What Is a Woman? is a 2022 American anti-transgender propaganda piece distributed online by conservative media outlet The Daily Wire.
Hosted by anti-trans extremist Matt Walsh, the film was released to subscribers in June 2022, soon followed by a companion book, What Is a Woman?: One Man’s Journey to Answer the Question of a Generation.
Background
Walsh and the project’s producers created an anti-transgender front group called The Gender Unity Project in order to lure trans participants in under false pretenses. Using the name Makenna Lynn, Daily Wire associate producer Makenna Waters would contact potential interviewees. Associate Rebecca Dobkowitz also contacted people using a false name.
People who said they were contacted include MMA fighters Fallon Fox and Alanna McLaughlin, Miss Nevada USA winner Kataluna Enriquez, and Debi Jackson, parent to trans youth Avery Jackson.
Trans activist Eli Erlick revealed the scam in February 2022. The Gender Unity Project site was registered in 2021 to Justin Folk of Project Veritas.
The film was produced by Justin Folk, Dallas Sonnier, and Charlotte Roland. Folk directed.
Overview
On-camera interviews include:
- Matt Walsh
- Scott Newgent
- Gert Comfrey
- Marci Bowers
- Michelle Forcier
- Patrick Grzanka
- Miriam Grossman
- Jordan Peterson
Others who appear in the film include Don Sucher, Rodrigo Lehtinen, Naia Ōkami, and Carl Trueman.
References
Baragona, Justin (February 8, 2022). Far-right troll tried to dupe trans people into joining his anti-trans documentary. The Daily Beast https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-daily-wires-matt-walsh-tried-to-dupe-trans-people-into-joining-his-anti-trans-documentary
(February 8, 2022). Anti-trans Matt Walsh tries to lure trans people into fake documentary. Los Angeles Blade https://www.losangelesblade.com/2022/02/08/anti-trans-matt-walsh-tries-to-lure-trans-people-into-fake-documentary/
Collman, Ashley (February 10, 2022). Trans activists accuse conservative podcaster Matt Walsh of trying to lure them into participating in an anti-trans documentary. Insider https://www.insider.com/matt-walsh-accused-luring-trans-people-into-anti-trans-doc-2022-2
Collman, Ashley (February 15, 2022). Conservative film crew continues to try and trick trans activists into appearing in mysterious documentary, Miss Nevada USA says. Insider https://www.insider.com/miss-nevada-usa-also-targeted-by-anti-trans-documentary-crew-2022-2
Walsh, Matt (2022) What Is a Woman?: One Man’s Journey to Answer the Question of a Generation. DW Books, ISBN 978-1956007008
Robinson, Nathan (June 15, 2022). “What Is A Woman?” is a feature-length exploration of conservative ignorance and prejudice. Current Affairs https://www.currentaffairs.org/2022/06/what-is-a-woman-is-a-feature-length-exploration-of-conservative-ignorance-and-prejudice
Resources
Gender Unity Project LLC (genderunityproject.org) [deleted]
Twitter (twitter.com)
- GenderUnityProj [suspended]
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Daily Wire (dailywire.com)
IMDb (imdb.com)