
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. www.widerlenspod.com
Latest episodes

May 26, 2023 • 1h 12min
115 — How Online Communities Shape Thought, Desire, and Doubt about Transition: with Eliza Mondegreen
In this episode, Sasha & Stella chat with graduate student and Substack author Eliza Mondegreen, who is dedicated to the study of online trans and detrans communities. She also studies the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs underpinning affirmative care.The conversation with Eliza begins with a deep dive into what led to her intimate exploration of gender. She shares how her history with eating disorders, an early interest in the study of totalitarianism, advocacy work around women’s reproductive health, and her relationship with a close friend during their transition experience all helped pave the way for her intense interest and curiosity about gender, specifically the psychological experience as it relates to projecting distress and the medical interventions for managing the distress. Eliza shares how she explores these concepts in depth through her engagement with online communities (like Reddit) where she observes and reflects on the stories, ideas, and reactions shared by other members inside the internet-based groups.Eliza also speaks about her attendance at both the EPATH conference recently in Ireland, and the WAPTH conference last year in Canada for a fully immersive experience and a first-hand account of the affirmative approach to trans healthcare and medicalization. Eliza writes extensively on her Substack about her encounters and observations, and her first-hand exposure from inside the online and medical communities indulging the identity that is “trans.”Links:gender: hacked by Eliza MondegreenGraduate student researching and writing about all things gender identityhttps://elizamondegreen.substack.comFTM Over 30 | FTM Over 30A place for FTM/FTN/FTX folk over 30 to come together for support and discussion. If your life experiences better align with those who are usually over 30, you're welcome here. https://www.reddit.com/r/FTMOver30/FTM Men | FTM MenA support and community-oriented space for binary FTM men.https://www.reddit.com/r/FTMMen/r/detrans | Detransition SubredditWelcome all detransitioners/desisters and self-questioners.https://www.reddit.com/r/detrans/r/actual detrans | detrans_supportAn alternative to r/detrans that provides support to detransitioners, reidentifiers, retransitioners, and questioners in an environment free from gender-critical ideology and rhetoric.https://www.reddit.com/r/actual_detrans/r/ftm | A place for the guysSupport-based discussion place focused on trans men, trans-masc individuals, and other people assigned female at birth who are trans.https://www.reddit.com/r/ftm/Egg IRL Communityhttps://www.reddit.com/r/egg_irl/EPATHhttps://epath.eu/If you liked this episode, more episodes you might find... This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com/subscribe

May 19, 2023 • 3min
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11 snips
May 19, 2023 • 1h 18min
114 — The Dutch Protocol: A Deprivation of Sexual Development with Julia Mason and Stephen Levine
In the wake of such comprehensive exploration and analysis around the foundational medical research cited time and time again regarding child and adolescent gender transition, the Dutch Protocol, we extended an invitation to Dr. Stephen Levine and Dr. Julia Mason to join us in a discussion about their most recent paper, co-authored together with Zhenya Abbruzzese in a thorough critique of the Dutch Protocol.Dr. Stephen B. Levine is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He is the solo author of five books, all of which are concerned with love and sexuality. He has been teaching, providing clinical care, and writing since 1973 and has generated over 180 publications, 35 of which have been related to gender dysphoria. He and two colleagues received a lifetime achievement Masters and Johnson’s Award from the Society for Sex Therapy and Research in March 2005. His recent publications on gender dysphoria have been read by thousands of people.Dr. Julia Mason is a pediatrician who started medical school in the Medical Scientist Training Program but emerged with a Master's degree in Nutritional Science rather than the planned PhD. This extended her medical education and kept her grounded in the scientific basis of medical care, which may have made her more likely to be skeptical of pediatric “affirmative gender care” when she saw it taking root in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. Julia is a founder and board member of SEGM, the Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine. She is a full-time practicing pediatrician in Gresham Oregon, her gender work is extracurricular and entirely voluntary.Our conversation with Drs. Levine and Mason evolved into a pretty intense exploration of sexuality and the consequences that blocking an adolescent’s puberty has on their developing sexuality. We explore why so many adolescents are consciously or subconsciously seeking to block their sexuality and seek, sometimes desperately, to avoid opportunities for experiencing natural sexual development. And what about the impact and consequences of easy access to extreme varieties of pornography? But most importantly, why are we robbing young people of the opportunity to develop their sexuality? This is the key question. The discovery and exploration of sexual desire are critically important for the adolescent experience. Puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones not only disrupt but eradicate the normative and positive experience of coming to grips with one’s desires and sexual self.Please note that this conversation includes many topics explicit in nature, listener discretion is advised.Links:Co-Authored article with E. AbbruzzeseThe Myth of "Reliable Research" in Pediatric Gender Medicine: A critical evaluation of the Dutch Studies-and research that has followedhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2022.2150346Stephen Levin, MD’s most recent published article with E. Abbruzzese:Current Concerns about Gender-Affirming Therapy in Adolescents https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11930-023-00358-xSelections of Julia Mason, MD’s Published Workhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2022.2046221 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com/subscribe

