Fact Check: 216 Instances Of Factual Errors Found In Right-Wing "WPATH Files" Document

Fact Check: 216 Instances Of Factual Errors Found In Right-Wing "WPATH Files" Document
On Monday, anti-trans groups released a set of highly editorialized and decontextualized leaks dubbed the "WPATH Files." A fact check reveals 216 errors, misrepresentations, and faulty citations.

ERIN REED
MAR 5, 2024

On Monday evening, prominent right-wing activist Michael Shellenberger, known for pushing anti-scientific views, released what he dubbed "the WPATH files." In this highly editorialized document, select decontextualized images of forum posts from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health were made public. The document, replete with 37,569 words of editorial commentary before even presenting the so-called leaks, leans heavily into opinion and pseudoscience, urging readers to view it as a "groundbreaking scandal." However, a closer inspection of the actual messages, achievable only after wading through the equivalent of a novella's worth of editorial content, reveals rather mundane and often almost dull exchanges between doctors, psychologists, and therapists. These professionals are seen asking about edge cases and seeking advice from colleagues on patient circumstances. Despite attempts to cast the messages in a negative light, the report significantly misses the mark. In a thorough fact-check of the document, I have uncovered 216 instances of factual inaccuracies, erroneous citations, misinterpretations of what is “leaked,” and purposeful omissions contradicting the authors central editorialized claims.

The files were quickly shared by nearly every major anti-trans organization and journalists aligned with them. Genspect described it as “one of the worst medical scandals in history.” Riley Gaines claimed it unveiled “one of the most profitable yet destructive social experiments in history.” The Alliance Defending Freedom termed it a “deep-rooted medical scandal.” Given the rapid pace at which news stories emerged from these and other organizations, it likely was the result of a coordinated and organized embargo campaign, leaving those in support of care with scant time to review the voluminous documents and respond. In anticipation of such a response, the right-wing, Edelman-funded anti-trans organization FAIR in Medicine even published a fake screenshot of their own analysis of the report, labeling it “true” in a "fact check" with a big red bar—a direct nod to the fact checks presented in my own reports.

See here:


The factual inaccuracies, incorrect citations, and misrepresentations of both the literature and the "leaks" in the report are pervasive, affecting every section. In many instances, the authors reference their "leaks," which are not searchable without optical character recognition (OCR) processing, presumably banking on the assumption that readers will not verify the context, thus missing the misrepresentations. The editorial section serves as a prime example of a "Gish gallop"—a tactic where numerous errors are thrown at once to overwhelm those attempting to critically respond, a strategy first attributed to creationist debater Duane Gish. Given the sheer volume of errors, it is impractical for a single fact-check to address each one comprehensively. Instead, this fact-check will highlight clear examples of each type of error to illustrate the wide chasm between the documented evidence and the report's exaggerated claims.

Misrepresented Citations

The editorialized report relies heavily on citations that are misrepresented, either in terms of what the citations actually claim, their quality, or whether the arguments in the citations support the point being made by the author. For example, one section claims that the WPATH Standards of Care 8th revision “sent shockwaves through the medical profession,” and “provided the catalyst for the Beyond WPATH declaration, now signed by over 2,000 concerned individuals, many of whom are clinicians working with gender diverse young people.” A closer examination of the “Beyond WPATH” letter itself reveals signatories such as “John Howard - DJ” and “Collin Wynter, yoga instructor.” A majority of the signatories appear to be from non-relevant categories, and a significant chunk are not medical providers at all, such as “concerned grandparent” or “parent.” While the report presents the “declaration” as a document of primarily medical professionals, it omits that it is essentially a freely available online petition form.
[…]

JK Rowling Holocaust Denialism: Author Pushes Claims That Trans People Were Not A Target

JK Rowling Holocaust Denialism: Author Pushes Claims That Trans People Were Not A Target
On Wednesday, JK Rowling implied that Nazis never targeted trans people in Germany, calling it "a fever dream." She doubled down when challenged with sources showing trans persecution in Nazi Germany.

