Informed Dissent

On This EpisodePAS 2026 met in Boston at the end of April. On Sunday, a panel of four researchers and clinicians presented findings on pediatric gender medicine to 106 attendees. Before the session began, the PAS Program Chair informed the audience that every clinician approached to serve as a counterpoint speaker had declined to participate. The panel’s CME accreditation had been flagged for review before a single slide was examined. A concurrent LGBTQ+ pediatric health session the previous day operated without any of those conditions.Lauren Leggieri, Jamie Reed, and Cori Cohn discuss the conference and what it revealed about how academic pediatric medicine handles dissent. Jamie is also joined by Dr. Julia Mason and Dr. Patrick Hunter — both of whom were in the audience that day — for brief reflections on what they witnessed firsthand.People You’ll Hear AboutDr. Daniel Rauch — PAS 2026 Program Chair. Professor of Pediatrics at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, and the physician responsible for overseeing the scientific program of the entire conference.E. Kale Edmiston — A researcher who, at the start of the session, implied to the room that she was an author of a chapter of the WPATH Standards of Care 8. Scott Leibowitz, co-chair of the adolescent chapter, has publicly disputed that claim on the record. Kale identifies as a gay man. Dr. Riittakerttu Kaltiala — Psychiatrist and professor at Tampere University in Finland. Her systematic reviews of the evidence on pediatric gender medicine informed Finland’s decision to restrict those interventions in minors.Dr. Anna Hutchinson — Clinical psychologist who worked at the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock Clinic in the United Kingdom prior to its closure, and has since spoken publicly about clinical concerns she observed there.Dr. Moti Gorin — Bioethicist and associate professor of philosophy at Colorado State University. His published work examines how informed consent and ethical standards have been applied in the field of pediatric gender medicine. Panel chair.Dr. Steven Montante — Plastic surgeon in private practice in Richmond, Virginia, and a co-author of the first peer-reviewed systematic review of gender-transition mastectomies performed on minors.Further ReadingPAS 2026: The Panel They Tried to Silence — LGB Courage Coalition If this episode made you think, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Leave a comment, leave a rating, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. The work we do depends on people like you helping us reach a wider audience.Stay informed and ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week Lauren Leggieri, Cori Cohn, and Jamie Reed have a lot to get through — and we mean a lot. So take a page from the old NPR Saturday playbook: make something, drive somewhere, tend your garden, and let this one unspool over a few days. We brought three guests, and every one of them earned their seat at the table.We open with the New York Times story about a man who identifies as transgender and abducted his child to Cuba — and what that story reveals about how sex, parental rights, and media framing collide in ways that should concern everyone who would simple like reading a news story to not need a decoder ring. Then we get into the big one: the Southern Poverty Law Center. We’ve been watching the SPLC’s reach into the gender medicine debate for a while now, and this week we dig into just how deep that overlap goes — and what it means when a fundraising machine gets to decide who counts as a hate group.Which brings us to our guests. Elspeth Cypher, Colin Wright, and Jaimee Michell have each been on the receiving end of an SPLC designation or smear — and each of them has a different story about what that costs. Their accounts together paint a picture that’s harder to dismiss than any single data point.You can find Elspeth at the Women’s Liberation Front on X @ebclaw, at her Substack Before Justice Was Blind at substack.com/@ebclaw, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/elspeth-cypher-106623301.Jaimee Michell is the Founder, President & CEO of Gays Against Groomers. Find her on X @thegaywhostrayd and the organization at gaysagainstgroomers.com.Colin Wright is an evolutionary biologist and Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Find him on X @SwipeWright and at his Substack Reality’s Last Stand at substack.com/@colinwright.Like, Subscribe, and Share this Podcast. Stay informed. And stay ready to dissent.Thanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Informed Dissent, Jamie Reed, Cori Cohn, and Lauren Leggieri are joined by guest Dr. Julia Mason to discuss the landmark Finnish cohort study on psychiatric outcomes in gender-referred youth and SEGM's methodological appraisal of the Utah evidence review. Dr. Mason is a board-certified pediatrician, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and founding board member of the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine. She has spent years raising concerns about the evidence base underpinning pediatric gender medicine from inside her own profession — including co-authoring peer-reviewed challenges to the Dutch studies in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy and introducing multiple resolutions at the AAP Annual Leadership Forum demanding the academy reevaluate its position on pediatric gender transition.The Finnish StudyRuuska, S.-M., Tuisku, K., Holttinen, T., & Kaltiala, R. (2026). Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adolescents and Young Adults Who Contacted Specialised Gender Identity Services in Finland in 1996–2019: A Register Study. Acta Paediatrica. 🔗 https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.70533This is the landmark Finnish national cohort study tracking 2,083 gender-referred adolescents against 16,643 matched population controls for up to 25 years. It is the largest and most methodologically rigorous outcomes study in this field to date. Among adolescents who underwent medical gender reassignment, rates of severe psychiatric illness rose more than sixfold in the years that followed.For a detailed breakdown of what the study found and what happened when it was published, read our two-part series on the LGB Courage Coalition Substack: 🔗 Part I — What the Study Found: 🔗 Part II — What Happened Next: The SEGM Methodological Appraisal of the Utah ReviewSociety for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine. (2026). The “Utah Review” of Hormonal Treatments for Gender-Dysphoric Minors: A Methodological Appraisal. 🔗 https://segm.org/utah-evidence-review-analysisThe Utah Legislature commissioned an independent evidence review of hormonal interventions for gender-dysphoric minors. The resulting 1,051-page document concluded puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones were safe and effective. SEGM’s appraisal found the review excluded the most rigorous international systematic reviews, failed to conduct an evidence synthesis, and was produced by a team with undisclosed conflicts of interest including direct ties to the clinic under evaluation. When standard quality-assessment tools were applied, the result was the lowest possible rating: high risk of bias, critically low confidence.For our own analysis of the Utah Review and what it tells us about how this evidence gets manufactured, read: 🔗 Paid subscribers to the Informed Dissent Substack receive a full detailed breakdown of the week’s stories delivered straight to their inbox every week. Questions, comments, and suggestions welcome in the Substack comment section or at [email protected]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Informed Dissent, Jamie Reed and Lauren Leggieri are joined first by LGB CC Head Writer LeAnne Owen for a behind-the-scenes conversation about substantive writing, the stories driving this movement, and LeAnne’s belief that the work we are doing now will serve as the historical primary source documents for tomorrow.Then we are joined by two guests from Colorado — Erin Lee and Dr. Travis Morrell — to discuss Colorado politics, ballot initiatives, and how to reach people who aren’t yet paying attention.Further reading: Republicans and Citizen Initiatives — The New York TimesErin LeeErin Lee is a mom of three from Colorado, a speaker, writer, Founder of Stop Gender Ideology, and Executive Director of Protect Kids Colorado. After her 12-year-old daughter was convinced she was born in the wrong body in a secret gender & sexuality club at school, she helped her desist and filed the first federal secret school transition lawsuit to reach SCOTUS. Her story can be watched for free at ArtClubMovie.com.Links:Protect Kids ColoradoArt Club MovieSocials:X PAGEFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMDr. Travis Morrell Dr. Travis Morrell is a dad, husband, doctor, and lifelong learner with broad experience in medicine and medical leadership. He is published in multiple top medical journals and in popular media.Dr. Morrell is a Senior Fellow at Do No Harm Medicine and Chair of Colorado Principled Physician, grassroots doctors demanding reality-based medicine and Classical Liberal values. Find him on X @MorrellMDmphX @MorrellMDmphColoradodoctors.orgThanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week Jamie Reed, Lauren Leggieri, and Cori Cohn are joined by Kevin Kellar — a trial lawyer with thirty years of experience handling large-loss tort cases and litigation of all types, all over the country. Kevin specializes in dropping into cases as trial approaches, and he consults and advises on medicalized gender care litigation nationally. He is drawn to this work by his sympathy for the victims of gender ideology, and by the parable of the Good Samaritan.We also check in on Cori’s X addiction — the treatment is ongoing, he needs a sponsor, please apply within — and we discuss parenting through the lens of cinema, including the modern classics Period Panda and Drama Llama. We also think more people should follow us down rabbit holes. Consider this your invitation.This week’s deep dive: Kellan Baker — health policy researcher, lead author of WPATH’s flagship systematic review, and current Senior Advisor for Health Policy at the Movement Advancement Project. We look at who she is, what she has published, and what she has said when she believed she was speaking only to allies. Journalist Ben Ryan is continuing to release internal WPATH conference videos — and Baker appears in that record. This is the background you need.Further Reading: Ben Ryan’s “Hazard Ratio” — ongoing reporting on the WPATH Alabama discovery videos: benryan.substack.comIf this episode was useful to you, please like, subscribe, and share. It is completely free — it costs you nothing — and every subscriber pushes our numbers up and makes us harder to ignore. Tell someone who needs to hear it.Informed Dissent is produced by the LGB Courage Coalition. Stay informed and stay ready to dissent.Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Jamie Reed, Cori Cohn, and Lauren Leggieri open the episode with a wide-ranging conversation about the gap between what people say online and what they actually do in real life — and the platforms that shape both. Cori has quit X. Jamie has questions about Tumblr. The hosts dig into the psychology of online activism versus real-world action, anchored by a recurring hypothetical: a young anarchist whose convictions are vivid, whose memory is long, and whose relationship with a photocopier is deeply committed. Seriously — it’s all hypothetical.Guest SegmentIn December 2025, a coalition of parents, researchers, clinicians, and advocacy organizations — including the LGB Courage Coalition — filed a citizen petition with the Food and Drug Administration calling for urgent regulatory review of long-term, high-dose estrogen use in males. The FDA has 180 days to respond. That clock runs out in June 2026.Jamie and Lauren are joined by a physician and a regulatory expert who know both the science and the regulatory landscape inside and out. Together they break down what the petition asks for, what the evidence shows about cumulative estrogen exposure in male bodies — including dramatically elevated risks for stroke, venous thromboembolism, and breast cancer — and why the FDA has the authority and the obligation to act.The episode also addresses two battles playing out in real time: a coordinated campaign by trans activists to flood the FDA public comment docket in opposition to the petition, and an organized effort to attack and suppress the professional reputation of one of this episode’s guests, Dr. Lauren Schwartz. Both are worth understanding — because they illustrate exactly what happens when credentialed clinicians and researchers challenge the prevailing orthodoxy on gender medicine.The public comment portal is open now. Your voice matters — and this episode will tell you exactly how to use it.GuestsDr. Lauren SchwartzBoard-Certified Psychiatrist | Senior Fellow, Do No HarmDr. Lauren Schwartz is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice, a mother of three, and a Senior Fellow with Do No Harm. Throughout her career, she has advocated for upholding the highest standards of care in medicine and mental health at local, state, and national levels.Her recent publications include an open-access review in Discover Mental Health, a commentary in The Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, a chapter in The War on Science co-authored with Dr. Art Rousseau (discussed in depth on Informed Dissent Episode 41, August 16), and contributions to Dr. Miriam Grossman’s book Lost in Trans Nation.In July 2025, Dr. Schwartz was invited to speak on an expert panel in Washington D.C. for the FTC. In January 2026, she was awarded a Distinguished Fellowship by the American Psychiatric Association. Her work has been featured in the New York Post, the Dallas Morning News, The Federalist, and City Journal, and she has appeared on Fox News, The Origins Podcast, and America Out Loud News.🔗 laurenschwartzmd.com | 🔗 Do No Harm profilePeter PittsFormer FDA Associate Commissioner | President, Center for Medicine in the Public InterestPeter Pitts is a former Associate Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and currently serves as President of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and as a Visiting Professor at the University of Paris School of Medicine.With deep firsthand knowledge of how the FDA operates — its tools, its mandates, and its pressure points — Peter brings a uniquely authoritative perspective to the question of what the agency can and should do in response to the citizen petition on estrogen safety.🔗 cmpi.orgTake ActionThe FDA docket is open. Submit your public comment in support of the citizen petition before June 2026. Comments from parents, detransitioners, clinicians, researchers, and concerned citizens all count — and specific personal accounts carry particular weight.📋 Read the Petition: FDA-2025-P-7321 — Citizen Petition on Off-Label Estrogen Use in Males💬 Submit Your Comment: regulations.gov/docket/FDA-2025-P-7321The petition calls for:* A mandatory boxed warning naming stroke, cancer, sterility, and cognitive decline* A “Part 15” public hearing for transparent scientific debate on the record* A comprehensive safety review and REMS evaluation with a mandatory 20-year patient registry* Mandatory enhanced adverse event reportingEvery comment builds the public record. Use your voice.In MemoriamRon MillerFinally — we lost someone important this week. Ron Miller, co-founder of Campbell Miller Payne — the nation’s first and only law firm dedicated to representing detransitioners — passed away last month from brain cancer. He was thirty-eight years old. He leaves behind his wife, four children, and a legal framework he helped build for people the medical system harmed and the activist community abandoned. He will be missed. We will carry his work forward. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

What the ASPS position statement on pediatric gender surgery actually says — and what it means. A listener’s guide to our episode for March 21 2026; names, the history, and what’s at stake.On February 3, 2026, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons issued a nine-page position statement recommending that surgeons delay all gender-related surgery — breast/chest, genital, and facial — until a patient is at least 19 years old. It was the first statement of its kind from a major American medical association, and the reverberations were immediate.This is a significant moment. Not because it ends the debate, but because it marks the first formal fracture in the wall of institutional consensus that has, for the better part of a decade, treated surgical intervention in minors as settled, evidence-based, and beyond reproach. It was not settled. It was not evidence-based. And the ASPS has now said so on the record.This episode of Informed Dissent features our interview with Dr. Scot Glasberg — a past president of the ASPS and a central figure in the multi-year deliberation that led to this statement. His name, and several others, will come up throughout the conversation. This piece is your guide to who these people are, what their relationships are to each other, and why the internal story of how this statement came to exist is as important as the statement itself.The Organization and Its ReachThe ASPS is not a minor player. It represents more than 11,000 physician members and over 90 percent of board-certified plastic surgeons practicing in the United States and Canada. Crucially, plastic surgeons are the primary specialty performing mastectomies on minors with gender dysphoria — approximately 1,000 or more annually in recent years, by conservative estimates.When the ASPS speaks on this issue, it is speaking as the guild whose members have been performing these procedures. That is what makes this statement different from outside criticism. These are the surgeons.What the Statement Actually SaysThe coverage has focused on the age cutoff — 19 — but the statement goes considerably further. The ASPS doesn’t just recommend delay. It raises foundational questions about the entire treatment pathway.The statement is unambiguous: it characterizes the research supporting gender-related interventions in minors as “low quality/low certainty.” It draws on the 2024 Cass Review commissioned by NHS England, several European systematic reviews, and the HHS report Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices, published in 2025. The statement finds “insufficient evidence demonstrating a favorable risk-benefit ratio for the pathway of gender-related endocrine and surgical interventions in children and adolescents.”Not just surgical interventions. The full pathway — endocrine and surgical — fails the evidence test.The statement also addresses the natural history of gender dysphoria directly: among children, the vast majority show resolution without medical intervention. Among adolescents, existing evidence suggests most will desist as well. This directly challenges the clinical framing that has driven urgent intervention — the idea that the trajectory of a child’s gender identity is fixed and must be medically affirmed. The ASPS also explicitly rejects the “suicide narrative” — the claim that withholding or delaying these interventions is equivalent to causing a child’s death. The statement treats crisis-based justifications for irreversible procedures as a reason for greater caution, not less.On informed consent, the statement is clear: plastic surgeons cannot treat a prior referral letter, a mental health clearance, or a prior medical intervention as a proxy for surgical indication. Each surgeon bears independent professional responsibility to assess the risk-benefit profile — and to communicate uncertainty honestly.Before the Statement: The Cass Review Panel That Never HappenedTo understand why this statement exists, you have to go back to the fall of 2024.Dr. Scot Glasberg, then president of the Plastic Surgery Foundation — the ASPS’s research wing — had organized a panel at the ASPS annual meeting titled “Translating Evidence into Best Practices: A Gender Medicine and Surgery Paradigm.” Dr. Hilary Cass, author of the landmark 2024 independent review of gender identity services for children commissioned by NHS England, had been invited to present.Before the meeting, a group of ASPS members — including gender surgery practitioners and leaders of gender-affirming surgery programs, among them Dr. Blair Peters — sent a letter to the ASPS board. Their demand: arrange virtual attendance for members who would be at the WPATH conference in Lisbon, Portugal, held simultaneously.The ASPS board met the demands. And then pulled the panel anyway. Every other gender-related session at the annual meeting proceeded as scheduled. The Cass panel was the only one removed. Glasberg sent the notice describing it as “postponed.”The Gender Surgery Task Force was established in May 2025, in part as a response to this episode. Its stated mandate was not to issue guidance, but to seek “areas of emerging consensus” among clinicians with differing perspectives. What no one outside the ASPS initially knew: several members of that task force held simultaneous leadership positions at WPATH — the organization whose standards of care the Cass Review had found to “lack developmental rigour.”The Gender Surgery Task Force’s response to the ASPS statement would become a flashpoint of controversy.The Internal FractureWhen the ASPS board released its position statement on February 3, 2026, it did not go through the task force. The board acted independently. The task force — including its WPATH-affiliated members — found out when everyone else did.Seven task force members sent an open letter to the ASPS board demanding transparency about the statement’s authorship and development. The letter was spearheaded by Dr. Jens Berli and subsequently posted publicly on LinkedIn by Dr. Scott Leibowitz — a move that created additional friction within the task force, with at least one member seeking to withdraw his signature.The open letter did not dispute the evidentiary findings. It focused on process. But the identities of its signatories — which include WPATH’s current president, president-elect, and a board member — tell their own story about who had a stake in the task force’s approach and why the board chose to circumvent it.The Malpractice ContextThe same week the ASPS statement was released, a former patient named Fox Varian was awarded $2 million in a malpractice judgment in New York state after undergoing a double mastectomy as a minor and subsequently detransitioning. It was the first detransitioner lawsuit in the United States to reach a jury verdict.The attorney who represented her, Adam Deutsch, said publicly that the ASPS statement validated his theory of the case: that a surgeon cannot simply defer to a mental health referral when assessing whether an irreversible procedure is appropriate for an adolescent. At least 27 other detransitioner lawsuits are currently pending.The liability calculus for surgeons in this space has changed.What Other Medical Organizations SaidThe response from other major medical bodies was revealing in its awkwardness. The AMA told reporters it agreed that surgical interventions for minors should be generally