Johanna Olson-Kennedy is an American pediatrician best known for working with trans and gender diverse youth. Olson-Kennedy is medical director of the Center for Transyouth Health and Development at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Background
Johanna “Jo” Olson-Kennedy earned a bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego in 1992. Olson-Kennedy then attended Chicago Medical School, earning a mater’s degree in 1993 and a medical degree in 1997. Following a residency in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County in 2000, Olson-Kennedy completed a fellowship in adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 2003. In 2015, Olson-Kennedy got a second master’s degree from USC. Olson-Kennedy is double board-certified in pediatrics (since 2001) and adolescent medicine (since 2003).
Olson-Kennedy is married to social worker and trans activist Aydin Olson-Kennedy.
Olson-Kennedy served with me on the board of TransYouth Family Allies, an organization supporting trans and gender diverse youth and their parents.
Olson-Kennedy developed the Gender Abacus, an app that helps young people articulate their gender identity and expression with their parents and caregivers.
Olson-Kennedy is frequently attacked by anti-transgender activists, including JK Rowling, Jesse Singal, Benjamin Ryan, Elon Musk, Chris Elston, and Azeen Ghorayshi.
2024 New York Times attack
As part of the New York Times’ ongoing attacks on trans and gender diverse children, anti-trans activist Azeen Ghorayshi interviewed Olson-Kennedy in spring 2024. In October of that year, Ghorayshi published a piece claiming that Olson-Kennedy found that “puberty blockers did not lead to mental health improvements” and this result was “unpublished because of politics.”
On November 17, 2024, Olson-Kennedy submitted a declaration that stated in part:
5. Based on a misleading title and selective quotations, the article by Ms. Ghorayshi presents an inaccurate and misrepresentative picture of the status of research I, along with others, have been conducting.
6. As I have previously testified, I am a principal investigator on a multisite study that has been funded in part through a National Institutes of Health grant and is an examining the impact of gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth on physiological and psychological health and well-being. The study involves over 400 study participants for whom thousands of data points have been collected. The first eight years of this study have already been completed and to date, the study has yielded over a dozen manuscripts.
10. As I testified previously, by its very nature, puberty suppression stops further development of physical characteristics inconsistent with the adolescent’sidentity, which is therefore meant to prevent (not necessarily improve) the worsening of gender dysphoria, the deterioration of mental health, and the development of further body dissatisfaction.
11. At the time of my conversation with Ms. Ghorayshi in the Spring of 2024 as well as at the time of this declaration, analyses pertaining to multiple data points and outcomes, including the impact of GnRHa on transgender youth, remain ongoing.
12. It is false that I, or anyone involved in the NIH-funded study, has withheld publication because of of data because of politics, as the headline of Miss Gracie‘s article falsely states.
13. Ms. Ghorayshi’s article ignores key context I provided to her explaining that the analysis relating to multiple domains, we are looking at remains ongoing and that that is why a manuscript pertaining to the impact of GnRHa treatments for transgender youth has yet to be published.
14. As even the article knowledges, we have every intention to publish our data but the length of time it has taken to do so is attributable to the sheer amount of work and resources required to do so accurately, transparently, and clearly. This goal has been further impacted by resource limitations, including funding cuts and personnel changes.
15. In my conversation with Ms. Ghorayshi, the specter of politicization and weaponization of scientific work, including our ongoing study, was raised not as a reason or explanation for a delay in, or withholding of publication of our findings, but as a reason for any scientist, including myself, to communicate their findings with clarity and in a manner in which they can be understood not just by the scientific community but by non-scientists as well. As such, I discussed our study, for which analyses are still ongoing, as a hypothetical example for why our work product “has to be exactly on point, clear and concise. And that takes time.”
16. In our work as scientific and medical professionals, we strive to ensure the accurate, transparent, and detailed reporting of data to better understand phenomena, inform the scientific community and relevant stakeholders of our findings, and generate areas and new ideas for further research. It is unfortunate, however, that to do so we must now worry about our words and findings being misunderstood or misrepresented. That prospect is not, and should not be a reason to delay or not publish data, but rather an incentive to ensure that we do so carefully, clearly, and concisely, so that our findings cannot be twisted or misrepresented. The process to do so thus takes time and resources, which often are both limited.