ERIN REED
MAR 13, 2024

On Wednesday, J.K. Rowling implicitly denied that transgender individuals were targeted and that books about them were burned in Nazi Germany. This assertion contradicts abundant evidence that transgender people were among the first targeted by the Nazis' rise to power in Germany. This culminated in the looting of the Magnus Hirschfeld Institute of Sexology and the infamous burning of the initial decades of transgender healthcare research, as well as the internment, forced detransition, and murder of transgender citizens. When confronted with numerous scholarly sources, she instead linked to another thread that labeled the first transgender patient a "troubled male.”

The claims emerged after Rowling argued that doctors providing gender affirming care to transgender youth should face prison time. She also advocated for imprisoning leaders of Stonewall and Mermaids, charities serving transgender and queer individuals. Recently, the author has adopted more extreme positions regarding transgender people, including describing a prominent transgender woman and journalist in the United Kingdom as "A man…cosplaying."

The exchange promoting a denial that transgender people were targeted in the Holocaust was triggered by a tweet questioning why individuals like Rowling increasingly find themselves aligned with Nazis, who burned books on transgender healthcare and research in 1933. Rather than defending her position, Rowling seemed to dismiss the notion altogether that transgender individuals were targeted, asking, "How did you type this out and press send without thinking ‘I should maybe check my source for this, because it might’ve been a fever dream’?" When others provided her with sources, she responded by linking to an anti-trans account calling the first transgender woman to undergo gender reassignment surgery in Germany to a "troubled male.” The thread in question also denied that transgender people were targeted by the Holocaust.

Nazis indeed targeted transgender individuals in early Germany. The Institute of Sexology, led by Magnus Hirschfeld, was the first institute to advance the study and medical care of transgender people in Berlin. The institute provided transgender individuals with employment and “transvestite passes” for a form of legal gender recognition in the city. Many frequented safe spaces such as the Eldorado, a club depicted in photographs where trans people are seen smiling and engaging in conversation, dancing, and socializing.

[…]

Space Camp and The X-Men-ification of Trans People

Space Camp and The X-Men-ification of Trans People
The long-running comic has always been an allegory for marginalized groups, but the parallels to the current treatment of trans people by society just keep getting stronger.

PARKER MOLLOY
March 13, 2024

Hey everyone. Parker here.

I came across this story yesterday, and I’ve been frustrated about it ever since. You’ll see why:

https://www.al.com/news/2024/03/alabama-official-calls-for-firing-of-transgender-space-camp-employee-after-parent-speaks-out.html

Alabama official calls for firing of transgender Space Camp employee
after parent speaks out

Several Alabama politicians say they are concerned about children’s safety at Huntsville’s Space Camp after a parent complained about the presence of a transgender employee.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Reps. Dale Strong and Robert Aderholt posted statements on X, formerly known as Twitter, after a parent posted on Facebook complaining about the gender identity of one of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center employees. The topic was also picked up by the Libs of TikTok account.

Clay Yarbrough of Owens Cross Roads, the father of an 11-year-old Huntsville city school student, said he became aware on Thursday evening that a Space Camp crew member is transgender.

His daughter was to attend camp in a week as part of a school exercise, he said.

This should go without saying, but there is nothing wrong with a trans person having a job. And yet that seems to be at the core of the complaint — the mere existence of a trans person at the Space Camp facilities is supposed to be… a fireable offense?

Mr. Yarborough’s accusation sounds absurd, too. He said that he heard that “one little girl had called her parents and said, ‘This guy is in the (dorm) room’ and ‘I don’t feel comfortable.”

Again, even if this second-hand complaint is true, there is nothing scandalous about a trans person having a job that puts them around children. The article notes that all camp staff undergo thorough background checks as a condition of their employment.

Additionally, staff sleep in separate rooms from students and use separate bathroom facilities. We also provide 24-hour onsite security including round-the-clock video surveillance, regular foot and vehicle patrols, and controlled campus and building access,” the center said.

So, it seems more than a bit unlikely that anything at all inappropriate was happening.

And it’s clear from the statements being put out by politicians that, yes, they view the mere presence of a trans person anywhere near a child, even if that is literally their job, as unacceptable. Just look, again, from the AL.com story:

[S]everal members of Alabama’s Congressional delegation spoke out on social media, citing safety concerns but without including specifics.

