Patrick W. Lappert is an American plastic surgeon and anti-transgender activist.
Lappert has testified in litigation or advocated on behalf of legislation to limit trans rights in states across the country including Alabama, Arkansas, Utah and Florida.
Background
Patrick Walter “Pat” Lappert was born in Venezuela on September 30, 1954 and grew up Jewish. In 1960, the family moved to San Francisco, but Lappert’s parents divorced around 1966. Lappert became atheist as an adolescent, dropped out of high school at 15, and left home.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Barbara, Lappert earned a medical degree from Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in 1983 and completed a surgical residency at Naval Hospital Oakland in 1991. Lappert became board certified in surgery in 1992. Lappert then completed a plastic surgery residency at University of Tennessee-Memphis in 1994 and was certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 1997.
While stationed in Memphis, Lappert became suicidal, during which time a religious conversion to Christianity occurred. In 1995, Lappert was baptized in the Catholic church. In 2013, Lappert was ordained as a deacon in the Catholic church.
Lappert served in the Navy for 24 years, serving at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth from 1994 until retiring from the Navy as a Captain in 2002.
In 1981 Lappert married nurse Patrice Ann (Oberst) Lappert (born 1956), and they have six children.
Anti-transgender activism
Lappert is involved in Courage International, an organization that treats LGBTQ people like alcoholics who can overcome their urges through meetings.
Starting in 2014, Lappert began getting involved in criticizing transgender surgery, later expanding to all trans healthcare.
In his ruling that Arkansas’s 2021 law banning gender-affirming medical care for minors is unconstitutional,
US District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. commented on Lappert’s qualifications in ruling that the Arkansas ban on trans youth healthcare was unconstitutional:
“The Court does not credit the testimony of Professor Regnerus and gives it no weight because the Court finds that he lacks the qualifications to offer his opinions and failed to support them.” […]
“Dr. Lappert does not meet the requirements under Daubert to give opinions relevant to this case.” […]
“Dr. Hruz has never treated a patient for gender dysphoria.”
Brandt v. Rutledge, 4:21CV00450 JM
Lappert appears in the 2022 propaganda piece Dysconnected.
References
John DeSilva Finley, ed. (2022). Sexual Identity: The Harmony of Philosophy, Science, and Revelation. Emmaus Road Publishing, ISBN 9781645851912 Contributors: Cara Buskmiller, Paul W. Hruz, Patrick W. Lappert, Andrew Sodergren, Lawrence J. Welch,
Redden, Molly (September 15, 2023). Inside The Cottage Industry Of ‘Experts’ Paid To Defend Anti-Trans Laws. HuffPost https://www.huffpost.com/entry/paid-experts-defending-anti-trans-law_n_65021a7ee4b01df7c3b6d513
Stahl, Aviva (June 9, 2023) Four controversial doctors helping Republicans attack trans healthcare. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jun/09/doctor-republican-trans-gender-affirming-minor-healthcare-lgbtq-rights
La Bouve, Janelle (February 23, 1996). A China doll couple adopt a Chinese child. The Virginian-Pilot https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1996/vp960223/02210182.htm
Diocese of Lansing (October 3, 2022). Watch: Top Surgeon, Dr. Lappert | Vote NO to Prop 3 to protect children from “trans” lobby. https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/news/watch-top-surgeon-dr-lappert-vote-no-prop-3-protect-children-trans-lobby video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2g7ZlMpkAI
Media
Family Watch International (August 17, 2021). Dr Patrick Lappert. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEiu6OQqcVE
Journey Home (November 21, 2016). Deacon Patrick Lappert. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2KCFtHHHVE
Marshall (September 20, 2023). Transgenderism: Can I Switch My Sex? | Speakin’ with the Deacons. Catholic Online https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M9f_HaPaHA
Cynthia Breheny (October 30, 2023). Ethics of Gender Affirming Care | Dr. Patrick Lappert | Interviews Paradox Institute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTN35a8R7DA
Resources
GLAAD Accountability Project (glaad.org/gap)
Lappert Skin Care (lappertplasticsurgery.com)
- previous site: drpatricklappert.com [archive]
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Flickr (flickr.com)
Courage International (couragerc.org)
Anne Wæhre is a Norwegian pediatrician involved in conservative clinical practices and anti-transgender activism.
