazil
  • Heather E. Heying, Evolutionary Biologist, USA
  • Jeremy Hildreth, Independent, UK
  • Peter Hitchens, Author, Journalist, UK
  • Coleman Hughes, Writer, Podcaster, USA
  • Patrick Hughes, Artist, UK
  • Jan Jekielek, Journalist, Canada
  • Helen Joyce, Journalist, UK
  • Izabella Kaminska, Journalist, The Blind Spot, UK
  • Eric Kaufmann, Professor of Politics, Birkbeck, University of Buckingham, Canada
  • Eve Kay, TV Producer, UK
  • Aaron Kheiriaty, Psychiatrist, Author, USA
  • Rueben Kirkham, Co-Director, Free Speech Union of Australia, Australia
  • Konstantin Kisin, Author, UK
  • Martin Kulldorf, Professor of Medicine (on leave), Harvard, US
  • Holly Lawford-Smith, Associate Professor in Political Philosophy, University of Melbourne, Australia
  • Catherine Liu, Cultural Theorist, Author, USA
  • Isabella Loiodice, Professor of Comparative Public Law, University of Bari, Italy
  • Carlo Lottieri, Philosopher, University of Verona, Italy
  • Glenn Loury, Economist, USA
  • Andrew Lowenthal, liber-net, Australia
  • Greg Lukianoff, President and CEO Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, USA
  • Dara Macdonald, Co-Director, Free Speech Union, Australia
  • Robert W. Malone, MD, MS, USA
  • Winston Marshall, Journalist, The Spectator, UK
  • Paola Mastrocola, Writer, Italy
  • Aaron Mate, Journalist, USA
  • Iain McGilchrist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher, UK
  • David McGrogan, Professor of Law, Northumbria University, UK
  • Jacob Mchangama, Author, Denmark
  • John McWhorter, Linguist, Columbia, Author, US
  • Alan Miller, Together Association, UK
  • Stefan Millius, Journalist, Switzerland
  • Stephen Moore, Author and Analyst, Canada
  • Michael Nayna, Filmmaker, Australia
  • Micha Narberhaus, The Protopia Lab, Spain/Germany
  • Leandro Narloch, Independent Journalist, Brazil
  • Andrew Neish, KC, UK
  • Brendan O’Neill, Journalist, UK
  • James Orr, Associate Professor, University of Cambridge, UK
  • Martina Pastorelli, Independent Journalist, Italy
  • Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Psychologist, Author, Canada
  • Kira Phillips, Documentary Filmmaker, UK
  • Jordi Pigem, Philosopher, Author, Spain
  • Steven Pinker, Psychologist, Harvard, US
  • Helen Pluckrose, Author, US
  • Dirk Pohlmann, Journalist, Germany
  • Nina Power, Writer, UK
  • Nello Preterossi, Professor, University of Salerno, Scientific Director of the Italian Institute for Philosophical Studies, Italy
  • Jean F. Queralt, Technologist, Founder @ The IO Foundation, Malaysia/Spain
  • Luca Ricolfi, Professor, Sociologist, Turin University, Italy
  • Matt Ridley, Journalist, Author, UK
  • Tim Robbins, Actor, Filmmaker, US
  • Andrew Roberts, Historian, UK
  • Piers Robinson, Organization for Propaganda Studies, UK
  • Paul Rossi, Educator, Vertex Partnership Academics, US
  • Gad Saad, Professor, Evolutionary Behavioral Scientist, Author, Canada
  • Jeffrey D. Sachs, Columbia University, US
  • Michele Santoro, Journalist, TV Host, Presenter, Italy
  • Ben Scallan, Gript Media, Ireland
  • Ben Schwarz, Journalist, USA
  • Phil Shaw, Campaigner, Operation People, New Zealand
  • Michael Shellenberger, Public, US
  • Alex Sheridan, Free Speech Ireland
  • Michael Shermer, Science Writer, US
  • Jacob Siegel, Tablet, US/Israel
  • Dr. James Smith, Podcaster, Literature Scholar, RHUL, UK
  • Craig Snider, Independent, US
  • Edward Snowden, Whistleblower, US
  • Alan Sokal, Professor of Mathematics, UCL, UK
  • Juan Soto Ivars, Author, Spain
  • Doug Stokes, International Relations Professor, University of Exeter, UK
  • Oliver Stone, Filmmaker, US
  • Nadine Strossen, Professor of Law, NYLS, US
  • Matt Taibbi, Journalist, US
  • Andrew Tettenborn, Professor of Law, Swansea University,  UK
  • Robert Tombs, Historian, UK
  • Jeffrey Tucker, Author, USA
  • Yanis Varoufakis, Economist, Greece
  • Eli Vieira, Journalist, Genetic Biologist, Brazil
  • Toby Young, Journalist, Free Speech Union, UK
  • Andrea Zhok, Philosopher, University of Milan, Italy
  • Slavoj ĆœiĆŸek, Philosopher, Author, Slovenia
  • David Zweig, Journalist, Author, USA

References

Masnick, Mike ( October 24, 2023). ‘Twitter Files’ Hucksters Are Once Again Cosplaying as Free Speech Martyrs. Daily Beast https://www.thedailybeast.com/twitter-files-hucksters-are-cosplaying-as-free-speech-martyrs

Resources

The Westminster Declaration (westminsterdeclaration.org)

Public is a Substack platform and podcast by anti-transgender extremist Michael Shellenberger.

Largely through the efforts of contributor Mia Hughes, Public has showcased many leading figures in anti-transgender extremism, including Az Hakeem, Julia Mason, Helen Joyce, Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans (PITT), “Michelle Alleva,” Bev Jackson, Kate Harris, “Chloe Cole,” J. Michael Bailey, Stephanie Winn, “Christina Buttons,” Meghan Murphy, “K. Yang,” Women’s Declaration International, Peter Boghossian, and Stephen B. Levine.