References
Olson-Kennedy, Johanna (November 17, 2024). Declaration of Johanna Olson-Kennedy, M.D., M.S. in Misanin v. Wilson, Case No. 2:24-cv-04734-RMG https://www.aclu.org/cases/misanin-v-wilson
Reed, Erin (October 23, 2024). Fact Check: New York Times Publishes Misleading Story On Puberty Blocker Study. Erin in the Morning https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/fact-check-new-york-times-publishes
Ghorayshi, Azeen (October 23, 2024). U.S. Study on Puberty Blockers Goes Unpublished Because of Politics, Doctor Says. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/science/puberty-blockers-olson-kennedy.html
Mantle, Larry (May 3, 2016). Parents open up about raising transgender kids. LAist https://laist.com/shows/airtalk/parents-open-up-about-raising-transgender-kids
Segal, Corinne (November 27, 2016). NY will soon make it easier for trans youths to delay puberty. PBS NewsHour https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/transgender-youth-puberty-blockers
McFarling, Usha Lee (December 21, 2016). Demand surges for clinicians serving transgender youth — and for earlier treatment. PBS NewsHour https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/demand-clinicians-transgender-youth
Schlanger, Zoë (July 21, 2015). Transgender Youth Don’t Have Anything Wrong With Their Hormones. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/transgender-youth-dont-have-anything-wrong-their-hormones-355808
Selected publications
Hidalgo MA, Chen D, Tishelman AC, Olson-Kennedy J, Chan YM, Garofalo R, Petras H, Rosenthal SM, Ehrensaft D. Childhood Gender Diversity and Mental Health: Protocol for the Longitudinal, Observational Gender Journey Project. JMIR Res Protoc. 2024 Aug 9;13:e55558. https://doi.org/10.2196/55558
Millington K, Lee JY, Olson-Kennedy J, Garofalo R, Rosenthal SM, Chan YM. Laboratory Changes During Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy in Transgender Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2024 May 1;153(5):e2023064380. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-064380
Ashley F, Tordoff DM, Olson-Kennedy J, Restar AJ. Randomized-controlled trials are methodologically inappropriate in adolescent transgender healthcare. Int J Transgend Health. 2023 Jun 24;25(3):407-418. https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2023.2218357
Warus J, Hidalgo MA, Belzer M, Olson-Kennedy J. Acute HIV Diagnosis After Initiation of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis in a Young Adult Patient: A Case Report. J Adolesc Health. 2024 Jan;74(1):205-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.07.013
Vance SR Jr, Chen D, Garofalo R, Glidden DV, Ehrensaft D, Hidalgo M, Tishelman A, Rosenthal SM, Chan YM, Olson-Kennedy J, Sevelius J. Mental Health and Gender Affirmation of Black and Latine Transgender/Nonbinary Youth Compared to White Peers Prior to Hormone Initiation. J Adolesc Health. 2023 Nov;73(5):880-886. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.06.022
Chen D, Berona J, Olson-Kennedy J. Psychosocial Functioning in Transgender Youth after Hormones. Reply.
N Engl J Med. 2023 Oct 19;389(16):1538-1539. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2302030
Conn BM, Chen D, Olson-Kennedy J, Chan YM, Ehrensaft D, Garofalo R, Rosenthal SM, Tishelman A, Hidalgo MA. High Internalized Transphobia and Low Gender Identity Pride Are Associated With Depression Symptoms Among Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth. J Adolesc Health. 2023 Jun;72(6):877-884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.02.036
Chen D, Berona J, Chan YM, Ehrensaft D, Garofalo R, Hidalgo MA, Rosenthal SM, Tishelman AC, Olson-Kennedy J. Psychosocial Functioning in Transgender Youth after 2 Years of Hormones. N Engl J Med. 2023 Jan 19;388(3):240-250. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2206297
Millington K, Barrera E, Daga A, Mann N, Olson-Kennedy J, Garofalo R, Rosenthal SM, Chan YM. The effect of gender-affirming hormone treatment on serum creatinine in transgender and gender-diverse youth: implications for estimating GFR.