Background
Wæhre earned a medical degree from University of Oslo (UiO) in 2000. Wæhre has been affiliated with Oslo University Hospital since 2006.
Wæhre has published on sex and gender minorities with other conservative clinicians, including Riittakerttu Kaltiala. Wæhre has published in anti-trans journal Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Anti-transgender activism
Wæhre was an invited speaker at a 2023 conference organized by anti-transgender hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine.
References
Jessen RS, Wæhre A, David L, Stänicke E (2021). Negotiating Gender in Everyday Life: Toward a Conceptual Model of Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents. Arch Sex Behav. 2021 Nov;50(8):3489-3503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02024-6.
Kaltiala R, Bergman H, Carmichael P, de Graaf NM, Rischel KE, Frisén L, Schorkopf M, Suomalainen L, Waehre A (2020). Time trends in referrals to child and adolescent gender identity services: a study in four Nordic countries and in the UK. Nord J Psychiatry. 2020 Jan;74(1):40-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2019.1667429
Wæhre A, Schorkopf M (2019). Gender variance, medical treatment and our responsibility. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2019 Apr 8;139(7). https://doi.org/10.4045/tidsskr.19.0178.
Staff report (October 13, 2022). Why do so many teenaged girls ask for gender reassignment? CNE [Christian News Europe] https://cne.news/artikel/1843-why-do-so-many-teenaged-girls-ask-for-gender-reassignment
Hodne, Anna Myklebust; Rise, Mina Maria; Five, Mari Linge (October 10, 2022). Plutselig økte én pasientgruppe: – Påfallende. TV2 https://www.tv2.no/nyheter/innenriks/plutselig-okte-en-pasientgruppe-pafallende/15159773/
Resources
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
ResearchGate (researchgate.net)
Patrik Vankrunkelsven is a Belgian physician and anti-transgender activist.
Vankrunkelsven was an invited speaker at a 2023 anti-trans conference organized by the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine.
Resources
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Twitter (twitter.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Kathleen Goonan is an American physician and anti-transgender activist.
Goonan was an invited speaker at a 2023 conference organized by anti-transgender hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine.
Background
Kathleen Jennison “Kate” Goonan
References
Maryland House Bill 722. Statement of Kathleen Jennison Goonan, M.D. https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/cmte_testimony/2024/hgo/1vjoQqY54RkBw86DZa1AvSEmXfubUPF3-.pdf
- “I speak in support of legislation to limit access to so-called “gender affirmative” medical and surgical treatments which are unproven to reduce mental suffering in minors experiencing gender discordance.”
Jones, Zinnia (October 23, 2023). Mask off, mask on: Kathleen Goonan, advisor to SEGM and Genspect, taught Moms for Liberty to “play a dual game” and pretend to support parents who accept their trans kids. Medium https://zinniajones.medium.com/mask-off-mask-on-kathleen-goonan-advisor-to-segm-and-genspect-taught-moms-for-liberty-to-play-a609a6f36860
Media
Gender: A Wider Lens (July 7, 2023). EP 121 – Practical Advice for Managing Gender Identity in Schools with Dr. Kate Goonan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpAlk1FWLr0
Resources
Atomic Gender (atomicgender.com)
Commonwealth Fund (commonwealthfund.org)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Ivan D. Florez is a Colombian pediatrician and anti-transgender activist.
Florez was an invited speaker at a 2023 anti-trans conference organized by anti-transgender hate group the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine.
Background
Ivan D. Florez-Gomez lists the following affiliations:
- Pediatrician, M.Sc. Clinical Epidemiology, Ph.D. in Health Research Methodology
- Full (tenured) Professor, Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
- Pediatrician (PedsICU), Clinica Las Américas-AUNA, Medellin, Colombia
- Adjunct Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Canada
- Leader of the Appraisal of Guidelines for REsearch & Evaluation (AGREE) Collaboration
- Director, Cochrane Colombia
- Editor-In-Chief: Clinical & Pub Health Guidelines (Guidelines International Network-GIN)
- Editorial Board: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology; Journal of the American Heart Association, Cochrane Evidence Synthesis Methods, & Pediatric Discovery)
- Membership: SPOR-EA, GIN, Cochrane & the GRADE working group
Resources
X/Twitter (x.com)
ORCID (orcid.org)
Stephen Beck is an American healthcare executive and anti-transgender activist. Beck is a member of anti-trans group Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine (SEGM).