People

Contributors to Public include:

Resources

Substack (substack.com)

Chris Elston is a Canadian anti-transgender activist. Elston is best known for purchasing or wearing signs with anti-transgender messages. Elston gets money and attention by trying to provoke responses from trans and gender-diverse people and their supporters. Elston has been arrested, banned from venues, and involved in numerous legal disputes.

Elston is one of several “parental rights” activists who appear in public holding or wearing anti-transgender signs, including January Littlejohn and “Sidewalk Steve.”

Background

Christopher David Elston was born in 1976. Elston has used a number of nicknames, including

  • Christoph Elston
  • Christophe Elston
  • Chris Elston
  • Billboard Chris

Elston’s spouse Sheree Lynn (Peacock) Elston earned a bachelor’s degree from Simon Fraser University in 2003, followed by a master’s degree in education from Simon Fraser in 2007. Sheree Elston was a schoolteacher before becoming an administrator at Semiahmoo Trail elementary school in South Surrey, British Columbia. The Elstons have been members of Village Church, an evangelical Christian church with a location in Surrey. Their older child Arya was born in 2010, followed by Mila. Both children are involved in the same local sport.

Scientology

Around age 20, Elston became involved in Scientology while traveling in Ireland. Elston joined the organization’s elite Sea Org, a group of Scientology’s most dedicated members, in March of 1996. Because of that zeal and fervor, Elston was soon assigned to the Church of Scientology’s Saint Hill Manor property in East Grinstead, West Sussex. The location is called Scientology’s Advanced Organization & Saint Hill United Kingdom. It is an 18th-century manor originally purchased by L. Ron Hubbard in 1959 and later renovated as a Scientology museum. Elston was reportedly assigned to run the Hubbard Communications Office (HCO) in the Continental Liaison Office (CLO).

In June 1997, Elston was a witness to the death of 17-year-old Sea Org member Russell Dienes. Elston was part of a car procession hurrying to work at Saint Hill. Dienes pulled in front of an oncoming truck, causing Dienes’ death and the serious injury of teen passengers Thilo Gnass and Frederik Zengel.

Elston remained with Scientology for almost two years:

I joined the Sea Org in March 96, worked their 100 hour weeks and escaped in the middle of the night Dec. 98 when I was told I couldn’t go home on a visit to see my parents. Passport and plane ticket had been seized. 

Elston returned to Canada and reportedly was the subject of an “SP Declare,” a document outlining why Scientology designates Elston as a Suppressive Person, or Anti-Social Personality. Elston has been involved in anti-Scientology activism ever since.

Insurance career

After moving to Vancouver, British Columbia, Elston took a job as an investment advisor at Canaccord Capital (later named Canaccord Financial, now called Canaccord Genuity). Elston worked there from 2001 to 2008, then was a Financial Advisor at Raymond James from 2008 to 2014. After founding Elston Insurance Agency in 2014 and selling insurance, Elston began generating significant income and media coverage from anti-transgender activism. After Elston’s insurance license expired in 2022, Elston began doing anti-trans activism full-time.

Anti-transgender activism

Elston pivoted from anti-Scientology activism to anti-transgender activism following several controversies in the Vancouver area.

Jessica Yaniv aka Jessica Simpson

  • Elston got involved in several controversies related to Jessica Yaniv, now known as Jessica Simpson, a frequent litigant who used anti-discrimination laws to bring numerous complaints against local businesses. Simpson identifies as transgender and brought many complaints against waxing practitioners who would not wax Simpson’s genitals.
  • In December 2020, the Western Standard reported that the Langley Royal Canadian Mounted Police had charged Simpson with mischief and uttering threats in relation to an incident in October 2020 concerning Elston.

I ♄ JK ROWLING

  • Elston met nurse and anti-transgender extremist Amy Hamm at a Simpson hearing. They began purchasing billboards with the slogan “I ♄ JK ROWLING,” a reference to British author J. K. Rowling’s anti-transgender activism. British anti-trans extremist Posie Parker had purchased similar out-of-home ads. Elston’s first one was taken down following complaints. Elston got the nickname “Billboard Chris” soon after.

Elston has been arrested for disturbing the peace after showing up to pro-trans events wearing provocative anti-transgender messages like “Gender ideology does not belong in schools,” and “No child is born in the wrong body,” and “Children cannot consent to puberty blockers.” Elston is no longer allowed on the street around the Vancouver art gallery where Elston was arrested.

Elston’s goal is to be verbally or physically assaulted, which has happened several times. Elston then uses video of those encounters to get money and attention.

References

Grochowski, Sarah (October 26, 2020). Man behind controversial J.K. Rowling billboard arrested at Vancouver protest – but not for protesting. Vancouver Is Awesome https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/vancouver-news/man-behind-controversial-jk-rowling-billboard-arrested-at-vancouver-protest-but-not-for-protesting-2823471

UBC Students Against Bigotry (October 24, 2020)

“Christophe Elston, the transphobic insurance agent who hangs out with known fascist “John Southern,” showed up to yesterday’s Mi’kmaw solidarity rally for some reason. He was briefly detained by the VPD, and had his “I ♄ JK Rowling” sandwich board taken away.”

Slatzism (March 13, 2021). https://twitter.com/Slatzism/status/1370761412008611847

Naylor, Dave (December 31, 2020). Transgender activist Yaniv wanted by police in BC. The Western Standard. Wildrose Media Corp. [archive] https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/12/transgender-actvist-yaniv-wanted-by-police-in-bc/

Naylor, Dave (February 6, 2021). Yaniv accused of calling fire department dozens of times, making lewd remarks. The Western Standard [archive] https://westernstandardonline.com/2021/02/yaniv-accused-of-calling-fire-department-dozens-of-times-making-lewd-remarks/

Cupp, Anne Renner (March 26, 2018). [Scientology discussion page] https://www.facebook.com/groups/1097697983669219/posts/1407298826042465/?comment_id=1407325562706458&reply_comment_id=1408239902615024

“Chris Elston ingratiates himself to people to gather personal information on them and the moment they cross him, it gets splashed across the internet. He’s a known serial offender and it’s always women. Always. Ginger has been hoodwinked by a master at his craft. I was too, once. […] Maybe her new BFF who is a financial advisor should coach her on that, when he’s not too busy harassing other women.”

