From Scribbled Doubts to a Global Awakening
Nancy McDermott reflects on a decade of change in genderland and new Genspect initiatives.
I recently had the strange experience of unexpectedly finding an old notebook from 2015 where I made my very first notes about pediatric gender transition. They are embarrassingly naive. I dutifully recorded everything I read, from the early Dutch studies to glowing press articles praising the wonders of gender-affirming care. Puberty blockers were described as “completely reversible,” “a pause,” “time to think.” Detransition didn’t even warrant a mention. Yet, even then, I had misgivings, scribbled as questions in the margins. Families described uprooting their lives—moving to new schools or cities—so their child could start over as the opposite gender. My notes: “Still possible to change their mind?!” Or “Isn’t gender non-conformity correlated with being gay?” “Caitlyn Jenner and Jazz Jennings seem like different things.” And on Red: A Crayon’s Story, “This feels like a PSYOP!!!”
So much has changed since those early, tentative jottings. A pivotal marker came in 2021 with the founding of Genspect, which has since stood at the forefront of a seismic shift in how we understand and address gender distress. What began as a quiet effort to amplify the voices of concerned parents has grown into a global movement, tracking a steady arc of progress that has exploded into transformative developments over the past month alone.
Moving Away from Medicalization
From 2021 onward, we’ve witnessed nations like Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the UK, Italy, and France begin to pull back on the once-unchallenged use of puberty blockers, recognizing them not as a harmless “pause button” but as a fast track to irreversible medicalization, laden with risks like infertility, sexual dysfunction, bone density loss, heart issues, and the chronic pain so often voiced by detransitioners. This gradual awakening—culminating in the breakthroughs of early 2025—signals a turning point.
Yet the most profound change lies elsewhere: in the growing consciousness among everyday people—“normies,” as we affectionately call them. No longer is this a niche debate confined to activists or academics. Vast numbers of people are now paying attention and grappling with the implications of trans ideology, from its impact on vulnerable youth to its ripple effects across the norms of society. This shift in awareness is the heartbeat of the progress wrought by so many organizations and individuals. It is a quiet revolution that is finally beginning to reshape the conversation.
And just as the broader landscape is evolving, so too are we. Genspect, is poised on the cusp of a new era. Through initiatives like the Beyond Trans program—the world’s only service dedicated to those harmed by gender medicalization—Genspect is expanding its reach. As awareness of medical harms grows and the detransitioner community swells, we’re stepping up, offering compassionate support to those on the brink of transition by connecting them with peers who’ve walked the path before, a method inspired by Dr. Az Hakeem’s work at the Portman Clinic. This careful, peer-matched approach, soon to merge with the Gender Dysphoria Support Network, will create a robust resource hub, including near-daily parent support meetings. Meanwhile, Genspect’s thought leadership is evolving: Gender: A Wider Lens becomes a monthly live Substack event, while new projects—like a Beyond Gender with Mia Hughes and Dr. Bret Alderman exploring the sociological and psychological dimensions of trans issues—push the boundaries of understanding.
One of the most exciting is Genspect’s American College Ratings initiative, which launched in January 2025. This groundbreaking project will assess the influence of trans activism on U.S. campuses, offering clarity to families navigating an increasingly fraught educational landscape. Alongside this, Detrans Awareness Day at Capitol Hill in March and the Bigger Picture Conference in New Mexico in September promise to help Genspect continue its role as a catalyst for change. We hope these efforts alongside our 2024 projects—global expansion, UK advocacy, U.S leadership on ROGD, films, CME accreditation, and policy-shaping amicus briefs— will accelerate the pace of change.
As we close out February 2025, the journey from that naive 2015 notebook feels both distant and urgent. Genspect thrives on community support, and we invite you to join us at genspect.org/donate. Together, we’re fostering a more informed, compassionate approach to gender distress—one that ensures normies, and all of us, can face this complex terrain with eyes wide open.