What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report includes a recap of the previous week’s content from Reality’s Last Stand and Citation Needed, a curated reading list of the week’s best articles from around the web, and a quick-hit summary of the most important, sane, and insane news items you might’ve missed.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

I co-host a weekly podcast called Citation Needed with journalist and political commentator Brad Polumbo. Each week, we dig into absurd, ideological, or just plain bad academic papers and media narratives, breaking them down with science, reason, and a proper amount of humor to keep us (and our viewers/listeners) sane. It’s separate from Reality’s Last Stand, but if you’re a reader here, you’ll feel right at home.

This week’s episode is for supporters only. Our two segments cover:

• A new paper debunking the pseudoscience behind Caster Semenya’s eligibility in women’s sports.

• A master’s thesis that insists fairy tales need to be queered to resist oppression and dismantle whiteness.

If you want access to next week’s episode, and every other one beyond that, subscribe now and get 20 percent off with the promo code "RLS DISCOUNT." You’ll also get to join our community, suggest papers for us to cover, and participate in behind-the-scenes discussions.

GO TO CITATION NEEDED

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is back—now hitting your inbox every Sunday! Each edition includes a recap of the previous week’s content from Reality’s Last Stand and Citation Needed, a curated reading list of the week’s best articles from around the web, and a quick-hit summary of the most important, sane, and insane news items you might’ve missed.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

I co-host a weekly podcast called Citation Needed with journalist and political commentator Brad Polumbo. Each week, we dig into absurd, ideological, or just plain bad academic papers and media narratives, breaking them down with science, reason, and a proper amount of humor to keep us (and our viewers/listeners) sane. It’s separate from Reality’s Last Stand, but if you’re a reader here, you’ll feel right at home.

Every other episode is paywalled, but this week’s episode is totally free. We cover two wild stories:

1. A white man who lied about his identity to win awards for his intentionally awful poetry.

2. A new peer-reviewed study that flips the script on the transgender bullying narrative.

If you want access to next week’s episode, and every other one beyond that, subscribe now and get 20 percent off with the promo code "RLS DISCOUNT." You’ll also get to join our community, suggest papers for us to cover, and participate in behind-the-scenes discussions.

GO TO CITATION NEEDED

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every week for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

The Illusion of Consensus Podcast

Last week I had the pleasure of talking with Rav Arora, an essayist and co-founder of with Stanford health professor Jay Bhattacharya. We covered a lot of ground, from the definition of sex, the importance of sex-based language in law, male and female sports, and more.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every week for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

An Evening with Richard Dawkins

I am honored to be hosting Richard Dawkins in Portland, OR, on October 4 at the Schnitzer Concert Hall! Tickets to this event are available now at the link below.

Please comment any questions you would like me to ask him.

BUY TICKETS

Endangering Vulnerable Kids | Christina Buttons

For City Journal, Christina Buttons, an independent journalist, wrote about the potentially harmful effects of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's child welfare policies, particularly focusing on the recently enacted Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act. While hailed by progressives as a step towards racial equity, the law has raised concerns for endangering some of the state's most vulnerable children. The legislation aims to reduce racial disparities in child protection cases by making it more difficult to remove "disproportionately represented" children, such as those from Black or minority backgrounds, from homes where they may face neglect or abuse. However, critics argue that this approach has kept children in unsafe environments under the guise of promoting racial equity, potentially exposing them to further harm.

Buttons highlights the troubling trends in Minnesota's child welfare system, pointing out that Black children are disproportionately represented in child maltreatment cases and face a higher risk of fatal outcomes. She underscores the law's provisions that weaken the standards for removing children from harmful situations and prioritize rapid reunification with families, despite Minnesota's high rate of failed reunifications and repeat abuse cases. The article further critiques the redefinition of terms like "imminent physical danger," which may prevent necessary interventions in cases of parental substance abuse—a significant factor in many child welfare cases. According to Buttons, these policy changes, while intended to address racial disparities, could inadvertently lead to more preventable deaths among vulnerable children, raising serious concerns about the direction of Minnesota’s child welfare reforms.

Read the full article.

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every week for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

Genspect’s “The Bigger Picture” Conference 2024

Come to Lisbon, Portugal, next month (September 27-29) for a comprehensive three-day conference that brings together experts from various fields within the gender discourse, including scientists, researchers, legal professionals, medical practitioners, psychologists, sociologists, educators, feminists, and detransitioners. The event challenges the evidence base for gender medicine and addresses the widespread damage that gender identity ideology has wrought.