“I call on the Center to immediately remove this individual and open a safety review to consider the potential harm and damages they have inadvertently caused children,” Strong said in the post. He said putting the “safety and wellbeing (of children) first” is critical.

“It is imperative that Space Camp remains a safe place for children and young people,” Tuberville said. “I urge the Space and Rocket Center to ensure that its reputation as a world-renowned camp remains untarnished by the progressive agenda of today,” Tuberville said.

Aderholt said his “office promptly expressed my concerns directly with Space Camp officials.”

“Parents want to know that when they entrust their children to others...that they will be well looked after and not put into situations that could potentially put them in danger,” Aderholt said.

Rep. Gary Palmer called the situation “unacceptable.”

“When parents send their kids to Space Camp in Alabama, they should be confident they are going to a safe, educational environment,” Palmer said.

As this screenshot, obtained by Evan Urquhart at Assigned Media, shows, Yarbrough’s outrage stemmed from the idea that a trans person (who he refers to as “this freak”) has a job as a team lead at Space Camp and “could be allowed alone in the halls at night.” This is literally just a complaint that a trans person has a job.

[…]

Let kids be kids!

Fact Checked: New Problematic "Finnish Study" Actually Shows Trans Care Saves Lives

Fact Checked: New Problematic "Finnish Study" Actually Shows Trans Care Saves Lives
A new study from Dr. Kaltiala in Finland is being used to claim that trans care is not lifesaving. Experts say this is false, and the study itself shows trans care likely saves lives.

ERIN REED
FEB 25, 2024


A new study in Finland, which is garnering attention among anti-trans activists, is being used to claim that gender-affirming care "is not lifesaving." Journalist Benjamin Ryan explicitly stated this claim when discussing his article published in The New York Post. However, leading researchers, including Dr. Meredithe McNamara from the Yale University School of Medicine and epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, argue that the study's methodology fails to support this conclusion. They point out critical flaws, such as the study controlling for the variable it aims to measure and relying on outdated data from a time before "gender dysphoria" was even recognized as a diagnosis. Moreover, a detailed examination of the study reveals that, despite these issues, gender-affirming care likely reduces the risk of suicide—those who do not receive care face a risk three times higher than controls. Surprisingly, the study's authors do not address this finding.

The new study examines Finnish health data from 1996 to 2022, exploring the connection between gender-affirming care and suicide. Numerous studies have demonstrated that gender-affirming care significantly reduces suicidality, with some showing a decrease in suicidality by up to 73%. However, this study introduces an additional factor: visits to psychiatric specialists. It concludes that, after adjusting for psychiatric specialist visits, the suicide rates among those who undergo medical gender reassignment "did not statistically significantly differ from that of controls." Therefore, the study asserts that the data "does not support the claims that [medical gender reassignment] is necessary to prevent suicide."

Shortly after publication, nearly every organization opposed to gender affirming care publicized the findings widely. Genspect, an organization which has engaged in online teasing of transgender youth, stated the study put the “suicide myth” to rest. Transgender Trend used the study to claim that “medical transition is ineffective in preventing suicide.” Leor Sapir of the Manhattan Institute used the study to claim “the suicide narrative is baseless.” Meanwhile, journalist Benjamin Ryan published a story in the New York Post and claimed the study showed “gender-transition treatment is not life saving.”

A closer examination of the study reveals that it does not support such conclusions. Now, in a thorough and comprehensive fact-check, leading experts refute these assertions by highlighting critical flaws that directly oppose these claims. Ultimately, despite these shortcomings, the study actually suggests that gender-affirming care is lifesaving. This is despite statistical missteps and issues with data sources which, whether intentionally or not, obscure the conclusion supported by the extensive body of research indicating that gender-affirming care saves lives and decreases suicidality.

[…]

After non-binary teen's death, lawmaker says Christians don't "want that filth" in Oklahoma

After non-binary teen's death, lawmaker says Christians don't "want that filth" in Oklahoma
State Sen. Tom Woods said he'd fight "to keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state"
FEB 24, 2024

Earlier this month, Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old non-binary student from Oklahoma, died one day after being assaulted in an Owasso High School bathroom. (The details are still unclear.)