deferred to adulthood — but framed this as a clarification of its existing position, not a response to ASPS. The American Academy of Pediatrics said it “does not include a blanket recommendation for surgery for minors” — language that carefully elides what its own guidelines say about supporting surgical interventions for minors on a case-by-case, individualized basis.These organizations have staked significant credibility on a position the evidence no longer supports. The ASPS has now made that visible.Who’s Who: A Listener’s GuideSeveral names come up throughout this episode. Here is a brief guide to who they are and how they connect to this story.Dr. Scot GlasbergPast President, ASPS | President, Plastic Surgery Foundation | Co-chair, ASPS Gender Surgery Task ForcePrivate practice, Manhattan | Informed Dissent guest, this episodeGlasberg convened the Hilary Cass panel at the 2024 ASPS annual meeting that was pulled under pressure from WPATH-aligned members. He was central to the multi-year evidence deliberation inside ASPS that preceded the February 2026 position statement, though he was not involved in the board’s final drafting. He has spoken publicly about the evidentiary basis for the age-19 threshold and the statement’s independence from political pressure.Dr. Hilary CassAuthor, the Cass Review (2024)NHS England — Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young PeopleDr. Cass led the most comprehensive independent review of pediatric gender medicine to date, commissioned by NHS England. Her 2024 final report found the evidence base for hormonal and surgical interventions in minors to be “remarkably weak” and found that existing clinical guidelines — including WPATH’s — lacked developmental rigour. She was invited to present at the 2024 ASPS annual meeting and was disinvited when the panel was pulled. The ASPS position statement cites her review approvingly by name.Dr. Loren SchechterPresident-Elect, WPATH | Member, ASPS Gender Surgery Task Force | Open Letter SignatoryMedical Director, Gender Affirmation Surgery Program, Rush University Medical Center, ChicagoOne of the highest-volume gender surgery practitioners in the U.S. — approximately 100–150 procedures annually. An ASPS member, signatory of the task force open letter, and WPATH’s incoming president. Part of the group that pressured the ASPS board regarding the Cass Review panel in 2024. After the February 2026 statement, he told reporters “the answer is somewhere in the middle.” In the Fox Varian malpractice trial he testified that surgery is not a mechanism to prevent suicide — a position that contradicts sworn statements he gave in a 2022 Florida case involving a minor.Dr. Scott LeibowitzBoard Member, WPATH | Member, ASPS Gender Surgery Task Force | Open Letter SignatoryChild and Adolescent PsychiatristA child and adolescent psychiatrist and WPATH board member who served on the ASPS Gender Surgery Task Force. He was among the seven signatories of the open letter to the ASPS board — and was the member who posted the letter publicly on LinkedIn, an action that created friction within the task force itself. On LinkedIn, he argued that the ASPS statement “ignored the reality that a young person’s maturity to make a decision can differ across ages” and that low-certainty evidence is a reason for guardrails, not restriction. His dual role — WPATH board member and ASPS task force member — is central to understanding the conflict of interest embedded in the task force’s composition.Dr. Asa RadixPresident, WPATH | Open Letter SignatoryWorld Professional Association for Transgender HealthCurrent WPATH president and a signatory of the open letter sent by the ASPS task force to the ASPS board. WPATH is the organization whose Standards of Care have served as the primary clinical guidance framework for gender-affirming care globally — and whose guidelines the Cass Review, the HHS report, and now the ASPS have all declined to endorse as trustworthy for implementation.Dr. Jens BerliHead, Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, OHSU | Open Letter Author | ASPS Task Force MemberOregon Health & Science University, PortlandSwiss-trained, Johns Hopkins-residency plastic surgeon who joined OHSU’s Transgender Health Program in 2016. He specializes in phalloplasty and gender-affirming facial surgery. Metadata from the task force open letter — and confirmation from a fellow task force member — identify Berli as the letter’s primary author. He and Blair Peters are colleagues at OHSU and frequent research collaborators. He is a WPATH member and follows WPATH surgical guidelines.Dr. Blair PetersVice Chair, ASPS Gender Surgery Committee | ASPS MemberOregon Health & Science University (OHSU)Peters, who describes himself as a “Queer surgeon,” is one of the ASPS members who sent the letter demanding virtual attendance accommodations before the 2024 annual meeting — the action that preceded the removal of the Cass Review panel. He is Vice Chair of the ASPS gender surgery committee, with Dr. Melissa Poh as Chair. He has been publicly critical of the ASPS position statement, posting on Threads in the days following its release. He is a frequent research collaborator with Dr. Berli at OHSU.Dr. Melissa PohChair, ASPS Gender Surgery Committee | ASPS MemberKaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, Los AngelesBoard-certified plastic surgeon and head of the transgender surgery program at Kaiser Permanente LA, performing the full spectrum of gender-affirming procedures. She is Chair of the ASPS gender surgery committee — with Blair Peters as her Vice Chair — making them the two most senior ASPS members in formal governance oversight of gender surgery. She has published extensively about gender-affirming surgical techniques. She may be on the ASPS Gender Surgery Task Force, but that is unconfirmed in published reporting.Dr. Rachel Bluebond-LangnerPlastic Surgeon, Gender-Affirming Surgery | ASPS MemberLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, NYU Langone, New YorkOne of the country’s leading gender-affirming plastic surgeons, based at NYU Langone where she and her team perform over 800 gender-affirming procedures annually. Bluebond-Langner is a Johns Hopkins-trained reconstructive surgeon and pioneer of robotic peritoneal flap vaginoplasty. She has a longstanding research collaboration with Dr. Berli — including a joint commentary on the mastectomy systematic review that the ASPS position statement cites as foundational evidence. A WPATH member who follows WPATH guidelines. Her connection to the task force or open letter has not been confirmed in published reporting. NYU Langone has been at the center of its own controversy: on February 17, 2026 — two weeks after the ASPS position statement — the hospital shut down its Transgender Youth Health Program entirely, citing the Trump administration’s threats to withdraw Medicare and Medicaid funding from hospitals providing gender-affirming care to minors. The closure triggered protests outside the hospital, demands from 73 New York legislators that the decision be reversed, and a directive from the New York Attorney General ordering the program reinstated within 10 days. It is not yet known how the closure affects Bluebond-Langner’s adult surgical practice.References & Further ReadingASPS Position Statement (February 3, 2026): Gender Surgery for Children and AdolescentsHHS Evidence Review: Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best PracticesSEGM Analysis: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons Rejects Adolescent Gender SurgeryBroadview News (Lisa Selin Davis): Medical Groups Are Censoring the Cass Review — The 2024 reporting on the Cass panel cancellation.Broadview News (Lisa Selin Davis): Understanding the ASPS Position Statement with Dr. Scot GlasbergBen Ryan / Substack: Tensions Flare Within Plastic Surgery Group Over New Policy — The definitive account of the task force open letter and internal fracture.Gender Clinic News (Bernard Lane): Consensus Shatters — Notes Schechter’s contradictory testimony across two legal cases.City Journal (Leor Sapir): It’s Official: No Consensus Among Medical Groups on ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ for MinorsSTAT News: American Society of Plastic Surgeons Endorses Delaying Gender-Affirming Surgeries Until 19NBC News: Plastic Surgeons Group Calls for Delaying Gender-Affirming Surgery Until Age 19Thanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Informed Dissent, Lauren Leggieri, Cori Cohn, and Jamie Reed break down a week that managed to be both absurd and consequential — sometimes at the same time.The first is a new paper out of the Amsterdam clinic — the team that invented the Dutch Protocol and launched a generation of pediatric gender medicine worldwide. De Rooy, Dekkers, Steensma, Popma, Kreukels, and de Vries looked at 1,470 adolescents referred to their clinic between 2009 and 2019. Eighteen percent did not pursue medical treatment. The most common reasons: no gender dysphoria diagnosis, or mental health and identity development problems that made treatment infeasible. The kids who didn’t pursue treatment had more psychological problems — not fewer. The paper’s own conclusion calls for “comprehensive diagnostic exploratory trajectories” before any medical intervention. The second is Brandon Robinson, a man who identifies as nonbinary, holds a seven-figure federal grant, and recently went viral for arguing that sexual identity labels — including “gay” and “lesbian” — harm transgender people and should be abolished.We also want to say thank you to our guests this week, Jen Sey and Kim Jones, who joined Lauren and Cori for a conversation that is well worth your time.If this show matters to you, please like, subscribe, comment, and share. Every share puts this conversation in front of someone who needs to hear it — and that’s exactly the point.Thanks for listening to Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it.Links:* De Rooy et al. (2026) — “Characteristics of Dutch Gender Clinic-Referred Adolescents Who Did Not Pursue Gender-Affirming Medical Treatment,” Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy: https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2026.2641805* Brandon Robinson, Trans Pleasure: On Gender Liberation and Sexual Freedom — UCR profile: https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2026/03/06/scholar-makes-case-moving-beyond-sexual-labels* Jen Sey / XX-XY Athletics: https://www.xx-xyathletics.com* Kim Jones / ICONS (Independent Council on Women’s Sports): https://iconswomen.com* UN Commission on the Status of Women — CSW70 official record: https://press.un.org/en/2026/wom2249.doc.htm* LGB Courage Coalition on Substack: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Jamie and Lauren are joined by three guests pushing back against ideological capture in law, psychology, and education. Cori will be back next week.🏛️ SCOTUS: Mirabelli v. BontaThe Supreme Court issued an emergency order vacating the Ninth Circuit’s stay of a district court injunction — protecting parents from California’s gender-identity nondisclosure policies in schools. Justice Barrett’s concurrence noted the Ninth Circuit had demonstrably misconstrued the Court’s recent holding in Mahmoud v. Taylor. A major win for parental rights.Cert Watch A decision on whether to grant cert in Littlejohn has been postponed. Foote v. Ludlow School Committee remains pending — a decision could come soon. Recommended Reading “The Emergency Docket’s Critics Have It Backwards” — Stephanie Barclay, SCOTUSblog (March 6, 2026) 🔗 Read it hereGuestsLaura Powell — Mother, attorney, investigator, and founder of Californians for Good Governance, a nonpartisan organization advocating for civil liberties and government accountability. Her work has earned national media coverage, been cited in federal investigations, and contributed to the repeal of an unconstitutional state law. She recently testified before Congress on violations of parents’ rights in California schools. 