Background
Stephen Richard “Steve” Beck was born May 22, 1967. Beck earned a medical degree from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1992. Beck practices internal medicine in Ohio.
Anti-transgender activism
Beck coathored a 2021 letter with SEGM members William J. Malone, Paul W. Hruz, and Julia W. Mason critical of clnical guidelines published by endocrinology groups.
References
Abby Walch, Caroline Davidge-Pitts, Joshua D Safer, Ximena Lopez, Vin Tangpricha, Sean J Iwamoto (2021). Proper Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Persons in the Setting of Proposed Discrimination: A Policy Perspective. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021 Jan 23;106(2):305-308. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgaa816.
William J. Malone, Paul W. Hruz, Julia W. Mason, and Stephen Beck (2021). Letter to the Editor from William J. Malone et al: “Proper Care of Transgender and Gender-diverse Persons in the Setting of Proposed Discrimination: A Policy Perspective” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 106, Issue 8, August 2021, Pages e3287–e3288, https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgab205
Abby Walch, Caroline Davidge-Pitts, Ximena Lopez, Vin Tangpricha, Sean J Iwamoto, Joshua D Safer (2021). Response to Letter to the Editor from Malone: “Proper Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Persons in the Setting of Proposed Discrimination: A Policy Perspective.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 106, Issue 8, August 2021, Pages e3295–e3296, https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgab206
Jones, Zinnia (January 11, 2023). Anti-trans group SEGM’s cofounder Stephen Beck is an executive at Bon Secours Mercy Health, the fifth-largest Catholic healthcare network in the US. Gender Analysis https://genderanalysis.net/2023/01/anti-trans-group-segms-cofounder-stephen-beck-is-an-executive-at-bon-secours-mercy-health-the-fifth-largest-catholic-healthcare-network-in-the-us/
Julie Maxwell is a British pediatrician and anti-transgender activist.
Background
Child Health Services, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Winchester, UK
Anti-trans activism
Via Trans Safety Network:
As recently as April 2021, NHS paediatrician Julie Maxwell was one of their “Clinical and Academic Advisors”. She was1, and is very open about working for Christian anti-LGBT and anti-abortion sex education charity LoveWise UK. Recordings of her training seminars for LoveWise are available publicly, where she offers to help push abstinence based and anti-LGBT sex education resources into secular schools.
Maxwell was also involved with a DVD campaign run by Creationist science think tank Truth In Science sent last year to every sitting MP and school on the so-called “Transgender Agenda”. We covered this last year when we heard about it originally. Creationism is the anti-scientific belief that humans were intelligently designed, and did not evolve as part of biological evolution.
Since 2012, Maxwell has also been, a director for the Family Education Trust, a religiously “family values” campaigning charity who promote anti-LGBT views and smacking children contrary to a growing body of evidence that children are harmed by the use of physical assault as a form of discipline. SEGM launched publicly in early 2020, and so far as we can tell Maxwell was part of their organisation from their inception.
References
Moore, Mallory (August 26, 2021). SEGM uncovered: large anonymous payments funding dodgy science. Trans Safety Network https://transsafety.network/posts/segm-uncovered/
Christopher Richards, Julie Maxwell, Noel McCune. Use of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria: a momentous step in the dark. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2018-315881
Julie Maxwell, Katherine Clyde, Lucy Griffin (2019). Gender dysphoria: a question of informed consent BMJ 2019; 367 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l6442
Media
Living Out (August 31, 2023). Thinking About Transgender feat. Dr. Julie Maxwell (Youth Leaders’ Crash Course #6). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THT_5OQ4g9o
Resources
Christian Action Research and Education (care.org.uk)
Michelle Forcier is an American pediatrician who specializes in sexual health and gender identity for adolescents.
Background
Michelle Marie Forcier earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in 1987, followed by a medical degree from University of Connecticut School of Medicine in 1992. In 1997 Forcier earned a master’s degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health. Forcier did a pediatric residency at University of Utah, followed by fellowships at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Planned Parenthood Central North Carolina, and Department of Family Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine.
Forcier is or has been licensed in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Illinois, South Carolina, Alabama, and Utah. Forcier has taught at Duke University, University of North Carolina, and Northwestern University. Since 2009 Forcier has taught at Brown University.
Forcier is a member of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Forcier married pediatrician Geoffrey Abbott “Geoff” Allen (born 1961). They have one child.