Hays, Gabriel (April 1, 2023). WATCH: Conservative activist bloodied and bruised at pro-trans rally in Canada: ‘Police did nothing.’ Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/media/watch-conservative-activist-bloodied-bruised-pro-trans-rally-canada-police-did-nothing

Media appearances

With Tucker Carlson

  • Billboard Chris: This is the ‘biggest child abuse scandal’ in modern medicine
  • https://www.foxnews.com/video/6311077938112
  • Appearance following Vancouver incident (April 4, 2023) [cancelled]

With Benjamin Boyce

With Wesley Yang

With Tim Pool

  • Civil War ERUPTS Inside FBI As Agents DEMAND Director Be FIRED w/Billboard Chris
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMteDh3xqc0

With James Klug

  • Talking With Child Mutilation Advocates Part 1 & 2 w/ @BillboardChris
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO8XJhzLdW4
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAv6Zv1OOIY

With Zuby

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfZg7SnMawY

With Viva Frei

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJU40JaXSC0

With The Daily Signal

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRh-biRMTv8

With Alex Stein

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29RKeRh8UxE

With Family Research Council

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7To2NBZNObk

With Vivek Ramaswamy

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIlH9mafM30

With Jennifer Lahl

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEHwo6Hrtlk

Resources

Billboard Chris (billboardchris.com)

Insurance Council of BC (portal.insurancecouncilofbc.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Gettr (gettr.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

The Stranger is an alternative newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. The publication is generally progressive politically, with some issues around anti-trans coverage by Dan Savage, Alice Dreger, and Katie Herzog.

Background

Founded in 1991 as a weekly print publication supported by coupon ads, it switched to a biweekly magazine format in 2017. It suspended print operations in 2020, then resumed them in 2023. In 2024, the paper was sold to Noisy Creek.

Transgender coverage

Since its founding, The Stranger has published a sex column by Dan Savage called Savage Love. Over the years, Savage has published a number of columns about trans and gender diverse people that have been criticized. In addition to work like the It Gets Better project that has helped some in the community, Savage has a long history of supporting and defending sexologists and journalists who have also been accused of bias.

In 2011, The Queer Issue edited by Christopher Frizzelle and Savage included a piece by Alice Dreger, who has long voiced opposition to the affirmative model of care for trans and gender diverse youth, especially any kind of medical options:

The great majority of young children who declare they are a gender that doesn’t match their birth sex grow out of the mismatch. […]

But somehow if we wrap these major interventions around gender identity, we’re supposed to believe they are not that big a deal in terms of planning for a child’s future? And the clinician who tries to get a gender dysphoric kid to learn to like her or his innate body really is a Nazi? Not buying it. […]

I am also sick and tired of trans-rights advocates acting like a certain current-day endocrinologist is ever-so-progressive because he essentially starts prepping genderqueer kids for surgery the moment they are presented by their distraught parents. Reminds me a little too much of Iran, you know?

The Stranger also employed Katie Herzog, whose article on “detransition” was sourced from a group of anti-transgender people associated with the “ex-trans movement.” The Stranger never updated that article to note that major source Ky Schevers has disavowed the views made in the piece.

References

Hiruko, Ashley (July 29, 2024). The Stranger newspaper sold to former state legislator Brady Walkinshaw. KUOW https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-stranger-newspaper-sold-to-former-state-legislator-brady-walkinshaw

Schevers, Ky (June 24, 2024). The Reality Behind the Story I Told The Stranger. The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/queer-issue-2024/2024/06/05/79545098/the-reality-behind-the-story-i-told-the-stranger

Wood, Natalie (June 20, 2018). What Happens After the Person You Married Tells You They’re Transgender. The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/queer-issue-2018/2018/06/20/27820946/what-happens-after-the-person-you-married-tells-you-theyre-transgender

Herzog, Katie (July 3, 2017). A Response to the Uproar Over My Piece, “The Detransitioners.” The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2017/07/03/25262759/a-response-to-the-uproar-over-my-piece-the-detransitioners

Herzog, Katie (June 28, 2017). The Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren’t. The Stranger. https://www.thestranger.com/features/2017/06/28/25252342/the-detransitioners-they-were-transgender-until-they-werent

Savage, Dan (June 7, 2014). About That Hate Crime I Committed at University of Chicago. The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2014/06/07/about-that-hate-crime-i-committed-at-university-of-chicago

Dreger, Alice (2011). Trans Advocates (At Least Where Genderqueer Kids Are Concerned). The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/trans-advocates/Content?oid=8743338

Savage, Dan (August 12, 2010). Golden Oldie. https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=4642012

Savage, Dan (August 12, 2010). Bad Tranny. https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=13054

Savage, Dan (March 26, 2009). Deep Thought. https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=1192438

Resources

The Stranger (thestranger.com)

Wikipedfia (en.wikipedia.org)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

X/Twiiter (x.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Bluesky (bsky.app)

Mia Hughes, aka “Mia Ashton” and “Mia Sedley,” is a Canada-based British writer and anti-transgender extremist.

Hughes is associated with anti-trans group Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (caWsbar) and is closely associated with American anti-trans extremist Michael Shellenberger. Hughes is key author of The WPATH Files, a 2024 propaganda piece funded by Environmental Progress featuring Hughes’ distorted explanations of non-public communication by WPATH members. Hughes is associated with anti-trans hate group Genspect as Director of Genspect Canada and is a Senior Fellow at Canada’s conservative Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

Background

Hughes is from Cheshire, a rural county south of Liverpool and Manchester.