🔗 X: @LauraPowellEsq | @CA4GovernanceKevin Waldman — Classical liberal, gay man, clinical researcher, mental health professional, and founder of psychFORM Research Lab, which conducts independent research into human development free from ideological bias. psychFORM has established IRB approval for a five-university study surveying approximately 2,500 undergraduates on professorial influence and Western cultural perspectives. psychFORM.com | X: @KevWaldman | SubstackBen Appel — Author of Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic (Bombardier, 2025), a memoir tracing his journey from a Christian covenant community to LGBT activism to Columbia University — where he encountered a new kind of orthodoxy. His recent piece in The Atlantic, “In Defense of Effeminate Boys,” is out now. benappelwrites.com| X: @benappel | SubstackInformed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.If you find this show valuable, please like, share, and subscribe.Stay informed and ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed DissentFebruary 28, 2026This week on Informed Dissent, Cori, Jamie, and Lauren break down Jesse Singal’s recent opinion piece in the New York Times and review some of the comments furiously written in the short window available. We also discuss what is happening in the state of Kansas regarding the implementation of the new sex-based driver’s license law. This Week’s GuestDan Zaksheske is a reporter at OutKick and has covered trans-identified athletes in women’s sports for about 2.5 years. He has appeared on Fox News and FoxNews.com, and his reporting has been cited in congressional correspondence to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. He has traveled across the country to tell the stories of girls affected when males enter women’s sports and spaces, reporting on the rules and policy shifts shaping competition and what they mean for fairness, safety, and opportunity for women and girls.🔗 Read Dan’s work at OutKick:https://www.outkick.com/person/z/dan-zaksheske📺 Subscribe to his YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/@UncontrolledNarrativewithDanZPlease like, subscribe, comment, and share. Our free weekly content happens because of the volunteers at the LGB Courage Coalition and from the support of listeners like you! Tarot card decks and fan mail can be sent to: LGB Courage Coalition PO Box 150114 St Louis MO 63151 Stay informed and ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Informed Dissent, Jamie, Lauren, and Cori step into the breach — with guest Jennifer Sey. Jennifer SeyJennifer Sey is an American author, filmmaker, business executive, and retired National Champion gymnast.She was the 1986 U.S. Women’s National Champion and 7x National Team member. She was the first gymnast to speak out about the abuses in the sport in her 2008 memoir, Chalked Up.Sey went on to produce the 2020 Emmy-award winning documentary film, Athlete A on Netflix, exposing the crimes of Larry Nassar and the abuse of athletes rampant in the Olympic movement.Sey began working at Levi Strauss & Co. in 1999, rising to Chief Marketing Officer and then Brand President.In 2020, she was the only C-suite executive to speak out against covid lockdowns and school closures.She is now the founder and CEO of her own clothing brand, XX-XY Athletics – the only athletic brand to stand up for women’s sports and female athletes.https://xx-xyathletics.com🔎 Stories Discussed🇬🇧 UK Pauses PATHWAYS Puberty Blocker TrialThe UK government has paused the PATHWAYS clinical trial into puberty blockers for minors after regulators raised safety concerns. Read more:👉 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/feb/20/uk-clinical-trial-into-puberty-blockers-paused-after-medicines-regulator-raises-concerns⚖️ AAP & Endocrine Society Sue the FTCThe American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society have filed suit against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over investigations related to gender-affirming care guidance. Read the Reuters coverage:👉 https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/pediatricians-group-sues-over-us-ftc-launching-gender-affirming-care-probe-2026-02-17/If you value these conversations, please subscribe for free, like this episode, and share it with others who care about evidence, ethics, and open dialogue. Your support helps us continue this work and grow the conversation.And as always, stay informed and ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent — Week of February 14, 2026With Jamie Reed, Lauren Leggieri, and Cori CohnGuest: Dr. Patrick HunterThis week on Informed Dissent, Jamie, Lauren, and Cori go back to the Detransitioner lawsuit trying to parse a standard of care when the whole field went off the rails. They discuss weekly headlines and are then joined by Dr. Patrick Hunter for a wide-ranging conversation on pediatric care, standards of practice, and medical ethics.From Helen Lewis’s piece : “that she’d had her breasts removed at 16, only 11 months after first identifying as male. She had also been diagnosed with autism and had struggled with an eating disorder and anxiety.” Ben Ryan’s coverage American Society Plastic Surgeons: New York Sun Ben Ryan’s coverage American Society Plastic Surgeons: Hazard Ratio Substack Guest Interview — Dr. Patrick HunterThis week’s guest is Dr. Patrick Hunter, who joins the show for a detailed conversation about clinical practice, pediatric care, and evolving standards in youth gender medicine. You can follow Dr. Hunter on X @PatrickHunterMDThe discussion covers:* Dr. Hunter’s professional background and clinical experience* The role of pediatricians and primary care providers in evaluating distress in children* Why a cautious, slow-moving approach has historically been standard in pediatric medicine* The importance of careful assessment, watchful waiting, and risk–benefit evaluation when treating minors* How physicians navigate standards of care amid changing evidence, institutional guidance, and public pressure* The ethical responsibilities of clinicians working with children, including questions of informed consent, risk, and medical decision-making for minors* The tension between urgency, patient distress, and the duty to avoid harm in pediatric careThe conversation also introduces key ethical questions surrounding pediatric medicine and clinical responsibility. Because of the importance and complexity of these issues, Dr. Hunter will return to Informed Dissent for a future episode focused specifically on medical ethics and standards of care.Please like, subscribe, and share to help more listeners find these conversations.Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent — Show NotesThis week, Lauren, Jamie, and Cori break down a cascade of developments that unfolded in rapid succession: a New York jury malpractice verdict and major medical organizations reversing course on youth gender surgeries. We also take a brief look at patient-facing spaces like Reddit to see whether families are already reporting canceled or delayed surgeries, noting that while anecdotal, these discussions often surface institutional shifts before they appear in official statements. https://www.reddit.com/r/TopSurgery/comments/1qw9l00/comment/o3nyajn/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_buttonTaken together, the legal, medical, and cultural signals suggest a consensus once treated as untouchable is now beginning to fracture.Joining us this week is Gabe Walters, an attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). We discuss the DIAG case, the free speech and civil liberties issues it raises. We also touch on FIRE’s recent victory defending a Washington State professor investigated for parodying a university land acknowledgment. Thanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it.Relevant links:* FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression): https://www.thefire.org/* DIAG v. Alexi Giannoulias (case page): https://www.thefire.org/cases/democrats-informed-approach-gender-v-alexi-giannoulias/* FIRE victory in the University of Washington land acknowledgment case:https://www.thefire.org/news/victory-court-vindicates-professor-investigated-parodying-universitys-land-acknowledgment/If you appreciate this episode, please like, subscribe, and share—and stay informed, and ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Informed Dissent, Jamie, Lauren, and Cori reflect on a week of unexpected moments — travel, testimony, and the decision to speak up when staying quiet would have been easier.Our deep dive includes a behind-the-scenes conversation about recent legislative hearings and welcoming new voices into the movement. We’re joined by Dr. Karla Solheim, a board-certified OB/GYN living and practicing in Northeast Iowa. Dr. Solheim is married to her wife of 12 years, and together they are raising three children. She began writing to support and empower other OB/GYNs practicing in rural settings, before turning her attention to the growing influence of gender medicine.In this episode, Dr. Solheim speaks about professional integrity, medical accountability, and what happens when clinicians decide to speak honestly — even when they hadn’t planned to.You can read Dr. Solheim’s writing on Substack here:If you appreciate this podcast, please like, share, and subscribe. These conversations matter, and they only grow when people pass them on.Stay informed — and stay ready to dissent.Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent — January 17, 2026News of the Week & Deep DiveThis week’s episode moves from state-level political turmoil to Supreme Court oral arguments, with a few unexpected cultural and intellectual detours along the way.Segment One — New Jersey at a CrossroadsWe open with the unfolding conflict inside New Jersey’s political and advocacy landscape, where a proposed “gender health care shield law” failed to pass before the close of the legislative session. That story, and the broader institutional turmoil at Garden State Equality, set the stage for a deeper conversation about how organizations respond to internal contradiction, external pressure, and reputational risk.Along the way, we take a few side roads:* What a zombie apocalypse in World War Z can teach us about cascading institutional failure.* Why Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring still matters when thinking about how societies respond to environmental and systemic risk.* Chris Argyris’ Overcoming Organizational Defenses and how organizations protect themselves from information they do not want to hear.* A brief discussion of Jennifer Bilek’s reporting on networked advocacy influence in the gender policy space.If you want the full written breakdown of the New Jersey story, we covered it here:Segment Two — Supreme Court Sports CasesIn the second half, returning guest Glenna Goldis lawyer and author of Bad Facts joins us for legal analysis of the two cases argued this week at the U.S. Supreme Court:* Little v. Hecox (Idaho)* West Virginia v. B.P.J.We unpack the constitutional questions before the Court, Title IX implications, standards of review, and what oral argument signals about where the justices may be headed. We also discuss how these cases fit into the wider national strategy around sex-based protections in law and sport. Closing ReflectionsAs always, we wrap by reflecting on the growing community around this show, the people showing up in real life at hearings and rallies, and the many listeners quietly processing complex family and cultural conflicts alongside us each week.