With a focus on “Reframing the Future,” Genspect is dedicated to shifting the conversation from identifying problems to exploring solutions. Presentations, panel discussions, debates, and a live-stream interview ensure that all sides of this complex issue are addressed in a compelling manner.

BUY TICKETS

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every week for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

A Fireside Chat with Richard Dawkins and Colin Wright

I am extremely thrilled to announce that I'll be sharing a stage with Richard Dawkins in Portland, OR, at the Schnitzer Concert Hall on October 4! We’ll be having an open conversation about science, evolution, and his new book, The Genetic Book of the Dead: A Darwinian Reverie (PREORDER*).

My old friends will know that Richard Dawkins is my #1 intellectual hero, and I would not have become an evolutionary biologist myself without his inspiration. Words cannot express how honored and grateful I am to have been chosen to join him on stage. It's literally a dream come true.

Tickets are available NOW at the link below!

BUY TICKETS NOW

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

Ralston College MA in the Humanities

In an era where higher education regularly prioritizes conformity over genuine exploration, Ralston College emerges as a beacon of intellectual freedom. Committed to the principles of truth, freedom, beauty, and fellowship, the college champions a rigorous pursuit of knowledge, fostering open, uncensored discourse across diverse disciplines. It rejects divisive ideologies, promoting instead a holistic appreciation of profound ideas and artistic expressions.

I am excited about Ralston College because it’s more than an institution—it’s part of a movement dedicated to rekindling the great traditions of thought, art, and community that have historically propelled human culture forward.

If you are driven by a passion for deep understanding and a desire to contribute meaningfully to societal and cultural discourse, consider applying to their program!

APPLY NOW

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is back and will resume its regular weekly schedule.

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

Ralston College MA in the Humanities

In an era where higher education regularly prioritizes conformity over genuine exploration, Ralston College emerges as a beacon of intellectual freedom. Committed to the principles of truth, freedom, beauty, and fellowship, the college champions a rigorous pursuit of knowledge, fostering open, uncensored discourse across diverse disciplines. It rejects divisive ideologies, promoting instead a holistic appreciation of profound ideas and artistic expressions.

I am excited about Ralston College because it’s more than an institution—it’s part of a movement dedicated to rekindling the great traditions of thought, art, and community that have historically propelled human culture forward.

If you are driven by a passion for deep understanding and a desire to contribute meaningfully to societal and cultural discourse, consider applying to their program!

APPLY NOW

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

New Video/Podcast

I will begin producing video and audio content to address debates, scientific papers, and articles that promote pseudoscience in areas like the biology of sex and evolution, which have been unnecessarily politicized. My goal is to offer subscribers more diverse ways to engage with my content and to enable quicker responses to issues due to the shorter production time required for videos compared to writing full articles.

The first video I created analyzes a recent debate on the question “Is Sex Binary?” featuring Dr. Alex Byrne and Dr. Holly Lawford-Smith versus Dr. Alice Dreger and Aaron Kimberly.

Feedback is not only welcome, but highly encouraged! Paying subscribers can watch the full video below.

Watch the full video!

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

Ralston College MA in the Humanities

In an era where higher education regularly prioritizes conformity over genuine exploration, Ralston College emerges as a beacon of intellectual freedom. Committed to the principles of truth, freedom, beauty, and fellowship, the college champions a rigorous pursuit of knowledge, fostering open, uncensored discourse across diverse disciplines. It rejects divisive ideologies, promoting instead a holistic appreciation of profound ideas and artistic expressions.

I am excited about Ralston College because it’s more than an institution—it’s part of a movement dedicated to rekindling the great traditions of thought, art, and community that have historically propelled human culture forward. Their MA in the Humanities program exemplifies this mission by exploring the theme of “Nature,” tracing its philosophical and artistic interpretations through history. As a biologist, I can’t think of a better framework!

If you are driven by a passion for deep understanding and a desire to contribute meaningfully to societal and cultural discourse, consider applying to their program. The deadline for applications is April 30th.

APPLY NOW

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

I recently had the pleasure of joining Stella O’Malley and Sasha Ayad on the Gender: A Wider Lens podcast. We discussed a wide range of topics, including gender, sex, intersex conditions, hormonal interventions, sexual signaling, behavioral differences, and much more. It was an incredibly enjoyable conversation, and I think you'll really appreciate it.