Hughes taught in Taiwan for almost ten years after college. Hughes met a Canadian citizen there, and they married there and had their first child there. Hughes and spouse moved to Ottawa in around 2011 and now have three children. Hughes was a stay-at-home parent who began homeschooling their children: “I got to spend a precious decade with my children while they were young.”

Hughes has published under several names, including:

  • “Mia Sedley”
  • “Mia Ashton”
  • “Mia Hughes”

Hughes has written for anti-trans publications The Post Millennial, The Critic, Lesbian and Gay News, Environmental Progress, and Gender Dissent.

Anti-transgender activism

Hughes was radicalized by a tweet by J.K. Rowling on December 19, 2019 that supported anti-trans activist Maya Forstater:

Hughes stated in 2022:

There were signs that I wasn’t truly woke, and then it was a very rapid change from the tweet, JK’s tweet. I read it and I just couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. And I even asked woke friends, I went into it on Facebook: “I don’t see what the fuss is about.” And that was the first time that I experienced something of a pile-on, where they were all calling her a TERF and trying to show me why it was hateful, and I just couldn’t see why it was hateful at all. And so I plunged down a rabbit hole that possibly I wish I’d never gone down. Then I emerged as a fully fledged TERF. I was outraged about what I had learned and just started tweeting about it.

“Ashton” (2022)

Hughes was soon suspended by Twitter for anti-transgender posts, then created a new ban evasion account.

Hughes writes for anti-trans extremist Michael Shellenberger. A profile at the non-profit Environmental Progress stated Hughes focused on “the controversy of pediatric medical transition and how trans rights collide with the rights of women and the LGB community.” Shellenberger retained Hughes to write at the for-profit Substack and podcast called Public. Hughes has contributed the majority of anti-trans content there. Hughes continues to do anti-trans work under the aegis of Environmental Progress, including The WPATH Files, a 2024 propaganda piece featuring Hughes’ distorted explanations of non-public communication by WPATH members.

Maëlys McArdle profiled Hughes in 2023:

Mia is a founding member of caWsbar, an advocacy group focused on one issue: denying trans people rights. It was part of a wave of anti-trans organizations using the sex-based rights dog whistle. She along with a local group of bigots are linked to multiple transphobic incidents in Ottawa, which I’ve previously covered here, here, here, and here.

Mia Ashton participated in the mob along with National Post columnist Rupa Subramanya and another active member of that local group, @MrsDrBee on Twitter.

McArdle (2023)

References

McArdle, Maëlys (June 11, 2023). Anti-trans mob in Ottawa. https://www.maelys.bio/2023/06/anti-trans-mob-in-ottawa/

Kelleher, Patrick (Mar 28 2022). Gender-critical outlet Lesbian and Gay News shuts down due to lack of support and advertising. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2022/03/28/lesbian-gay-news-shut-down-david-bridle/

Levy, Sue-Ann (April 25, 2022). Women’s rights activist warns gender dysphoria has become an epidemic. True North https://tnc.news/2022/04/25/levy-womens-rights-activist-warns-gender-dysphoria-has-become-an-epidemic/

Graham Linehan (April 24, 2022). One woman’s guide to peaking the wokest of the woke. https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/one-womans-guide-to-peaking-the-wokest

Selected anti-trans writing by Hughes

Hughes, Mia (March 18, 2025). How gender activists stole the media, distorted medicine, and hurt Canadian kids. Inside Policy https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/how-gender-activists-stole-the-media-distorted-medicine-and-hurt-canadian-kids-mia-hughes-for-inside-policy/

Hughes, Mia (February 17, 2025). Mia Hughes: Kids deserve more than slogans when it comes to gender medicine. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/kids-deserve-more-than-slogans-when-it-comes-to-gender-medicine

Hughes, Mia; Copeland, Peter (27 January 2025). Canada must follow the Brits—and the science—and ban puberty blockers. The Hub https://thehub.ca/2025/01/27/mia-hughes-and-peter-copeland-canada-must-follow-the-brits-and-the-science-and-ban-puberty-blockers/

Hughes, Mia (March 4, 2024). The WPATH Files. Environmental Progress https://environmentalprogress.org/big-news/wpath-files

Media

Genspect (Jan 29, 2025). There is no such thing as a transgender child. – Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VCg-VKwoZRs

The Epoch Times (Nov 4, 2024). Leaked Files Reveal Trans Medicine Harms: Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IZLTTtO1EU

Genspect (November 2, 2024). How Misguided Diagnoses Fuel Irreversible Harm – Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBLFvzDZAU8

Stanford Classical Liberalism Initiative (October 24, 2024) Classical Liberalism Seminar – Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_JZXzocqd8

Andrew Gold (May 19, 2024). 410. Is Transgender A Mental Illness? – Mia Hughes. On the Edge with Andrew Gold https://www.patreon.com/posts/is-transgender-104543977

Stephanie Winn (Some Kind of Therapist) (April 29, 2024). 107. Exposing Gender Malpractice: Mia Hughes on the WPATH Files, Medical Ethics, & Informed Consent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HebkVt5GDIU

Macdonald-Laurier Institute (Apr 25, 2024). How a trans activist group undermined medical science / Aaron Wudrick and Mia Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7CjBc3102g

Gender: A Wider Lens (March 23, 2024). Premium: How Has WPATH Responded to the Leaked Files?

Gender: A Wider Lens (March 21, 2024). “WPATH Has No Respect for Medical Ethics” with Mia Hughes | Episode 156. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikM6ziYLb4c

Meghan Daum and Sarah Haider (March 10, 2024). Activists in Charge: Major Disregard for Ethics at Transgender Health Authority Revealed. A Special Place in Hell https://aspecialplace.substack.com/p/activists-in-charge-major-disregard

Resources

X/Twitter (x.com)

Substack (substack.com)

Lesbian and Gay News (lesbianandgaynews.com) [archive]

Human Events (humanevents.com)

The Post Millennial (thepostmillennial.com)

  • Mia Ashton
  • thepostmillennial.com/author/mia-ashton

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)

The Critic (thecritic.co.uk)

  • Mia Ashton [Mia Sedley]
  • thecritic.co.uk/author/mia-sedley

Macdonald-Laurier Institute (macdonaldlaurier.ca)

  • Mia Hughes
  • macdonaldlaurier.ca/cm-expert/mia-hughes

Transgender Trend is a British anti-transgender pressure group founded by Stephanie Davies-Arai. It is an important hub for the “parental rights” faction of anti-transgender activists.