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share Informed Dissent. Independent media only works when listeners help build the audience and the impact.And as always — stay informed, and stay ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Informed Dissent we tackle the New York Times, men in women’s sports, Trans News Network, and the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Award nominees.We also discuss shoe sizes (is a women’s 11½ an outlier?), the independent media nominees all being either trans, queer, or aligned with that side of the movement, and why Jamie can’t pronoun Brad Polumbo’s name.In our second segment we were joined by guest Ben Appel. Ben Appel is the author of Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic. He’s written for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, Newsweek, UnHerd, and many other publications.Links:Cis White Gay:https://www.amazon.com/Cis-White-Gay-Making-Heretic-ebook/dp/B0FJ2PVZCPX: https://x.com/benappelSubstack: Website: https://www.benappelwrites.com/Like, subscribe, share, and comment. Independent media only works if we share it and support it—and since we’ll probably never win a GLAAD Award, tell us in the comments who you think should be nominated for an independent media award. As always, stay informed and ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent — This Week for January 3, 2026This week’s episode marks our return after the holiday break and focuses on Washington State, where sports policy, media framing, parental rights, and direct democracy are converging in real time.Jamie, Cori, and Lauren are together for the full episode, opening with a wide-ranging first segment before turning to an interview from Washington State.Segment One: Washington Post and NYT The episode opens with a discussion about a young man in sports and takes a rather bizarre turn to STI’s and Bacterial Vaginosis. * The conversation begins in Washington State and a recent Washington Post profile of a male athlete competing in girls’ track.🔗 Washington Post (live): “For young transgender runner, racing wasn’t the hardest thing”https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/12/28/transgender-female-athlete-competition-trump/🔗 Washington Post (archived):https://archive.is/2025.12.28-222636/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/12/28/transgender-female-athlete-competition-trump/* Jamie, Cori, and Lauren end discussing a recent New York Times article examining new research suggesting that bacterial vaginosis (BV) may be sexually transmitted, and why the story centers a trans identified woman. 🔗 NYT: “Bacterial Vaginosis May Be Sexually Transmitted, New Research Suggests”https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/health/bacterial-vaginosis-sexually-transmitted-infection.htmlThis post is public so feel free to share it.Segment Two: Ballot initiatives and direct democracyIn the second segment Lauren, Cori and Jamie are joined by Brian Heywood, from Let’s Go Washington. Brian can be found on X @bkheywood (That Damn Mormon) Heywood discusses:* Two Washington ballot initiatives—one restoring sex-based categories in school sports and another advancing parental notification and authority—that have surpassed signature thresholds for the 2026 ballot.* The scale of volunteer participation statewide and the documented intimidation, harassment, and violence directed at signature gatherers.* Why direct democracy has become necessary when institutional actors attempt to close debate rather than resolve it.🔗 Let’s Go Washington: https://letsgowashington.com/We are excited to announce the final counts: IL26-001 Strengthen Communication Between Parents and Schools: 416,201IL26-638 Protecting Fairness in Girls Sports: 445,187 Additional context and referenced voicesThroughout the episode, the hosts also reference:* Reporting on Seattle-area schools administering gender-identity surveys to children and sharing data with third partiesIf you found this episode valuable, please like, subscribe, and share.Your engagement helps more people find the show and keeps these conversations moving forward.As always, thank you for listening. Stay informed—and stay ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent — This Week for December 20, 2025This week’s episode moved fast and covered a lot of ground. Cori and Jamie opened with a wide-angle look at where things actually stand right now—before turning to a guest conversation that tested the limits of dialogue across disagreement.Policy, politics, and what’s winningCori and Jamie begin the episode by breaking down several developments shaping the current moment, while also taking a trip down memory holed land into the world of the AAP and Peanuts. * A discussion of proposed rules from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services related to Medicaid, including what these changes could mean in practice and where leverage points may exist.* An overview of House legislation introduced by Marjorie Taylor Greene and Dan Crenshaw, with attention to political signaling, strategy, and how these efforts fit into the broader legislative landscape.* A grounded conversation between Cori and Jamie about what is winning right now—distinguishing institutional progress from rhetorical noise, and identifying where momentum is translating into real-world outcomes.Guest: Dr. Laura TargownikDr. Laura Targownik is a gastroenterologist and clinician-researcher in the University of Toronto Department of Medicine. Dr. Targownik holds a Master of Science in Health Services from UCLA and is the author of more than 230 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Targownik is internationally recognized for work in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease and in health economics.Four years ago, Dr. Targownik publicly shared a history of transition. Since that time, Dr. Targownik has become an advocate for trans rights, drawing on personal experience to present a vision of trans coexistence that emphasizes integration, civic participation, and contribution to the common good. Writing by Dr. Targownik has appeared in the The Globe and Mail and the Canadian Health Network.X (Twitter): @datadriven_tdocTweet of the Week:A satirical clip from Women Are Real that circulated widely this week and sparked discussion about how political conflict and cultural critique now travel through humor, shorthand, and viral media.Programming noteWe’ll be taking next week off for the holiday and will return the following week.If you value this show—even when it’s imperfect—please like, subscribe, rate, and share. That support keeps these conversations going.As always: stay informed—and stay ready to dissent.Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent — This Week’s EpisodeThis week on Informed Dissent, we’re joined by Alasdair Gunn and Harrison Tinsley for a wide-ranging and deeply human conversation about health, survival, fatherhood, civic responsibility, and what it means to protect children in a culture that often resists restraint.We discuss how lived experience—serious illness, custody battles, and advocacy—reshapes moral clarity, and why real compassion requires honesty, boundaries, and the courage to act when institutions fail.GuestsAlasdair GunnX: @ngusdairAlasdair Gunn is a long-time gender-critical writer and commentator who was early to recognize the harms being done to boys and young men in gender medicine. In this conversation, Alasdair reflects on how surviving a life-threatening cancer diagnosis clarified his understanding of consent, care, and health—especially when supporting people who are deeply vulnerable and suffering.Harrison TinsleyX: @HarrisontinzHarrison Tinsley is a father who successfully fought for custody of his son, in part over concerns related to gender ideology. Harrison joins the show to discuss fatherhood, the legal realities parents face when protecting their children, and why supporting others matters—especially when the stakes are this high.Please note: Informed Dissent will take a brief break the week of December 27. The news never seems to stop, but our underpaid—and often unpaid—volunteers have officially demanded one day off this year. We honor the request. Please enjoy an episode from our back catalogue that day, or you can always revisit the Mariah Carey 1994 Christmas album.Thanks for listening to Informed Dissent! Thank YouThank you to Harrison and Alasdair for joining us, and to our listeners for continuing to engage thoughtfully and respectfully. If you have a guest suggestions for 2026 please drop it in the comments below. As always, please like, subscribe, share, and leave a comment—it helps more than you know.Stay informed. And stay ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent News for the Week December 6, 2025Segment One — Conversation with Glenna GoldisWe open the episode with Glenna Goldis and a breakdown of the week’s biggest stories:* The New York Times piece on the secretly recorded surgery consultation* Chase Strangio, taking one for the team with a public-facing optimism that change is possible within current advocacy structures — and why that message feels (because it is) another kind of fake believe. Glenna provides legally grounded analysis, highlighting how weak or ideologically driven legal defense strategies can create long-term consequences for everyone — eroding public trust, distorting precedent, and reshaping the legal landscape in ways that harm both patients and professionals. Her critique underscores how fragile the rule of law becomes when institutions abandon rigor.Segment Two — Interview with Journalist Ben RyanNext, we sit down with journalist Ben Ryan for an in-depth historical and cultural discussion of the HIV landscape:* The origins and development of AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs)* How these organizations became federally funded and what that funding structure meant for their long-term mission and operations* The history, promise, and limitations of PrEP, including how it reshaped the HIV prevention paradigm* How medical interventions, public-health messaging, and funding priorities can influence — and sometimes transform — community culture, norms, and expectationsBen offers rich historical context and a nuanced understanding of how institutions evolve, how public-health decisions ripple outward, and how medicine can shape a community’s identity and trajectory.Our Guest: Journalist Ben Ryan Ben Ryan is an independent journalist specializing in science and health care coverage. You can find more here: http://www.benryan.net/bio.htmlBluesky: @benryanwriterTwitter: @benryanwriterSubstack: Hazard RatioAdditional Notes: Guest Glenna Goldis Here’s her 2024 piece on Chase Strangio that quotes her saying gender identity isn’t real, etc. - Glenna on X:https://x.com/glennagoldisThank you for joining us this week.Please subscribe (it’s free!) wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to like, rate, review, and share — it truly helps the show grow.As always:Stay informed, and stay ready to dissent.Thanks for listening to Informed Dissent! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent — News of the Week• Nex Dagny BenedictWe cover the ongoing developments in the Nex Dagny Benedict case and the layers of narrative, reporting, and political framing that continue to emerge.• New Research Study — Covered by Ben RyanWe discuss the newly released study on youth suicidality and cross-sex hormones, along with journalist Ben Ryan’s detailed analysis of its methods and conclusions.