Forcier is known to many from an appearance in the 2022 anti-trans propaganda piece What Is a Woman? In it, Forcier earnestly explains why affirming models of care for minors are the American medical consensus. Many people who enjoy anti-trans extremist Matt Walsh’s bad-faith interview tactics found the exchange entertaining.
Forcier was named in lawsuits filed by ex-trans activists Layton Ulery and Isabelle Ayala.
References
Norton, Amy (January 19, 2023). Hormonal Therapies Are Boosting the Mental Health of Trans Youth. U.S. News & World Report https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-01-19/hormonal-therapies-are-boosting-the-mental-health-of-trans-youth
Crandall, Brian (June 7, 2016). RI doctor leads effort on caring for transgender children. WJAR https://turnto10.com/news/local/ri-doctor-leads-effort-on-caring-for-transgender-children
Petrow, Steven (March 7, 2017). Civilities: Taking all your questions about transgender teens with Brown U. expert Dr. Michelle Forcier and Steven Petrow. Washington Post https://live.washingtonpost.com/civilities-with-steven-petrow-20170307.html
Knox, Liam (September 25, 2022). Attack on Vanderbilt Clinic Has Ripple Effects. Inside Higher Ed https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/09/26/trans-health-clinic-weathers-political-firestorm
Samuel E, Forcier M (2015). Acute medical care for the transgender patient. In Sex and Gender in Acute Care Medicine, Ed: McGregor AJ, Choo EK, Becker BM. NY Cambridge University Press, 2015: 216-229, ISBN 9781107668164
Lecture, Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Care, Web Seminar, Fenway Health Center, 2015. Taped lecture, pending pub on line at http://fenwayhealth.org/the-fenwayinstitute/education/transgender-health-conference/
Transgender is a Pediatric Opportunity: Pediatric Endocrine Nursing Society, Orlando FL 2012.
Services for Transgender Youth in Primary Care Settings. Society for Teachers in Family Medicine, US 2014.
Puberty Blockers for Use in Transgender Children, Medical Advisory Meeting, Chicago 2014.
Transgender Health Panel, Gender Spectrum East, Baltimore 2014
Rupp, William (August 20, 2011). ‘This Old House’ Picks ‘Happy Renters.’ Patch https://patch.com/rhode-island/barrington/this-old-house-picks-happy-renters
Media
Brown University (November 27, 2023) Trans Youth Now Series: Michelle Forcier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onR2ctah3UE
NBC Nightly News (April 21, 2015). One Doctor Explains the Journey for Kids Who Are Transitioning. https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/one-doctor-explains-the-journey-for-kids-who-are-transitioning-431478851632
Healio (October 18, 2019). AAP supports ‘gender-affirming care’ for youth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4qlSOdu6MI
Note: this profile previously misstated Forcier’s name at birth and spouse. This site regrets the errors.
Resources
Brown University (brown.edu)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Lifespan (lifespan.org) [archive]
Admiral Rachel L. Levine, MD is an American pediatrician and government health official. Levine is the first out transgender four-star officer in the US uniformed services. Levine was appointed as Assistant Secretary for Health by the US Senate in 2021.
Background
Levine was born October 28, 1957 and grew up in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Both of Levine’s parents were lawyers. Levine has an older sibling.
After private school, Levine graduated from Harvard College, then Tulane University School of Medicine. Levine did a pediatrics residency and adolescent medicine postdoc at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, then took a position at Penn State College of Medicine as well as Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Levine married Martha Peaslee Levine in 1988. They have two children. Levine transitioned in 2011, and they divorced in 2013.
Levine was appointed Pennsylvania Physician General in 2015 and Secretary of Health in 2017. In 2020 Levine was responsible for the commonwealth’s COVID response. In 2021, the Senate confirmed Levine as Assistant Secretary for Health following President Joe Biden’s nomination.
Among Levine’s first initiatives were addressing bullying, suicide, discriminatory policies, and isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic as pressing issues among LGBTQ youth. Levine has criticized Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill and the push in some conservative states to investigate parents who provide gender-affirming care to their children.
Levine became a lightning rod for anti-transgender hatred from anti-trans lawmakers and media figures after taking office.
Support of gender affirming care for youth
Levine supports the position of the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding trans and gender diverse youth. The AAP states that the gender affirming model of care is the current medical consensus.