May 12, 2023 • 2min
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May 12, 2023 • 1h 14min
113 — Gender A Wider Lens LIVE from Ireland
Sasha and Stella are together in the same place! Joined by Lisa Marchiano, this live episode was recorded in Killarney, Ireland, and the Genspect Bigger Picture Conference on April 28, 2023.[22:20] Question from Helen Joyce[32:13] Question from Colin Wright[47:35] Question from Maya Forstater[51:50] Question Jessie Mannisto from Third Factor Magazine[57:00] Question from Lisa Selin Davis[1:00:10] Question from Malcolm Clark[1:01:30] Question from Laura Becker / Funk God Artist[1:05:38] Question Adrian from LGB Alliance USA[1:09:51] Question from Wesley YangLinks:Helen Joyce’s Website:https://thehelenjoyce.com/Helen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HJoyceGenderReality's Last Stand: a publication by biologist Colin Wright dedicated to providing weekly news, articles, and other content about the biology of sex and sex differences, gender ideology, Critical Social Justice, free speech, and related topics.https://www.realityslaststand.com/Colin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwipeWrightMaya Forstater’s Website:https://www.forstater.com/Maya on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MForstaterSex Matters: a UK-based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to re-establish that sex matters in rules, laws, policies, language, and culture.https://sex-matters.org/Third Factor Magazine: a magazine, community, and resource hub for navigating positive disintegration and reintegration — all about questioning, creativity, character, and courage.https://www.thirdfactor.org/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThirdFactorMagJessie Mannisto on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jlmannistoBROADview by Lisa Selin Davis: A newsletter about the gender culture wars, & the history, science, psychology & politics of gender nonconformity — misunderstood by the Right and Left. Where do our ideas of normal for boys and girls come from? Speaking the unspeakable. Pro-complexity.https://lisaselindavis.substack.com/ Lisa Selin Davis’s Website: http://www.lisaselindavis.com/Lisa on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaSelinDavis Malcolm Clark on Substack: Making science and history documentaries for global broadcasters. Campaigning against gender ideology and puberty blockers.https://substack.com/@malcolmrichardclarkMalcolm on Twitter: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com/subscribe