🔗 Ben Ryan’s article:Conversation Notes* Helen Webberley and her many media hits* UK Pathways Puberty Blocker Study * Wheeler’s early political identity and public presence* His decision to break with party leadership on gender-related legislation* The political and cultural pressures surrounding those moments* How his past speeches and civic work reveal a through-line in his values* The broader landscape of youth gender medicine and how Wheeler situates himself within itPLEASE NOTE!After the show was recorded, Jamie spent the day reading all of the arms of the PATHWAYS studies and wrote a detailed tweet thread breaking it down.🔗 https://x.com/JamieWhistle/status/1994546772656431274?s=20Guest: Jonah Orion WheelerOur guest this week is New Hampshire State Representative Jonah Orion Wheeler, whose public service and recent high-profile decisions have made him a central figure in the current gender-medicine debate.Background & Featured Clips• Local TV Interview (December)21-year-old State Representative Jonah Wheeler makes mark at State House | CloseUp🔗 • Speaking for Women — March 20, 2025NH Rep Jonah Wheeler breaks ranks with Democrats to stand up for women — HB148🔗 • Confrontation After the Internet-Outage HearingRepresentative Jonah Wheeler Faces Down Angry Crowd in New Hampshire🔗If you enjoy Informed Dissent, please:* Subscribe — it’s free wherever you get your podcasts* Like, rate, and review the show (especially on Apple Podcasts, which helps boost visibility)* Share this episode with friends, colleagues, and anyone following the gender-policy landscape* Drop us a note — we love hearing your thoughts and reading the discussion in the commentsYou can also support our work by visiting the LGB Courage Coalition merch store at LGBcourage.org — and stay tuned: an Informed Dissent merch store is on the way. Everyone needs a new coffee mug.Stay informed — and stay ready to dissent.Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Informed Dissent — Week of Nov 22, 2025News of the Week: Passport RulingWe walk through the recent U.S. Supreme Court order that allows the Trump administration to enforce a passport policy requiring sex markers to match sex as recorded at birth — eliminating the option of an “X” marker and ending self-identification on new passports, renewals, and corrections.We cover:* What the Orr v. Trump decision actually does* What happens to existing passports with X markers* How this fits into the broader legal landscape on sex, identity documents, and women’s rightsInformed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Guest: Derrick JensenAbout Derrick JensenHailed as the philosopher poet of the environmental movement, Derrick Jensen is author of twenty-five books, including The Myth of Human Supremacy, Endgame, and A Language Older Than Words. He holds a degree in creative writing from Eastern Washington University, a degree in mineral engineering physics from the Colorado School of Mines, and has taught at Eastern Washington University and Pelican Bay State Prison. He has packed university auditoriums, conferences, and bookstores across the nation, stirring them with revolutionary spirit.Support the ShowIf you enjoy Informed Dissent, please subscribe, share, like, and leave a comment — it helps more people find the show and join the conversation.Thanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

🎙️ Informed Dissent — Nov 15, 2025This week, Jamie Reed and Cori Cohn hold down the fort while Lauren Leggieri recovers from being sick — we miss her and hope she’s back next week.Jamie and Cori are joined by Vincent Deboni for a wide-ranging discussion about how powerful ideologies tend to follow the same playbooks across countries and institutions. Together they tackle one of the biggest questions of the moment:Are rates of transgender identification actually falling?How do we measure it, what early signals are emerging, and why might the landscape be shifting?We also break down the news of the week, share updates from the movement, and look ahead to major events coming up.📅 Save the Date — January 13th, U.S. Supreme CourtJoin us on the steps of the Supreme Court on January 13th to stand in support of protecting girls’ sports.Bring a sign, bring a friend, and bundle up — we’ll be out there doing the right thing, together.🔗 Links We Discussed• CRT in South Africa: The Devil’s Finest Trickhttps://psychkitchen.wordpress.com/2021/07/16/the-devils-finest-trick-crt-southafrica/• Paper: A Male Perspective of Psychology from the Rainbow Nationhttps://zenodo.org/records/4301377• Angelo Vincent Deboni — PsychReg Profile (10 articles on related topics)https://www.psychreg.org/angelo-vincent-deboni/Please subscribe to our Substack — it’s free — and don’t forget to like our podcast and share your comments below. And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, please rate and review the show; it really helps others find our work.Thanks for listening to Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Week of November 8, 2025Hosts: Jamie Reed, Lauren Leggieri, and Cori CohnSponsored by the LGB Courage Coalition■ Lauren’s HeadlinesKey stories of the week in gender policy, medicine, and media.■ Deep DiveTopic: “Who My Child Was and Would Be” — by James Marcus, The New YorkerDiscussion: Jamie, Lauren, and Cori unpack the essay’s portrayal of parental loss, identity, and ideology — and how elite media continues to frame family and gender through a narrow lens.Read it here:https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-weekend-essay/who-my-child-was-and-would-behttps://archive.ph/N3gyJhttps://x.com/wesyang/status/1985728982046629996■ SEGM CME Segment with Dr. Julia MasonTopic: SEGM’s new CME-accredited education series on evidence-based care.Links:- SEGM Official Website: https://segm.org/- SEGM Press Release on CME Launch: https://segm.org/news/segm-launches-cme-accredited-series- Ben Ryan Substack — “Fact-Checking Erin Reed’s Piece About SEGM”: https://benryan.substack.com/p/fact-checking-erin-reeds-piece-about■ ClosingSpecial thanks to Dr. Julia Mason, our production team, and our tech guru who finally stopped the screen from bouncing from face to face.Please like, subscribe, and comment — and know that in the new year, we’re investing in teleprompters and mics!If you’re in Washington State, come see Lauren and Jamie at the Super Signer Rally – Spokane, WA this Saturday afternoon (2:00–3:30 pm) at Bowdish Middle School (2109 S Skipworth Rd, Spokane Valley, WA 99206).Full event details & RSVP here:https://letsgowashington.com/super-signer-rally-spokane-wa/Stay Informed — and Ready to Dissent.Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Jamie Reed, Lauren Leggieri, and Cori Cohn break down the U.K.’s big news: the National Health Service launching a dedicated detransitioner service. What does this mean for accountability—and how does an institution open a clinic to address harm while continuing to cause it?Then, attorney Glenna Goldis joins to discuss the Texas doctor who fled to Oregon and the Kansas lawsuit challenging gender medical practices. Glenna will return regularly as our resident legal analyst.Follow Glenna:* Substack: Bad Facts* X: @glennagoldisWe’re also looking for a sports expert to join us from time to time—someone who can keep us updated on the state of women’s sports, and the men who refuse to take the hint and play where they belong: the open category, where they can finally compete on a level playing field. If you have any suggestions (or think this could be a good fit for you), please contact us at [email protected], attention Sports Desk, or drop your ideas in the comments below.Sorry for the short show notes this week — it’s Halloween, we’re tired, and there’s a full-size bag of Reese’s Pieces waiting for me. 🎃 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we speak with Joe Figliolia, author of the Manhattan Institute’s new report on institutional capture inside the Texas Medical Association, and Dr. Lisa Ehrlich, who has seen that reality up close. We revisit the AAP’s 2018 Rafferty policy, walk through Texas SB 14, and note the latest news of a Texas doctor losing her license under the new law. From Ignaz Semmelweis to the mechanics of trade guilds, 501(c)(6)s, and runaway diffusion, we trace a recurring pattern: when ideology replaces evidence, institutions fail—and vulnerable patients pay the cost. We close with a reflection on Five Days at Memorial and what happens when no one in the room is allowed to say “stop.”Links & References * Deep Dive — Texas Medical Association / Institutional Capture • Article page: https://manhattan.institute/article/the-anatomy-of-institutional-capture-gender-medicine-policy-and-the-texas-medical-association* AAP / Jason Rafferty (2018) Policy Statement• AAP journal page: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30224363/* Texas Law — SB 14 (Final Enrolled Text)• Official Texas Legislature PDF: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/pdf/SB00014F.pdf* Texas Doctor Licensing News • Texas OAG Press Release: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases* Ignaz Semmelweis (history of hand-washing and medical resistance)• NPR/PBS feature: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/ignaz-semmelweis-doctor-prescribed-hand-washing* Trade Guild (definition)• Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/guild* 501(c)(6) Overview• IRS: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/other-non-profits/irc-501c6-organizations* “Runaway Diffusion” • Diffusion of Innovations (Everett Rogers reference gateway): https://journals.sagepub.com/home/sgo* Book — Five Days at Memorial (Sheri Fink)• Publisher page: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/213878/five-days-at-memorial-by-sheri-fink/If you value this work, don’t just listen—subscribe, share, and drop a comment. Algorithms push what audiences engage with, and your support is what keeps evidence, accountability, and dissent in the public square. Thank you for listening, and we’ll see you next time on Informed Dissent.Thanks for listening to Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s Informed Dissent—our first real fall episode—Jamie Reed, Lauren Leggieri, and Cori Cohn take a darker turn, exploring how speech—whether protected, restricted, or weaponized—shapes the moral landscape of medicine, therapy, and the digital world.Our two deep dives reveal that speech isn’t an abstract legal theory—it can be tied to real harm. First, we examine the Chiles v. Salazar case and the Washington Free Beacon report, “The Problem With Conversion Therapy Bans.” We discuss why therapists should be held to standards that prevent abuse, but why those same regulations must never conflate honest, exploratory therapy with coercive “conversion” practices.Then we turn to The Washington Post’s devastating piece, “White Tiger 764,” a story of digital predation, manipulation, and cruelty that shows how words—and silence—can both destroy.From therapy rooms to Discord servers, this episode asks: when do words heal—and when do they harm? As autumn settles in, we look unflinchingly at the cost of speech, censorship, and what happens when comfort replaces truth.🔗 Resources & Mentions* The Problem With Conversion Therapy Bans — Washington Free Beacon* Teen’s Live-Streamed Suicide Set Off Exhaustive Search for “White Tiger” — The Washington Post* Chiles v. Salazar (Colorado Supreme Court, 2025)* “Lolcows” — a term from harassment forums like Kiwi Farms referring to individuals targeted and mocked for amusement or ideological reasons.* “Hug box” culture — insular online spaces that offer constant affirmation but little accountability, leaving users more isolated and susceptible to manipulation.* Etsy’s Rules for Minors:* Terms of Use — users must be 18+; minors (13–17) may participate only under direct parental supervision.* Can Minors Sell on Etsy? — minors must operate under a parent’s registered account and disclose supervision.* Imagery of Minors Policy — prohibits nude, partially nude, or suggestive images of minors.Thanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