Background

Davies-Arai founded the group in 2015 after reading an article that recommended affirming children in their gender identities and expression.

Davies-Arai believes that children are being “groomed” and “brainwashed” into thinking they are transgender by “gender ideology.”

According to progressive publication Truthout:

“Groups like Transgender Trend, an organization that campaigns against LGBT-inclusive relationship and sex education to schools (and was allowed to contribute to the Keira Bell case as an expert witness), are now refocusing on targeting trans health care for anyone under 25.”

Anti-trans activist Heather Brunskell-Evans wrote a piece for Transgender Trend titled “Judith Butler at the Court of Appeal.”

People

Core team

  • Stephanie Davies-Arai
  • Shelley Charlesworth
  • Rachel Rooney
  • Janey Galloway

References

Kesslen, Ben (18 August 2022). How the idea of a “transgender contagion” went viral—and caused untold harm. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/08/18/1057135/transgender-contagion-gender-dysphoria/

Dodds, Io (3 July 2022). How two trans women ran a legendary underground surgical clinic in a rural barn. The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/trans-history-underground-sugical-clinic-b2114777.html

Ring, Ellie (16 June 2022). Edinburgh LGBTQ+ officer claims university hosted ‘highly transphobic’ seminar. The Edinburgh Tab https://thetab.com/uk/edinburgh/2022/06/16/edinburgh-lgbtq-officer-claims-university-hosted-highly-transphobic-seminar-77705

Staff report (3 June 2022). Anti-Trans Group Founder Stephanie Davies-Ara Awarded ‘British Empire Medal’ In Queen’s Birthday Honours. Star Observer https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/anti-trans-group-founder-stephanie-davies-ara-awarded-british-empire-medal-in-queens-birthday-honours/213480

Hansford, Amelia (2 June 2022). Founder of notorious anti-trans pressure group named in Queen’s birthday honours. i https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/groomer-new-lgbt-slur-incite-hatred-spark-violence-1585179

Rayner, Gordon (1 June 2022). Vindication for ‘transphobic’ gender-critical campaigner named in Queen’s Birthday Honours list. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/06/01/vindication-transphobic-gender-critical-campaigner-named-queens/

The Queen’s Birthday Honours 2022. GOV.UK. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1080317/birthday-honours-list-2022.csv/preview

Strudwick, Patrick (22 May 2022). ‘Shocked and scared’: Trans man speaks out over reporting psychiatrist for ‘conversion therapy’. I News https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/trans-conversion-therapy-patient-speaks-out-psychiatrist-reported-1641330

Strudwick, Patrick (26 April 2022). How ‘groomer’, the dangerous new anti-LGBT slur from America, is taking hold in Britain. Retrieved 9 October 2022.

Ferreira, Lou (22 March 2022). NHS invited speakers with ‘anti-trans’ links to trans event. Open Democracy https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/nhs-pulls-trans-conference-after-speakers-links-exposed/

Turner, Camilla; Somerville, Ewan (1 January 2022). Group of girls’ schools says they will not accept transgender pupils and “jeopardise” their status as single-sex institutions. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/01/group-girls-schools-says-will-not-accept-transgender-pupils/

Norris, Sian (30 September 2021). The Far-Right Co-Option of the Transgender Rights Issue. Byline Times https://bylinetimes.com/2021/09/30/the-far-right-co-option-of-the-transgender-rights-issue/

Davies-Arai, Stephanie (7 July 2021). Teachers are powerless to resist trans activism in schools. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/07/teachers-powerless-resist-trans-activism-schools/

Somerville, Ewan (9 May 2021). Transgender guidelines for girls schools quietly scrapped by the equalities watchdog. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/09/transgender-guidelines-girls-schools-quietly-scrapped-equalities/

Greenesmith, Heron (28 February 2021). Health Care for Trans Youth Is Under Attack in UK — and It’s Impacting the US. Truthout https://truthout.org/articles/health-care-for-trans-youth-is-under-attack-in-uk-and-its-impacting-the-us/

McLean, Craig (2021). The Growth of the Anti-Transgender Movement in the United Kingdom: The Silent Radicalization of the British Electorate. International Journal of Sociology. 51 (6): 473–482. doi:10.1080/00207659.2021.1939946

Savage, Rachel (4 December 2020). LGBT+ groups see surge in calls after UK court ruling on trans teens. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-lgbt-health-idUSKBN28E2UF

Savage, Rachel (4 December 2020). British LGBT+ groups see surge in calls after UK court ruling on trans teens. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/britain-lgbt-health-idINL8N2IK4A0

Thomas, Kim (29 September 2020). What are the new rules for teaching identity in schools?. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education-and-careers/2020/09/29/new-rules-teaching-identity-schools/

“As the number of children identifying as transgender has increased, schools have consulted trans charities such as Stonewall and Mermaids about how best to approach the topic. These charities have, however, come under criticism by campaigners, including Transgender Trend and Safe Schools Alliance, for reinforcing a rigid belief in gender roles, and for encouraging children who don’t conform to gender stereotypes to believe they might be trans.“

Mohdin, Aamna (25 September 2020). Government issues gender identity guidance for teachers in England. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/25/government-issues-gender-identity-guidance-for-teachers-in-england

Duffy, Nick (17 June 2020). Thousands of cisgender women sign letter urging Liz Truss to shelve ‘disturbing’ rollback of trans rights. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/06/17/liz-truss-gender-recognition-act-reform-cis-women-open-letter-trans-equality/