May 5, 2023 • 1min
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May 5, 2023 • 1h 14min
112 — Jamie Reed: “Every Ethical Line I Drew Was Walked On… We Are Hurting People”
In this episode, hear a personal first-hand whistleblower account of the harmful practices taking place inside an American gender clinic. Jamie Reed, a former Case Manager at the Washington University School of Medicine Pediatric Transgender Center at St Louis Children’s Hospital reflects on her experiences inside the clinic that ultimately lead to her profound decision to file for whistleblower protection from the Missouri Attorney General’s office to publicly express her concerns with the judgment and care provided for the patients at the gender clinic.Jamie, who herself identifies in the LGBTQIA community and is also a proud parent of five children, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Cultural Anthropology and a Master’s of Science in Clinical Research Management. In her conversation with Sasha & Stella, along with her attorney, Vernadette Broyles, not only does Jamie describe the experiences that led to the ultimate formal filing of her concerns, but both Jamie and Vernadette speak to the protections available to other clinicians and workers in this field that feel too intimidated to speak out about their observations and concerns.Vernadette Ramirez Broyles is the President and General Counsel of Child Parental Rights Campaign, Inc., a not-for-profit public interest law firm that engages in litigation and advocacy across the country to protect children’s health and defend parental rights from the impacts of gender identity ideology. Ms. Broyles received her law degree from Harvard Law School and received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Yale University.Links:Affidavit of Jamie Reedhttps://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/2-07-2023-reed-affidavit---signed.pdf Child & Parental Rights Campaign, Inc.https://childparentrights.org/Other Recent Features of Jamie Reed’s Story:Appearance on the Transparency Podcasthttps://youtu.be/N7BkuJBwbUUAppearance on the Triggernometry Podcasthttps://youtu.be/gbuGMbqjsSwInterview with The Free Presshttps://youtu.be/_6sPG7gleOsFree Press Article: https://www.thefp.com/p/i-thought-i-was-saving-trans-kidsArticle by Jesse Singal https://jessesingal.substack.com/p/gender-clinic-whistleblower-jamieWPATH SOC8: https://www.wpath.org/soc8Please visit www.widerlenspod.com to explore more content, access additional resources, or join our listener community.For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s private membership groups:Sasha Ayad: https://inspiredteentherapy.com/parent-coachingStella O’Malley: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com/subscribe

Apr 28, 2023 • 2min
Premium: Should We Keep Our Gender Clinic Appointment?
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12 snips
Apr 28, 2023 • 1h 12min
Flashback Episode | 41 - Trans: A Conversation with Helen Joyce
In honor of Helen Joyce’s keynote appearance at the 2023 Genspect Conference: The Bigger Picture, we wanted to revisit our conversation with her from 2021 shortly after the release of her book, Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality. So this episode is a replay of her prior appearance on our show. And now we find ourselves almost two years later from this recording and she continues her work around sex and gender. She recently announced her decision to leave her senior editorial role at the Economist and is devoting her efforts full-time as the Director of Advocacy at Sex Matters. She has since worked tirelessly to defend women’s rights to single-sex spaces against the encroachment of gender self-ID and trans rights activism.Joyce’s address at the 2023 conference presents the cultural and sociological impact of gender identity beliefs as well as the disastrous effects of gender identity ideology on the health care of those suffering from gender distress. She then teams up with colleague Maya Forstater, Executive Director of Sex Matters, for a panel discussion on the topic of gender-critical beliefs and their protection under the UK Equality Act. Visit Genspect.org for more about Joyce’s appearance at the April 2023 conference.Links:Tune in to https://www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod Friday, Apr 28, 2023 @ 7pm (IST)Gender: A Wider Lens will be streaming live from Killarney, Ireland at the 2023 Genspect Conference: The Bigger Picture.Sex Matters: a UK-based not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to re-establish that sex matters in rules, laws, policies, language, and culture.https://sex-matters.org/ Genspect Speakers PlaylistMany of the esteemed speakers participating in The Bigger Picture have previously been guests on our show. Click the link below to access a playlist composed of GWL episodes involving speakers from the 2023 Genspect Conference.https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLngVCeAoK6vuWE4sNG_fi5nnz-d1xQEBiHelen Joyce’s Website: Thehelenjoyce.comHelen on Twitter: Twitter.com/HJoyceGenderBook Review by Jesse Singal Nytimes.com/2021/09/07/books/review/trans-helen-joyce.htmlHelen’s interview with Andrew Doyle:Youtube.com/watch?v=KAYR8GUJsqoStella’s Book Review in The Evening Standard: Standard.co.uk/culture/books/trans-when-ideology-meets-reality-helen-joyce-review-b944183.htmlBecoming Julia (Gender Transition Documentary): YouTube.com/watch?v=kNjV37vp5qkThe End of the World is Flat by Simon Edge: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com/subscribe

Apr 21, 2023 • 3min
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