What should count as a mental disorder—and who gets to decide? In this week’s deep dive, Jamie Reed, Lauren Leggieri, and Cori Cohn examine how the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) became one of the most politicized documents in modern medicine. From the pathologizing of homosexuality to today’s debates over “gender dysphoria,” the hosts explore how psychiatric labels have shaped medicine, culture, and identity itself.Recorded in the wake of the 2025 SEGM Conference in Berlin and the Genspect Conference in Albuquerque, this conversation looks at competing proposals for a new diagnosis—or whether “gender-related distress” belongs in the DSM at all.Jamie and Lauren join from the road while traveling through the Pacific Northwest on their speaking tour.Drawing on insights from leading critics of psychiatry, including Dr. Paul McHugh and Dr. James Davies, the hosts trace how clinical consensus replaced scientific rigor—and how ideology continues to define what counts as care.They also discuss what “bad therapy” really looks like and why the cell phone generation faces unique psychological challenges that psychiatry has yet to understand.Links for Show Notes:SEGMSEGM 2025 Conference, BerlinSept. 11-14th, 2025https://segm.org/Berlin-2025Dr. Paul McHughThe Psychiatrist Who Shut Down America’s First Gender Clinic Speaks OutInterview of Dr. Paul McHugh, University Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBeyond Gender podcastJul 17, 2025“Psychiatry is a discipline that’s not come of age.” - Dr. Paul McHugh (48:46)Notable fact: Dr. McHugh (1931–) co-founded the U.S.-based FMSF in 1992 to support families accused of abuse via “recovered memories,” often critiquing psychotherapy techniques for inducing false memories. The FMSF dissolved in 2019, after completing its contributions to the 1990s “memory wars” in therapy and legal contexts.Dr James DaviesAD4E Festival - Dr James Davies - The Making of DSM.ADisorder4Everyone YouTube ChannelSep 25, 2020Dr. James Davies, accredited U.K. psychotherapist and professor of Social Anthropology and Mental Health at the University of Roehampton, London, presents at the ‘A Disorder For Everyone’ online festival, held September 18, 2020. The making of DSM. Dr. Davies is co-founder of CEP (The Council for Evidence-based Psychiatry).CEP (The Council for Evidence-based Psychiatry)Diagnostic system lacks validityStatement: “Psychiatric diagnostic manuals such as the DSM and ICD (chapter 5) are not works of objective science, but rather works of culture since they have largely been developed through clinical consensus and voting. Their validity and clinical utility is therefore highly questionable, yet their influence has contributed to an expansive medicalisation of human experience.”https://cepuk.org/unrecognised-facts/diagnostic-system-lacks-validity/Psychiatry & Big Pharma: Exposed - Dr James Davies, PhDThe Weekend University“by reclassifying painful normality as psychiatric abnormality we have created the illusion of a psychiatric epidemic” -- Dr. James Davies (3:07)Regarding Dr. Robert Spitzer & DSM 3, 4, 5Stella O’Malley and Mia Hughes Recount Robert Spitzer-Led Updates to the DSMBeyond Gender Podcast, Clip from Episode #18https://x.com/stellaomalley3/status/1937598587157852616During his presentation at the A Disorder 4 Everyone! (AD4E) Festival, Dr. Davies recounts his interview with Dr. Robert Spitzer (chairperson of DSM-III) regarding the lack of biological basis and reliance on consensus for DSM disorders: (14:06)An Orchestrated Consensus becomes “Clinical Consensus”“we took over because we had the power” - Robert Spitzer (30:00)Mia Huges at Genspect“The Upstream Battle: Challenging the False Belief Fueling Medical Harm” Mia HughesPresentation at the 2025 Genspect The Bigger Picture Conference, Albuquerque, NMCori Cohn at GenspectThe recording of his speech has not yet been released. As soon as it is we will include the link in a future episode. Thanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Relaunch: Introducing Lauren LeggieriWelcome to the relaunch of Informed Dissent! Each week, your hosts — Jamie Reed, Lauren Leggieri, and Cori Cohn — cut through the noise of the gender culture wars, tackling the stories behind lawsuits, medical controversies, school policies, and the very meaning of “gender.”In this episode, Jamie introduces new co-host Lauren Leggieri. Lauren reflects on the moments that shaped her advocacy — from the Gavin Grimm Case in Virginia to early protests at the Endocrine Society Conference and the American Academy of Pediatrics Conference in Orlando. She shares her experiences of being “canceled,” landing on the Transgender Map, and featured in Jennifer Block’s recent documentary. For Lauren, embracing her role as a gender non-conforming lesbian and emerging as an effective advocate has been a defining part of her journey.Next week: A Tale of Two Conferences — Society for Evidence Based Gender Medicine and Genspect, and the battle over what belongs in the DSM, and who actually has a say over that determination. Enjoy the show and we welcome your comments below! Thanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it.Production or subscription questions or concerns: Email [email protected] with “Informed Dissent” in the subject line. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Cori and Ben take the mic without their cohosts to reflect on two pressing stories shaping the gender debate. We begin with former Mermaids CEO Susie Green’s latest effort to advance the cause of medical transition for children. From there, we turn to the recent tragedy in Minneapolis, examining how quickly it has become a political football for competing ideological tribes. What does this moment reveal about the trans movement today? And how do these flashpoints illuminate the wider struggle over truth, narrative, and power in the culture war?* The Webberleys* Susie Green’s TEDx talk* Minneapolis shooting* “Tired of being trans”* Westman’s history This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we discuss the activist-led campaign to discredit systematic reviews conducted by researchers at McMaster University because they were funded by SEGM (the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine). We examine the researchers’ response, whether the campaign gained traction, and what it reveals about the politicization of evidence.From there, we step back to look at the broader landscape of systematic reviews on “gender-affirming care”—and whether the American public realizes just how weak the evidence base actually is. This naturally brings us to the University of Utah’s August 2024 review, which claimed that the evidence shows these interventions to be safe and effective. We break down what the Utah review got wrong and why its conclusions stand in sharp contrast to other systematic reviews.Links:McMaster statementGordon Guyatt“No pride in pseudoscience” op-edWPATH suppresses publication of Hopkins reviewsSEGM - Utah reportHandmaid’s Tale season 6The Human ScaleWardley mappingAlien Earth This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today, Corinna and Ben speak with the psychiatrist Dr. Lauren Schwartz. Dr. Schwartz is a senior fellow with Do No Harm, the lead author of a 2025 paper on the health risks of estrogen use in males, and the coauthor of a chapter in Lawrence Krauss’s new anthology, The War on Science (“Gender-Affirming Care: The Abandonment of Medical and Academic Standards”).* Arkansas ban stands* Air Force reneges on retirement benefits* DoE investigates Kansas* “Emerging and accumulating safety signals for the use of estrogenamong transgender women”* The War on Science This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today we talk about the latest gender clinic closures and “pauses” on pediatric transition services and speculate about what the future holds for the young people who’ve been harmed by these practices. Who’s going to help them? How will they help them? Will anyone be held accountable for harming them? We discuss the case of Avery Jackson, the trans-identified boy who at age nine appeared on the cover of National Geographic’s 2017 “Gender Revolution” issue. Avery, medicalized at 11, is now in his late teens and identifies as nonbinary.If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a paid subscriber!* Leor’s piece on Meredithe McNamara* Lisa’s piece on Avery Jackson* “Gender Identity 5 Years After Social Transition”* “I Transitioned My Child - I Regret It”* NY Times article on blue state closures* Chameleon’s Substack piece* Ken Zucker* My Mom Jayne* Sandpipers* Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways in America* Kandinsky art* The End of October This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today the gang discusses the Trump Administration’s severing of its partnership with the Trevor Project, as well as California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show. Plus news headlines, announcements, and more!* Trump defunds the Trevor Project* TP’s 2023 fiscal report* Trump Admin cutting off federal funding to hospitals providing GAC for minors* Newsom on the Shawn Ryan Show* “Trans woman shares struggles from behind bars in Lorain County men’s prison”* PATHWAYS study* Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender HereticThank you for your continued support! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Cori, Jamie, and Sarah catch up on their gender-related travels, which took Jamie to Washington DC for the Federal Trade Commission workshop on consumer fraud in gender medicine and Cori and Sarah to France for the European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry conference. We also discuss new research on sexual satisfaction and whether or not it's possible to improve on the French man-on-the-street by adding cowboy boots.* Tune in to the full FTC workshop here* Glenna Goldis on consumer fraud in gender medicine* Hannah Barnes on problems with the UK's proposed puberty blocker trial* Cori Cohn on Missing Evidence: Why We Still Don’t Know What Surgery Does to Puberty-Blocked Boys* New preprint from the Dutch clinic: Sexual satisfaction and dysfunction in transgender adults following puberty suppression treatment during adolescence* LGB Courage Coalition at the Endocrine Society conference This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Alex Byrne is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy at MIT and the author of the book Trouble with Gender: Sex Facts, Gender Fictions. Last week, Alex revealed in a Washington Post op-ed that he was one of the nine co-authors of the anonymous HHS report on pediatric gender medicine. He is married to the evolutionary biologist Carole Hooven.CORRECTIONS: UPenn is restoring titles and records and issuing apologies to female athletes. Not Penn State. And it’s Title IX, not Title X.