John, Tara (4 April 2020). The quest for trans rights has exposed a deep divide in the UK. Scotland may show a way forward. CNN https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/04/uk/trans-rights-reforms-scotland-gbr-intl/index.html

Wakefield, Lily (11 March 2020). Anti-LGBT+ priest tells MPs that sex education leads to sex abuse and anal cancer, and no one stopped her. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/03/11/anglican-priest-lynda-rose-lgbt-inclusive-sex-education-house-of-commons-anal-cancer-abuse/

Andersson, Jasmine (10 January 2020). The medical, ethical, and legal complications surrounding the puberty blockers case. i https://inews.co.uk/news/puberty-blockers-legal-case-experts-transgender-382047

Duffy, Nick (7 October 2019). Someone is trolling anti-trans group Transgender Trend in the most perfect way. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/10/07/someone-trolling-anti-trans-group-most-perfect-way/

Duffy, Nick (11 May 2019). Education magazine TES loses star columnist over transphobia row. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/05/11/education-magazine-tes-loses-star-columnist-transphobia-row/

Keating, Shannon (22 April 2019). Gender Dysphoria Isn’t A “Social Contagion,” According To A New Study. BuzzFeed News https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/shannonkeating/rapid-onset-gender-dysphoria-flawed-methods-transgender

Duffy, Nick (28 September 2018). Gender-neutral toilets in Canada targeted with anti-trans ‘penis’ stickers. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/28/gender-neutral-toilets-targeted-with-anti-transgender-penis-stickers-canada/

Strudwick, Patrick (12 September 2018). A Leading Trans-Critical Group Said Schools Should Out Trans Pupils To Their Parents. BuzzFeed News https://www.buzzfeed.com/patrickstrudwick/trans-kids-should-be-outed-to-their-parents-says-a-group

Robertson, Alix (10 September 2018). Schools warned over new ‘harmful’ Transgender Trend stickers. schoolsweek.co.uk https://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-warned-over-new-harmful-transgender-trend-stickers/

WPATH Global Board of Directors (4 September 2018). WPATH Position on “Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD).” (PDF) https://www.wpath.org/media/cms/Documents/Public%20Policies/2018/9_Sept/WPATH%20Position%20on%20Rapid-Onset%20Gender%20Dysphoria_9-4-2018.pdf

Page, Morgan M. (9 July 2018). Why Are Some Feminists In The UK Freaking Out About Trans Rights?. BuzzFeed News https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/morganmpage/why-are-some-feminists-in-the-uk-freaking-out-about-trans

Glass, Jess (25 April 2018). Exclusive: Anti-trans meeting sparks mass criticism and counter-protests from university groups. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/04/25/university-of-oxford-protest-transgender-feminism-womans-place/

Whittaker, Freddie (15 February 2018). Schools urged to ignore ‘dangerous’ gender guidance. schoolsweek.co.uk https://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-urged-to-ignore-dangerous-gender-guidance/

Resources

Trans Data Library (transdatalibrary.org)

Transgender Trend (transgendertrend.com)

Twitter (twitter.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Scott Newgent is a conservative American transgender activist critical of healthcare protocols for trans and gender diverse youth. Newgent also has regret about personal surgical outcomes and complications. Newgent is best known for appearing in the transphobic Matt Walsh project What Is a Woman? and has been affiliated with extremist group Gays Against Groomers.

Background

According to self-reports, Thomas Scott Newgent was born in Tucson on November 6, 1972 to Scott and Cindy King (other sources give November 10). In several recent interviews, Newgent referred to previously living under the name Kellie Ellen King. Newgent attended Missouri State University before earning a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 1994. Newgent worked in sales. Newgent is reportedly a parent to three, including giving birth to a set of twins; their names are Joshua, Julia, and Justice. Newgent has listed over 30 different places in eight states as residences:

  • Indiana: Kendallville, South Bend, Fort Wayne
  • Texas: Rockwall, Ben Wheeler, Fort Worth, Dallas, Denton
  • Kansas: Olathe, Overland Park
  • Washington: Spokane, Port Angeles
  • Idaho: Post Falls
  • Oregon: Deadwood
  • Tennessee: Murfreesboro, Antioch
  • California: San Diego, Jamul, El Cajon

As is common with people who move this frequently, Newgent has a criminal history that includes serving a sentence relating to a court order in 2019.

Gender transition

Newgent reportedly began transition in 2016 but applied for a legal name and gender change in Texas in 2015. This took longer than usual because the court needed Newgent’s certification of criminal history record information, which Newgent’s lawyer supplied on November 2, 2015.

Newgent is dissatisfied with the reported seven surgeries, claiming that medical complications include:

  • a massive pulmonary embolism
  • a helicopter life-flight ride
  • an emergency ambulance ride
  • a stress-induced heart attack
  • sepsis
  • a 17-month recurring infection due to “using the wrong skin during a (failed) phalloplasty”
  • 16 rounds of antibiotics
  • three weeks of daily IV antibiotics
  • the loss of all my hair
  • (only partially successful) arm reconstructive surgery
  • permanent lung and heart damage
  • a cut bladder
  • insomnia-induced hallucinations
  • frequent loss of consciousness “due to pain from the hair on the inside of my urethra” (“six inches” of it)
  • a form of PTSD “that made me a prisoner in my apartment for a year”

Newgent would transition again, but differently. Newgent says transition came with many costs, including “home, car, savings, career, wife, medical insurance, and most importantly his faith within himself and God.”

TReVoices

During the COVID pandemic in 2020, Newgent founded Indiana for-profit company TRans Educational Voices (TReVoices), a group that opposes “radical gender activism.” Newgent claims the medical and pharmaceutical industries are pushing children to transition medically.

