Johns Hopkins was the foremost institution in America involved in the repression and pathologization of sex and gender minorities during the 20th century. Their gender clinic was closed in 1979 by anti-trans extremist Paul McHugh.
In the 21st century, they opened a new Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health that reflected modern clinical practices,
Key 20th century people
Below are some of the principal people involved since the 1970’s, when they began controlling access to trans health services through gatekeeping at centralized “gender clinics.”
Background
When transgender people went from a novelty in the 1950’s to a threat in the 1960’s, several “gender clinics” popped up to control access to trans health services and to create theories about trans and gender diverse people based on disease models. Prior to that, trans health services were available on demand. The medical establishment sought to impose controls as a means of medical paternalism. This set up a situation where those who wanted access to health services had to conform to each institution’s prevailing beliefs about gender diversity.
The only person who seems to have internalized the Hopkins way of thinking about trans people was a fake “transkid” and notorious hoaxer named “Kiira Treia” (aka Denise Magner). Triea claims a “breakdown” in 1993 led to being incoherent and angry.
First-hand report
I received the following in February 2005:
I am transgender (female to male), and have been trying desperately to get into some sort of gender therapy for hormones and surgery. Unfortunately, most of the folks who I have dealt with in the medical community in Maryland (Baltimore) have no background, or do not want anything to do with my journey. I even went to Johns Hopkins Sexual Behaviors Consultation Unit for a psych evaluation. It was nothing but pure hell. That group is very much anti-trans. I even had a psychiatrist, Thomas N. Wise, who has written against trans-folks, performing the evaluation on me. I have never been so offended, or insulted in my entire life. It was by far the worst experience in all 41 years of my life. I did not know that I could have gotten up and walked out of that because I would have. I am the second only female to male transgender individual that they have ever evaluated before. The residents just tried to play mental games with me, and my roommate (who was not even suppose to be apart of my evaluation), and initiated a he said/she said game. Like I said, it was very traumatizing. I would strongly not recommend anyone who is anything but hetrosexual to go to Johns Hopkins. I feel like I was mentally raped. I am writing you with tears running down my cheek because of just how horrible it was. I even filed a complaint with the State of MD against them, but was told that they have insufficient evidence to warrent an investigation. I was just a lab rat for the residents. That is all.
Anyway, I just want to get the word out about Johns Hopkins being so horrible. I am sure they do good somewhere, but when it comes to sexuality, they are most definitely anti-trans.
Resources
Johns Hopkins Medicine (hopkinsmedicine.org)
- Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health
- hopkinsmedicine.org/center-transgender-health