Pediatr Nephrol. 2022 Sep;37(9):2141-2150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-022-05445-0
Turban JL, Brady C, Olson-Kennedy J. Understanding and Supporting Patients With Dynamic Desires for Gender-Affirming Medical Interventions. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Jul 1;5(7):e2224722. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.24722
Olson-Kennedy J. When the Human Toll of Conversion Therapy Is Not Enough. JAMA Pediatr. 2022 May 1;176(5):450-451. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.0049
Julian JM, Salvetti B, Held JI, Murray PM, Lara-Rojas L, Olson-Kennedy J. The Impact of Chest Binding in Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth and Young Adults. J Adolesc Health. 2021 Jun;68(6):1129-1134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.09.029
Chen D, Abrams M, Clark L, Ehrensaft D, Tishelman AC, Chan YM, Garofalo R, Olson-Kennedy J, Rosenthal SM, Hidalgo MA. Psychosocial Characteristics of Transgender Youth Seeking Gender-Affirming Medical Treatment: Baseline Findings From the Trans Youth Care Study. J Adolesc Health. 2021 Jun;68(6):1104-1111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.033
Millington K, Finlayson C, Olson-Kennedy J, Garofalo R, Rosenthal SM, Chan YM. Association of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol With Sex Steroid Treatment in Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth. JAMA Pediatr. 2021 May 1;175(5):520-521. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.5620
Olson-Kennedy J, Streeter LH, Garofalo R, Chan YM, Rosenthal SM. Histrelin Implants for Suppression of Puberty in Youth with Gender Dysphoria: A Comparison of 50 mcg/Day (Vantas) and 65 mcg/Day (SupprelinLA). Transgend Health. 2021 Feb 15;6(1):36-42. https://doi.org/10.1089/trgh.2020.0055
Lee JY, Finlayson C, Olson-Kennedy J, Garofalo R, Chan YM, Glidden DV, Rosenthal SM. Low Bone Mineral Density in Early Pubertal Transgender/Gender Diverse Youth: Findings From the Trans Youth Care Study. J Endocr Soc. 2020 Jul 2;4(9):bvaa065. https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvaa065
Millington K, Schulmeister C, Finlayson C, Grabert R, Olson-Kennedy J, Garofalo R, Rosenthal SM, Chan YM. Physiological and Metabolic Characteristics of a Cohort of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth in the United States. J Adolesc Health. 2020 Sep;67(3):376-383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.03.028
Pang KC, Notini L, McDougall R, Gillam L, Savulescu J, Wilkinson D, Clark BA, Olson-Kennedy J, Telfer MM, Lantos JD. Long-term Puberty Suppression for a Nonbinary Teenager. Pediatrics. 2020 Feb;145(2):e20191606. doi: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-1606
Olson-Kennedy J, Chan YM, Rosenthal S, Hidalgo MA, Chen D, Clark L, Ehrensaft D, Tishelman A, Garofalo R. Creating the Trans Youth Research Network: A Collaborative Research Endeavor. Transgend Health. 2019 Nov 1;4(1):304-312. doi: https://doi.org/10.1089/trgh.2019.0024
Olson-Kennedy J, Chan YM, Garofalo R, Spack N, Chen D, Clark L, Ehrensaft D, Hidalgo M, Tishelman A, Rosenthal S. Impact of Early Medical Treatment for Transgender Youth: Protocol for the Longitudinal, Observational Trans Youth Care Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2019 Jul 9;8(7):e14434. https://doi.org/10.2196/14434
Clark BA, Virani A, Ehrensaft D, Olson-Kennedy J. Resisting the Post-Truth Era: Maintaining a Commitment to Science and Social Justice in Bioethics. Am J Bioeth. 2019 Jul;19(7):W1-W3. https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2019.1618951
Sayegh CS, MacDonell KK, Clark LF, Dowshen NL, Naar S, Olson-Kennedy J, van den Berg JJ, Xu J, Belzer M. The Impact of Cell Phone Support on Psychosocial Outcomes for Youth Living with HIV Nonadherent to Antiretroviral Therapy.
AIDS Behav. 2018 Oct;22(10):3357-3362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-018-2192-4
Olson-Kennedy J, Warus J, Okonta V, Belzer M, Clark LF. Chest Reconstruction and Chest Dysphoria in Transmasculine Minors and Young Adults: Comparisons of Nonsurgical and Postsurgical Cohorts.
JAMA Pediatr. 2018 May 1;172(5):431-436. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.5440
Olson-Kennedy J, Okonta V, Clark LF, Belzer M. Physiologic Response to Gender-Affirming Hormones Among Transgender Youth. J Adolesc Health. 2018 Apr;62(4):397-401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.08.005
Olson-Kennedy J. Mental Health Disparities Among Transgender Youth: Rethinking the Role of Professionals. JAMA Pediatr. 2016 May 1;170(5):423-4. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.0155
Olson-Kennedy J, Cohen-Kettenis PT, Kreukels BP, Meyer-Bahlburg HF, Garofalo R, Meyer W, Rosenthal SM. Research priorities for gender nonconforming/transgender youth: gender identity development and biopsychosocial outcomes. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2016 Apr;23(2):172-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/MED.0000000000000236
Media
Kids in the House (October 16, 2013). How To Define Transgender in Children – Johanna Olson, MD, Pediatrician, Gender Specialist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHwCr_gn2rc
GenderGP (January 20, 2020). Treatment of trans kids in the USA – Johanna Olson Kennedy – GenderGP Livestream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=losOLswW37M
GenderGP (Jul 4, 2019). Gender affirmative healthcare with Dr Johanna Olson Kennedy – GenderGP Podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns_DRrBxY-k
Brazelton Touchpoints Center (October 15, 2020). Parents, Children, and Transgender Identities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNQmhoPHMN8
Resources
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (chla.org)
- Johanna Olson-Kennedy
- chla.org/profile/johanna-olson-kennedy-md
- Olson-Kennedy Laboratory
- chla.org/research/lab/olson-kennedy
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)