* HHS report* Executive Order 14187* “In Defense of Transracialism,” Rebecca Tuvel* “A Defense of ‘Transracial’ Identity Roils Philosophy World,” NY Times* Material Girls: Why Reality Matters for Feminism, Kathleen Stock* “What Is It like to Have a Gender Identity?,” Florence Ashley* “Ashley on Gender Identity,” Alex Byrne* “The Deposition of Jack Turban,” Leor Sapir* The Man Who Would Be Queen, Michael Bailey* Ray Blanchard’s transsexualism typology This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Maud Maron is running to be Manhattan’s next District Attorney “to restore safety and sanity to our streets and subways.” She’s also a mom of four children who are all NYC public school graduates or students.Maud worked as a public defender for over two decades at the Legal Aid Society in the Manhattan and the Bronx criminal courts. She taught criminal law at Cardozo Law School and has a long track record as an education advocate who champions public school education in New York City. She is a fierce champion of free speech, and won a 1st Amendment case against the NYC Dept. of Education just last year. She writes for the New York Post and other publications.* MaudforManhattan.com* Maud’s writing for the NY Post* “How I stood up for free speech — and won my case against NYC’s education censors”* CEC D2 meeting on gender ideology in NYC public schools (YouTube)* Ben’s Substack post about the CEC D2 meeting* Alaina Daniels* Mamdani’s “LGBTQIA+” platform* Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow* Russian & Turkish Baths* “How to Grow Leeks”* Jurassic World: RebirthThank you for listening! If you enjoyed this discussion, please consider becoming a paid subscriber! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today we’re joined by very good friend of the pod, Leor Sapir!Leor Sapir is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Boston College and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard University. Since joining MI, Sapir has become a widely recognized thought leader on topics related to pediatric gender medicine, education policy, and culture. Sapir is a regular contributor to City Journal, and he has co-authored amicus briefs for lawsuits on parental rights in education and is lead author of an important letter to the editor in the peer-reviewed academic journal, the Archives of Sexual Behavior, on “rapid onset gender dysphoria.”* United States vs. Skrmetti* Leor Sapir for City Journal* The lost history of Christmas nobody cares about anymore - but should* tomato cages* The Catastrophe Hour* Identity* Special Interest* Lost Christianities* The Gnostic New Age* Orthodoxy and Heresy in Early Christian Contexts* Fashionable Nonsense This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We’ve decided to open up our polycule to guests! Today it’s Dr. Anna Hutchinson, the London-based clinical psychologist specializing in adolescent mental and physical health.From 2013 to 2017, Dr. Hutchinson worked at the Tavistock Clinic’s Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), where she observed first hand the significant shifts in patient demographics and referral rates. She raised concerns about the weak evidence base and clinical practices, contributing key insights to Time to Think by Hannah Barnes. Since leaving GIDS, Anna has continued to advocate for nuanced care for gender-distressed youth. She co-led the clinical induction training for Hilary Cass’s new Gender Hubs and is currently co-authoring a book with family therapist Anastassis Spiliadis on developmentally informed therapy for gender-related distress in children.CORRECTION: NH Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed the parental rights bill, but as of June 13 she has not yet signed the bills banning puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and chest surgeries for minors. Apologies!* NH GAC bills* NH parental rights bill* Gallup poll* DOJ investigating Minnesota over trans softball athlete* Riley and Simone* Zoe Saldaña’s trans Oscar* The Pissed Off Lawyer* LA Children’s gender clinic shutting down* The Protocol episode 5* The Protocol episode 6* “It feels like conversion therapy for gay children, say clinicians”* The Wide Wide Sea* Grillo’s Pickles* Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius* CIS WHITE GAY preorder links!Thank you for listening!If you appreciate our work, please consider becoming a paid subscriber! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

On this special episode, we discuss part four of the New York Times’s six-part series about the history of pediatric gender medicine. Episode 4, “The Whistleblower,” is about Jamie Reed, who blew the whistle on the pediatric gender clinic at Washington University in St. Louis in 2023. Jamie tells us what the Times got right, what they left out, plus a whole lot more.* “The Whistleblower”* Jamie’s affidavit* Jamie’s 2023 testimony in The Free Press* Azeen’s 2023 NY Times piece about Jamie* LGB Courage Coalition’s Substack post on bicalutamide* “The Myth of Reliable Research”* “The Dutch Protocol for Juvenile Transsexuals: Origins and Evidence”* Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender HereticThank you for listening!If you appreciate our work, please consider becoming a paid subscriber! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

On Thursday evening, The New York Times released “The Protocol,” its highly anticipated podcast on the history of pediatric gender medicine. We do a deep-dive into the first two episodes of the six-part series: “The Beginning” and “The Gender Kids.”* Olson-Kennedy study* Olympus spa ruling* CA trans athlete wins* Loudon County update* The Protocol* Dept Q* The Golden Notebook* A Mother’s Reckoning* Bluejay omens This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today we answer some listeners’ questions and then discuss Jonathan Cowan’s op-ed for Politico. And Eliza comes out!* CMS investigates GAC hospitals* breast cancer study* Kansas lawsuit* CA sports rules changes* Democratic Arizona senator’s comments about sports* Politico op-ed* Leor Sapir’s thread about the op-ed* goblincore* cottagecore* Furry event at UC Irvine* The View from Somewhere: Undoing the Myth of Journalistic Objectivity* Secret Lives of Mormon Wives* Balatro* The Extinction of Experience* Being a parent This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today we discuss:* The 2016 CMS Report on Gender Dysphoria and Gender Reassignment Surgery.* NBC's reporting on the new bill prohibiting Medicaid from covering sex-trait modification procedures.* Jamie getting thrown out of the APA meeting, from which one gender session was leaked.* The FTC’s plan to investigate fraud in the gender-affirming care industry.* The MIT "Born in the Right Body" event, at which Jamie and Lisa spoke, and which drew protestors. And fun signs!* Planned Parenthood's puberty blocker video.Our non-gender recommendations for the week:* Gardening!* Coffee with a spoonful of tiramisu inside! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Cori, Eliza, and Jamie revisit the HHS report, “Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices.” They talk about the libertarian case for age limits on hormonal and surgical interventions and the homophobia underlying the entire enterprise of transition.Health and Human Services ReportSunday event in Cambridge: Born in the Right Body.Montana judge finds trans care ban unconstitutionalHomophobia on my mind by Jamie ReedThe Ross Douthat column that changed Jamie's lifeBelieve: Why Everyone Should Be Religious by Ross Douthat This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week we discuss the MAGA look, the low-down dirty tactics of Maine legislators, the sophistry of psychotic professors, and the moral dilemma of patronizing businesses that use WPATH’s standards of care to inform their medical benefits policies.* MAGA aesthetics* The Psychology of Totalitarianism* An Abundance of Caution* Maine LD380* All of Us Strangers* Histories of the Transgender Child* Jules Gill-Peterson in NY Times* Transgender Studies Quarterly* TERF Industrial Complex* Starbucks trans insurance* availability heuristic* Chick-fil-A kale crunch salad* Meghan Daum and Richard Rushfield* Max Richter world tour* Nespresso Vertuo* Julia Mason in the Economist This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today we discuss the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ evidence review, “Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria Review of Evidence and Best Practices.” What did the review say? Is it unbiased and dispassionate? Was it a good idea for the HHS to withhold the authors’ names? Will it convince anyone on the other side of this debate? How have news outlets been reporting on it? All that and more, plus headlines.* HHS report* Biden admin suppresses reviews* Erin Reed coverage of report* Jamie in NBC News reporting* NY Times coverage of report* APA statement* WaPo coverage* Lawless book* Megyn Kelly NY Times interview* Thelma* Bitchin’ Sauce* Mistakes Were Made* Marcus Aurelius -Meditations audiobook* Unveiled* The Last Girl This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Ben and Jamie are off planning puppy pride parades, so this week, Cori, Eliza and Lisa digest the Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor. We also talk about Pam Bondi’s directive, Nike’s funding of a study on trans athletes, and the doctor, Allan Josephson, who received $1.6 million settlement after his colleagues destroyed his career for speaking out about youth gender transition. A little background on I Am Jazz, and some read-alouds on YouTube of Uncle Bobby’s Wedding.Lisa’s non-gender suggestion of the week: Bo Burnham’s INSIDE, and Phoebe Bridgers’ cover of one of his songs from the album, That Funny Feeling. Cori’s: Harmonies board game.Eliza’s: Phyllis Rose’s Parallel Lives This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

The five of us discuss the outcome of the For Women Scotland case and how the situation across the pond compares to the US. Plus news headlines.* XX wrist bands are hate speech* Trump admin seeks to limit GAC coverage* Planned Parenthood Arizona* Trump admin sues Maine* World Pride might tell trans people “Do not come”* British newspaper front pages* Supreme Court decision coverage* third spaces* Pride is going broke… (LGB Courage Coalition)* Malcolm Clark’s thread on detransitioned Moroccan influencer* WaPo article about influencer* Sarah McBride Atlantic interview* Parallel Lives book* Satan’s Silence book* Lawrence Wright* The Looming Tower* My Trip to Al-Qaeda* Drawing flowers* Meghan Daum’s new book This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today we discuss news headlines, a recent court decision in Australia, and the excruciatingly bad Last Week Tonight episode about trans athletes.* Colorado bills* Title IX investigation team* Female disc golfer protests* Ted Cruz opens investigation* UK pool tournament* Montana legislation* Maine sues* Trump admin pulls funding from Maine’s prison system* America First Legal refers Illinois school district to DOJ* Bernard Lane on Australian judge’s decision* Last Week Tonight* Nevada sports* Lisa’s piece on Last Week Tonight* White Lotus finale* Kemi hasn’t watched Adolescence* Julie Bindel tweet* Suzanne O’Sullivan - The Age of Diagnosis This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Today we debate whether “gender-affirming care” is child abuse and discuss the concept of trans exceptionalism, and Jamie and Lisa tell us about a recent debate between Marci Bowers and Brianna Wu.* ACLU sues Indiana* Transphobic toddler* Washington State blocks women’s sports proposal* CA Dems block women’s sports and spaces bills* Trans protester arrested in Florida bathroom* Nevada reverses sports policy* Maine hit with another funding block* Fencing female takes the knee* Politics and Prose talk with Jennifer Finney Boylan and Sarah McBride* Brianna Wu/Marci Bowers debate* Duke Symposium with Bowers* Hostages doc* Open Socrates* BBC’s Don’t Tell the Bride* Going Clear* Remembering Satan This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe