Gender: A Wider Lens
Gender: A Wider Lens
71 - Gender: The American State of Affairs with Jesse Singal
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71 - Gender: The American State of Affairs with Jesse Singal

Jesse Singal was instrumental in shining a light on the defamation of Dr. Ken Zucker in 2016. Then, two years later, he became even more widely known in the gender world for his seminal, long-form piece in the Atlantic, “When a Child Says She’s Trans.” In this conversation, we discuss flaws in the science of gender dysphoria treatment and the misrepresentation of research findings in the media. We also look at the recent pronouncements from the Biden Administration, new state legislation, and Health and Human Services proposals. We discuss how all of this impacts our understanding of complex issues and shapes the American political landscape around gender today.

Links:

  • What the Media Gets Wrong on Gender Reassignment:   

https://spectatorworld.com/topic/media-wrong-gender-reassignment-transgender/ 

  • Civil rights discrimination providers - gender affirming care:  

https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-ocr-notice-and-guidance-gender-affirming-care.pdf 

  • The Cut 

https://www.thecut.com/2016/02/fight-over-trans-kids-got-a-researcher-fired.html  

https://www.thecut.com/2016/01/false-charge-helped-bring-down-kenneth-zucker.html  

  • When a Child Says She’s Trans:  

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/07/when-a-child-says-shes-trans/561749/  

Extended Notes

  • Jesse explains how he became involved in publishing transgender articles.

  • Journalism allows Jesse to follow a subject to the core of an issue.

  • Before Jesse became known for his Atlantic piece, he was already interested in psychology fads.

  • Stella enjoys self-help books.

  • In his new book, The Quick Fix, Jesse argues that Americans turn to fad psychology because the real problems are too big to be solved.

  • Researchers have been known to give credence to work that does not warrant it.

  • Bad journalism abounds and Jesse often follows up bad stories with the facts.

  • Stella states that maybe the Dutch study should be more thoroughly examined by Jesse.

  • Writing and publishing articles on gender is complicated.

  • Jesse says Republicans are taking the gender issue to the state level.

  • Politicians have no idea of what the real science around the issue is.

  • Sasha asks Jesse if he believes this to be a medical scandal.

  • In 1972, Sweden was the first country to bring in gender recognition.

  • Many studies are funded to procure a certain message.

  • Religions may tell young adults that a platonic kernel exists somewhere within them.

  • Puberty often helps resolve dysphoria. Stella shares her example.

  • Shasha wonders how accurate current psychological assessments are and if they should be used to forecast the future.

  • Jesse describes the subscription-based journalism model.

This podcast is sponsored by ReIME and Genspect. Visit Rethinkime.org and Genspect.org to learn more.

For more about our show: Linktr.ee/WiderLensPod

Discussion about this podcast

Gender: A Wider Lens
Gender: A Wider Lens
In this podcast, now in its fourth year, therapists Stella O'Malley and Sasha Ayad take a deep dive into the psychological and cultural forces impacting the social changes around "gender." Through interviews with researchers, doctors, therapists, parents, detransitioners, and others, Sasha and Stella's podcast is a "must listen" for anyone trying to navigate the current gender landscape. With their sharp analytical minds and deep compassionate hearts, Stella and Sasha have also become known throughout many parent networks as lighthouses in the midst of some very stormy seas. Previous guests include Helen Joyce, Jesse Singal, Leor Sapir, Kathleen Stock, Jamie Reed, Peter Boghossian and more.