The issue came up on Friday night during a “Legislative Update” featuring several lawmakers and sponsored by the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce. An audience member, Cathy Cott, asked the four Republican members of the legislature why they had “such an obsession with the LGBTQ citizens of Oklahoma and what people do in their personal lives and how they raise their children.”

As reported by the Tahlequah Daily Press, State Sen. Tom Woods offered the worst possible response:

Woods said that while his “heart goes out” regarding the teen’s death, he represents a constituency.

“We are a Republican state—supermajority—in the House and Senate. I represent a constituency that doesn’t want that filth in Oklahoma,” Woods said.

…

“We are a religious state and we are going to fight it to keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state—we are a moral state,” Woods said. “We want to lower taxes and let people be able to live and work and go to the faith they choose. We are a Republican state and I’m going to vote my district, and I’m going to vote my values, and we don’t want that in the state of Oklahoma.”

To put that more bluntly, a Christian lawmaker who fantasizes about living in a theocracy claimed that his religious constituents don’t like it when LGBTQ people are alive.

What exactly was the “filth” he was so concerned about? He didn’t elaborate. It was clear, however, that he was referring to an openly non-binary teen. For people like him, all lives mater, including the unborn… unless they grow up to be LGBTQ. In which case their murders are tolerable in the name of Jesus.
[..]

Right-Wing Trolls Have Worked Themselves Up Over a Nonbinary X-Men Character

Right-Wing Trolls Have Worked Themselves Up Over a Nonbinary X-Men Character
X-Men ’97 drops on Disney+ this March and bigots are big mad.

BY SAMANTHA RIEDEL
February 22, 2024

https://media.them.us/photos/65d78dbad97b7d5cfee74bc9/1:1/w_960,c_limit/morph.jpg

To me, my fake fans! X-Men ’97, Marvel’s forthcoming sequel to the classic 1990s superhero cartoon, has it all: a new trailer, a release date in March, and a pack of enraged right-wingers who insist that comics’ most famous civil rights allegory has “gone woke” by making one of its characters nonbinary.

After more than two years in development, X-Men ’97 is scheduled to drop on Disney+ on March 20, with a 10-episode first season picking up where the original X-Men cartoon left off, with the dramatic death of team founder Professor Charles Xavier. It’s not Xavier or any of the series’ more well-known mutant characters that gripped reactionaries in a panic, though, but rather Morph, a shapeshifter who died in the original series’ first episode (but later returned for complicated comic-book reasons).

According to a feature interview this month with showrunner Beau DeMayo in Empire, Morph, who was originally portrayed as a cisgender man, will instead be characterized as nonbinary. DeMayo later confirmed in a story post on Instagram that this version of Morph uses they/them pronouns. Voice actor JP Karliak, who is openly gay, plays Morph in the new series.

Technically, this is all old news. Morph’s new nonbinary identity was announced at a San Diego Comic-Con panel in 2022, during which DeMayo used they/them pronouns for the character and stated Morph would be “taking on a new persona” compared to their old characterization. The reveal didn’t make a huge splash at the time, possibly because shapeshifters have always been part of nonbinary culture. After the series’ first trailer dropped last week, however, a bevy of right-wing YouTubers and assorted influencers crawled out of the woodwork to complain that going “woke” would make the series “unwatchable.” As Forbes noted, much of the backlash focused on Morph’s updated background being “woke AF,” with ancillary disappointment at the designs for powerhouse hero Rogue — specifically, that her ass cheeks are no longer sufficiently thick. Stay classy, manosphere!
[…]

Republicans Issue New Government Shutdown Threat Over Trans People

Republicans Issue New Government Shutdown Threat Over Trans People
On Wednesday, the House Freedom Caucus issued a letter indicating that the government may shut down if anti-trans polices are not included.

ERIN REED
FEB 21, 2024


On Wednesday, the House Freedom Caucus published a letter threatening a government shutdown in which it outlines a number of policies that are needed to supposedly avert such a result. Listed among these policies are restrictions on gender affirming care, transgender participation in sports, DEI programs, and defunding Planned Parenthood. This comes after nearly a dozen riders targeting transgender people have been inserted into numerous government spending bills that could result in large scale government shutdowns if not handled by March 8th.