Levine discussed this in a 2023 keynote at Yale University:
Levine described gender-affirming care — which includes puberty blockers, gender-affirming hormones and surgical procedures, among other interventions — as “safe,” “effective” and “medically necessary.”
Levine described how transgender and nonbinary youth are disproportionately burdened by mental health challenges. She noted that gender-affirming interventions are associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Given this, Levine said, gender-affirming care has been life-saving for thousands of young LGBTQI+ people across the country.
Zhang (2023)
References
Zhang, William ( FEB 07, 2023). Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel L. Levine discusses LGBTQI+ health at Yale Law School. Yale Daily News https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2023/02/07/assistant-secretary-for-health-rachel-l-levine-discusses-lgbtqi-health-at-yale-law-school/
Zezima, Katie (June 1, 2016). Meet Rachel Levine, one of the very few transgender public officials in America. The Washington Post [archive] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/meet-rachel-levine-one-of-the-very-few-transgender-public-officials-in-america/2016/06/01/cf6e2332-2415-11e6-8690-f14ca9de2972_story.html
Sullivan, Eileen (January 19, 2021). Biden’s pick for Health and Human Services role would be first transgender federal official confirmed by the Senate. The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/us/politics/rachel-levine-transgender-health-human-services.html
Weissert, Will (January 19, 2021). Biden picks transgender woman as assistant health secretary. AP News https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-biden-cabinet-health-coronavirus-pandemic-4eee53439e9c2b4c27fcf4e7f572cb0e
Diamond, Dan (October 19, 2021). Rachel Levine, openly transgender health official, to be sworn in as four-star admiral in Public Health Service. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/10/19/levine-transgender-four-star-admiral-public-health-service/
Hackney, Suzette (March 13, 2022). ‘Be true to yourself’: A message from the nation’s highest-ranking openly transgender official. USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/opinion/2022/03/13/rachel-levine-honoree-usa-today-women-of-the-year/6600134001/
Goodin-Smith, Oona (January 19, 2021). What to know about Rachel Levine, the history-making Pa. health official tapped for Biden administration. The Philadelphia Inquirer https://www.inquirer.com/news/rachel-levine-joe-biden-assistant-health-secretary-hhs-transgender-pennsylvania-20210119.html
Loveland, Barry (February 6, 2017). LGBT Oral History: Rachel Levine. (PDF). LGBT Center of Central PA History Project Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections. Carlisle, PA, USA. [archive] http://archives.dickinson.edu/sites/all/files/files_lgbt/LGBT-interview-transcription-Levine-Rachel-064.pdf
Resources
US Dept. of Health and Human Services (hhs.gov)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Richard Byng is a British general practitioner of medicine and anti-transgender activist.
Byng is involved with anti-trans organization Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM).
Background
- 2009 GP with Special Interest in Mental Health accreditation
- 2004 PhD, University of London, Health Services Research
- 1996 Masters in Public Health (MPH), University of Birmingham
- 1992-1993 MRCGP, Oxford (Banbury) Vocational Training Scheme
- 1985-1988 M.B. B.Ch. (Cambridge), The Royal London Hospital Medical College,
- 1982-1985 B.A. (Hons) Medical Sciences Degree (2:1), Queens’ College, Cambridge University
2018 Guardian letter
Byng was a signatory on a letter in The Guardian critical of the Gender Recognition Act. The open letter included many other key anti-transgender extremists.
2019 Standing For Women anti-transgender event
In 2019 Byng spoke at an anti-trans event organized by Standing for Women titled First Do No Harm – the ethics of transgender healthcare
Also present was James Caspian, David Davies, Julia Long, Heather Brunskell-Evans, Posie Parker, Maya Forstater, Sue Evans, Sonia Poulton
2022 US Health and Human Service meeting
On April 25, 2022, anti-trans organization Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM) arranged a meeting with US government officials on healthcare for trans and gender diverse youth. Byng was listed as a participant.
2024 CAN-SG anti-transgender event
The Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender (CAN-SG) is an anti-transgender front group that promotes restrictions on healthcare. According to program notes: “Richard will talk about how current care for 17-25 year olds could be changed to reflect evidence and professional standards of practice.”
References
Written evidence submitted by Professor Richard Byng [GRA1913] https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/18099/pdf/
Written submission from Dr Richard Byng, et al (HSC0091) -https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/103342/html/
Resources
University of Plymouth (plymouth.ac.uk)