Newgent has appeared on or been featured by many conservative outlets, including Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, Preston Sprinkle, GBNews, Plebity, Indie Thinker, Benjamin Boyce, Candace Owens, Madeleine Kearns, National Review, UpperhandMARS, and The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network (Jennifer Lahl).

In 2023, Newgent briefly claimed to be done with anti-transgender activism and deleted some online presence. In 2024, Newgent self-published an autobiography titled THE LESBIAN DEVIL TO THE STRAIGHT MAN SAINT: – A trip through trans HELL & back!

Trans Regretters

In 2024 Newgent redirected the site TReVoices to a new site called Trans Regretters. The site listed several people with regret about aspects of their medical transitions:

References

Myers, Ashlyn (March 21, 2023). Emotions stir the House before committee’s approval of bill banning gender-affirming care. TheStatehouseFile.com https://www.thestatehousefile.com/politics/emotions-stir-the-house-before-committee-s-approval-of-bill-banning-gender-affirming-care/article_067d462c-c820-11ed-b589-0beadfab96ae.html

Markowicz, Karol (June 12, 2022). ‘What is a woman?’ exposes the lunacy of pro-trans extremism. The New York Post https://nypost.com/2022/06/12/what-is-a-woman-exposes-the-lunacy-of-pro-trans-extremism/

[uncredited] (Dec 18, 2021). Meet Scott Newgent. Gender Dysphoria Alliance https://www.genderdysphoriaalliance.com/post/meet-scott-newgent

Kearns, Madeleine (January 28, 2021). A Trans Person Speaks Out against Biden’s Transgender Activism. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/01/a-trans-person-speaks-out-against-bidens-transgender-activism/ [alt title: A Trans Campaigner Speaks Out against Biden’s Transgender Activism]

Kearns, Madeleine (February 13, 2020). The Cowardly Republicans of South Dakota. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/02/transgender-politics-south-dakota-senate-republicans-cowardly/

Publications by Newgent

Newgent, Scott (2024), THE LESBIAN DEVIL TO THE STRAIGHT MAN SAINT: – A trip through trans HELL & back! ‎#SCREAMLouder Publishing, ISBN ‎979-8895463376

Newgent, Scott (December 16, 2023). Opinion: I’m working to save children from my deepest regret: gender-affirming medical transition. Dallas Morning News https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2023/12/16/transgender-regretter-scott-newgent/

Newgent Scott (May 12, 2023). Scott Newgent, TReVoices [2023 Maine LD1735 (Summary) An Act to Safeguard Gender-affirming Health Care.] https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getTestimonyDoc.asp?id=10023409

Newgent, Scott (April 19, 2021). Bill C-6 needs more nuance: Conversion therapy is wrong, but pushing kids to transition medically is
worse. [Testimony to Canada Senate] https://sencanada.ca/content/sen/committee/432/LCJC/Briefs/2021-04-19_LCJC_C-6_ScottNewgent_e.pdf

Newgent, Scott (February 9, 2021). Opinion: We Need Balance When It Comes To Gender Dysphoric Kids. I Would Know. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/we-need-balance-when-it-comes-gender-dysphoric-kids-i-would-know-opinion-1567277

Newgent, Scott (October 20, 2020). Opinon | Trans activist: Serious concern over child re-assignment surgery. The Catholic Weekly https://catholicweekly.com.au/trans-activist-serious-concern-over-child-re-assignment-surgery/

Media

Tammi Faraday (December 11, 2023). Scott Newgent – The Truth About Transitioning Children from a Transman (S06E03). Brave Journeys https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/scott-newgent-the-truth-about-transitioning-children/id1536041978?i=1000638104941

Tamara Ugolini (October 23, 2023). Transman Scott Newgent fights to save children from the harms of medical transition. Rebel News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tKn6Ap0mH4

(October 16, 2023). Transition Tensions: Scott Newgent’s Stand on Childhood Choices. Become your own Superhero podcast

Robert Scott Bell (August 3, 2023). Special Guest Scott Newgent The Robert Scott Bell Podcast Network

Matt Walsh (June 10, 2023). What is a Woman? Reunion. The Matt Walsh Show https://www.dailywire.com/clips/what-is-a-woman-reunion

Jay Fantom (April 24, 2023). Scott Newgent Unboxing | Becoming Trans Ruined My Life. The Story Box https://shows.acast.com/thestorybox/episodes/scott-newgent-unboxing-becoming-trans-ruined-my-life

Jen Hardy (July 6, 2022). “What is a Woman” star Scott Newgent tells about the side-effects from medically transitioning, and their affect on kids. Fabulous Over 50 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-is-a-woman-star-scott-newgent-tells-about-the/id1353195153?i=1000568967275

Bryce Eddy (October 13, 2022). Scott Newgent | Stop Mutilating Children | Liberty Station Ep 141. Godspeak Calvary Chapel https://rumble.com/v1nq8yc-scott-newgent-stop-mutilating-children-liberty-station-ep-141.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp

Allie Beth Stuckey (October 4, 2023). Ep 884 | Sex Change Regret: Why the Surgeries Never Work | Guest: Scott Newgent. Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vY5_LI8Gbc

Andrew Doyle (April 30, 2023). Trans man who says he REGRETS his transition says medically transitioning is just cosmetic surgery. Free Speech Nation / GBNews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_o2Q2EgeLY

Nana Akua (Apr 1, 2023). Transgender man says he REGRETS his transition | ‘It’s cosmetic surgery, it doesn’t fix anything.’ GBNews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZtwom8_J6o

Ben Shapiro (December 10, 2022). Transgender Male Exposes the Horrors of Gender Reassignment Surgery. The Ben Shapiro Show Daily Wire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auzWtjHirh0

Candace Owens (Sep 24, 2022). Perez Hilton and Candace Owens Discuss Parenting and Gender Dysphoria in Children. [Scott Newgent guest]. Taboo with Candace Owens Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Kkw3zMRMo

Sandra Currie, Rose Medina (June 29, 2022) Scott Newgent Founder of TRevoices. An American Conversation Podcastℱ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQMQ4VDiRZg

Michael Brown (March 22, 2022). A Female-to-Male Transgender Shouts a Warning About Transitioning Children. The Line of Fire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsNmvH9Alh4

Aaron Kimberly and Aaron Terrell (August 26, 2021). Measuring Medical Transition Outcomes with Kenneth Pirie and Scott Newgent. Transparency https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14TIEgAVmow

Aaron Kimberly and Aaron Terrell (August 26, 2021). Autogynephilia with Kenneth Pirie and Scott Newgent. Transparency https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4qBxYbvhl8

Laval, Mary (13th July 2021). Scott Newgent of TReVoices in conversation with Stella O’Malley. Genspect https://genspect.org/scott-newgent-of-trevoices-in-conversation-with-stella-omalley/

Reed Uberman (August 16, 2021). Ep. 31- The Truth About Medically Transitioning Kids | Guest Scott Newgent. Indie Thinker with Reed Uberman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f2aucvGX-E

Jennifer Lahl (August 8, 2021). Scott Newgent on his permanent ban from Twitter. The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziBc6HYHVUM

Preston Sprinkle (July 1, 2021). #880 – A Transman’s Unexpected Thoughts on Trans* Related Issues: Scott Newgent. Theology in the Raw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zazsZ_HO3LM

Dan Crenshaw (March 5, 2021). Let’s Talk About Transgenderism, with Scott Newgent. Hold These Truths with Dan Crenshaw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDXAKXPlsdg

Mars Fernandez (September 8, 2020). BROmance with Buck Angel & Scott. UpperhandMARS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntSfUas924U [deleted]

Benjamin Boyce (July 27, 2020). 257 | Children’s Rights, Trans Realities with Scott Newgent. Calmversations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lly1prUzksI

Jennifer Lahl (March 31, 2020). Podcast #015: Scott Newgent. Venus Rising https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/venusrising/episodes/2020-03-31T16_07_52-07_00

Mars Fernandez (August 30, 2019). Phalloplasty gone wrong with Scott Newgent. UpperhandMARS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y72zb-cJi8k [deleted]

Resources

Trans Regretters (transregretters.com) [archive]

TRans Educational Voices: TReVoices (trevoices.org) [archive]

  • trevoices.org/drcurtiscranecranets (deleted) [archive]

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)

X.Twitter (x.com)

  • scottnewgent [suspended]
  • NotScottNewgent [deleted]

TikTok (tiktok.com)

Reddit (reddit.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

  • scottnewgent [deleted – archive]

Sarah Pedersen is professor of communications and media at Robert Gordon University. Pedersen has researched the rise of the “gender critical” movement and has espoused “gender critical” views.

Background

Sarah Pedersen was born in October 1965. Pedersen attended University of York, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1987 and a master’s degree in 1989. Pedersen has been affiliated with Robert Gordon University since 2008.

Gender critical activism

Pedersen has researched toxic online community Mumsnet, a key forum for anti-trans extremism.

The June 2019 event “Women’s Sex-Based Rights: What Does (& Should) the Future Hold?” featured a panel of “gender critical” speakers including Pedersen, Julie Bindel, Rosa Freedman, Louise Moody, Lucy Hunter Blackburn, and Claire Heuchan. There, Pedersen acknowledged a recent move into gender critical activism:

“I am often asked at these talks whether I would have been a militant suffragette or a constitutional suffragist. I have always answered that I saw myself very much as a suffragist, quietly writing letters and signing petitions, only dipping a toe in the public sphere of the day, and probably rather disapproving of the militant actions of the suffragettes. However, by coming here today and speaking so publicly, I think I am beginning to embrace my inner suffragette.”

Pedersen drew comparisons between suffragette protests against Scotland’s 1911 census and efforts by “gender critical” groups like For Women Scotland to confound sex data in the 2022 Scottish census.

Pedersen gave a blurb for the 2023 anti-trans book Sex and Gender: A Contemporary Reader:

‘Debates on sex and gender go back a long way, but recently they’ve become more contentious—and for many people, more confusing—than ever. This collection, covering a range of subjects from biology and neuroscience to law and public policy, is a welcome attempt to clarify what’s at stake in current disputes about the significance of sex and gender both in theory and in everyday life. I hope the book will be read by the confused and the undecided as well as by those who are already inclined to agree with it.’

References

Baker, Katie J. M. (January 2021). The Road to Terfdom. Lux https://lux-magazine.com/article/the-road-to-terfdom/

Davidson, Gina (May 8, 2019). University debate on women’s rights branded ‘transphobic.’ The Scotsman https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/university-debate-on-womens-rights-branded-transphobic-1418085

Reisz, Matthew (September 28, 2020). Books interview: Sarah Pedersen. Times Higher Education. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/books/books-interview-sarah-pedersen

Livingston, Eve (December 6, 2018). How an Online Forum for Moms Became a Toxic Hotbed of Transphobia. VICE https://www.vice.com/en/article/a3mn9k/mumsnet-uk-mom-forum-terf-transphobia-feminism

Selected writing by Pedersen

Pedersen S (2022). “It’s what the suffragettes would have wanted”: the construction of the suffragists and suffragettes on Mumsnet. Feminist Media Studies https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2022.2032788

Pedersen, Sarah (February 18, 2022). The SNP won’t silence women. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2022/02/scotlands-women-wont-be-erased/

Pedersen, Sarah (2020). The Politicization of Mumsnet. Emerald Publishing, ISBN ‎9781839094712

Pedersen, Sarah (June 5, 2019). [speech at Women’s Sex-Based Rights panel] https://forwomen.scot/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Sarah-Pedersen-Edinburgh-Uni-speech.pdf

Media

Moray House School of Education and Sport (July 25, 2019). Women’s Sex-Based Rights: What Does (& Should) the Future Hold? panel event, 5 June 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjHn1Bj5It8

Resources

X/Twitter (x.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)