In an exclusive released by Axios, Republican sources state that “people are predicting a shutdown.” The report states that one of the primary drivers of the shutdown frustrations are policy riders on gender-affirming care and abortion. Currently, Speaker Mike Johnson’s negotiations reportedly do not include gender affirming care policies, which is upsetting Republicans who have pushed for the inclusion of those policies in the final bill. Biden has stated opposition to any bill that contains them, and the riders did not make the final cut for the previous stopgap budget bill.

Now, in a letter from the House Freedom Caucus, Republicans state that unless these policies are included, the “probability that the appropriations bills will be supported by even a majority of Republicans” is low.

See full letter here:



Increasingly, Democrats and LGBTQ+ organizations have applied pressure on the Biden administration and Democratic leadership not to accept any deal that includes anti-LGBTQ+ riders. In a letter signed by 163 Democratic members of congress, they state that bans on gender affirming care, pride flags, DEI initiatives, and discrimination should not be on the table for negotiation. Human Rights Campaign has likewise released an advertisement echoing that message:

[…]

Trans Adults Are the Next Target in the GOP's War on Gender-Affirming Health Care

Trans Adults Are the Next Target in the GOP’s War on Gender-Affirming Health Care
Last year, 37 medical care bans included regulations on transition treatments for adults. This year, there are already 41 such bills.

BY NICO LANG
February 16, 2024

A year after a wave of anti-trans medical care bans swept the country, Republican lawmakers are already upping the ante in 2024 by targeting trans adults’ access to healthcare.

Just days into the new year, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) attempted to restrict adults’ access to gender-affirming care by issuing an executive order that would have prohibited most primary care providers from providing gender-affirming care to trans people, no matter their age. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio termed it a “de facto ban” on all forms of transition care due to the “cumbersome requirements” it attempted to place on Ohioans seeking transition-related care. (The order also bans transition surgery for minors, something that occurs extremely rarely anyway).

“I don’t know anyone who’s trans right now and is really OK,” Dara Adkinson, the board president of TransOhio, told Them shortly after the order was issued. “So many people are just confused. They feel scared, and they feel stressed. Parents of trans kids ask us: ‘Do I need to move? Will more bad bills be passed next year?’ Truthfully, anything feels on the table at this point. It very much feels like a wall was broken, in the worst kind of way.”

The regulations for trans adults were eventually scrapped following blowback (almost 7,000 pages of emails were sent to the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services during the open comment period for the order). But other state legislatures across the country are picking up where Ohio left off. As of a recent count from Trans Legislation Tracker, over a third of the 120 trans medical care bans already proposed in 2024 include provisions restricting trans adults’ access to care: 41 in total.

According to a representative from the ongoing data project, lawmakers in 13 states have proposed restrictions on adult health care this year, including Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming. The suggested minimum ages for care vary by state. For instance, a bill introduced in Kansas would outlaw gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of 21, and legislation in Oklahoma would have originally extended their prohibition until 26, although the Republican state senator who introduced the bill lowered the age to 18 after backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates.
[…]

Oklahoma transgender student dies after allegedly assaulted by students at school

Oklahoma transgender student dies after allegedly assaulted by students at school

There's an outcry in Oklahoma after the death of a transgender student that has sparked demands for answers.
CHRISTOPHER WIGGINS
FEBRUARY 20 2024 12:56 PM EST

In Oklahoma, the death of a transgender student after they were assaulted in a school bathroom has sparked widespread outrage and sorrow. Nex Benedict, a sophomore at Owasso High School, was brutally beaten by other students earlier this month and died the following day. The incident has drawn national attention, with many attributing the violent act to a culture of transphobia they say is being stoked by state officials.

The assault on Benedict, 16, happened on February 7, when three older girls attacked them in the girls’ bathroom, Tulsa NBC affiliate KJRH reports. A teacher intervened to stop the fight. Staff didn't call an ambulance, the outlet noted.

Benedict's grandmother, who was their guardian, took the teenager to the hospital that day. They went back the next day after Benedict became ill. Benedict died that evening.

The grandmother, Sue Benedict, toldThe Independent that her child had been the subject of months of intensifying bullying that began earlier in 2023 after Oklahoma’s Republican-led government banned transgender students from using school bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

“I didn’t know how bad it had gotten,” she told the outlet.
[…]