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

Sex Pseudoscience Captures Cell

Last week, the eminent journal Cell, known for its illustrious contributions to the world of biology—like discovering microRNA and uncovering pivotal secrets of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing—decided to take a walk on the wild side. It published a paper by Beans Velocci (they/them), an assistant professor steeped in the History and Sociology of Science and an aficionado of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. This paper, drenched in activist lingo and nods to “other ways of knowing” (whatever those might be), sticks out like a sore thumb in Cell’s otherwise groundbreaking catalog.

Velocci’s paper concluded that “The answer to the question ‘What is sex?’ is, in both theory and practice, just about everything, and therefore also nearly nothing. This exercise demonstrates that sex is an incoherent category, one that has perhaps outlived its use.”

How, you ask, did Velocci arrive at this bewildering conclusion? By the sophisticated method of asking students “What is sex?” and charting their bewildered responses. Given the tidal wave of pseudoscientific takes on sex flooding our discourse, it’s no surprise the students were perplexed. Yet, rather than seeing this as a teachable moment to clarify basic biology and teach the students the correct meaning of sex, Velocci took their confusion as a sign that the term “sex” itself must be meaningless.

Biologist Jerry Coyne has a more in-depth writeup on this paper over at his website Why Evolution Is True that I recommend reading.

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

Book Me For a Talk

The rise of sex pseudoscience and the outright denial of male and female as natural, real categories are leading to widespread confusion, the undermining of women's sex-based rights, and medical harm. To combat this ideology and maintain our grip on reality—not just in basic biology but against any fact activists seek to distort—it is paramount. If they can convince people to deny the reality of male and female, they can convince people to deny anything.

To address this, I developed my talk “The Sex Binary: What It Is and Why It Matters.” This presentation aims to provide viewers with a deep understanding of the biology of sex, empowering them to counter this reality-denying pseudoscience in their communities, schools, and medical establishments.

I am available to give this talk at your school, conference, or event. The talk itself is roughly 30 minutes long, but can be made shorter or longer depending on your needs. I also encourage setting aside enough time for a substantive Q&A, where the questions of audience members who disagree with me are prioritized.

To view the entire talk, click HERE.

If you are interested in booking me for an event, please complete the form at the link below with details, and we can arrange something.

BOOK DR. WRIGHT

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

The Latest Steps of Human Evolution

A new paper in the journal Quaternary Environments and Humans by Walter Neves and colleagues furthers our understanding of human evolution, particularly focusing on the later periods. Over the past twenty years, new discoveries and technologies have expanded our knowledge of where and how early humans lived, including finding new fossil remains and reevaluating the age of existing ones with more precise methods. These developments have sparked new discussions about how Neanderthals and modern humans (Homo sapiens) interacted, the search for their common ancestor, and the broader picture of human lineage evolution.

The researchers conducted a detailed study comparing the skull shapes (cranial morphology) of 86 well-preserved fossil specimens from Europe, Africa, and Asia dating back to the last 500,000 years. They used 25 different measurements to analyze the skulls and applied statistical methods to examine the relationships between different ancient human species, including the varied forms grouped under the term “Homo heidelbergensis.”

Their findings challenge the idea that all these specimens could belong to a single species and add evidence to the theory that modern humans originated in Africa. This work not only sheds light on the complex paths of human evolution but also contributes to ongoing debates about our origins and the diversity of ancient humans.

Read the full paper.

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers. It includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of interesting opinion pieces with summaries from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

This week’s Reality Report is free, so be sure to upgrade to a paid subscription to gain full access future reports. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Subscribe now

Interview with Dr. Carrie Mendoza

This is a very important interview of Dr. Carrie Mendoza, an emergency medicine physician and an advocate for the depoliticization of health care and education.

“The detransitioners … There aren’t services for them … There’s not even a billing code. If you don’t have a billing code, you can’t be in the insurance stream, right? So, you’re kind of like a non-existent person in the medical world. But yet, these are young kids who’ve had surgeries, or some now need hormone replacement because they’ve had their ovaries removed,” says Dr. Mendoza.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW

I Was Told to Approve All Teen Gender Transitions. I Refused. | Tamara Pietzke

For The Free Press, Tamara Pietzke, a therapist with over a decade of experience turned whistleblower, wrote about her grave concerns with the practice of "affirmative care" in therapy, particularly regarding young clients experiencing gender dysphoria. Pietzke, a single mother and a therapist who worked in the Puget Sound area, shares her journey from personal tragedy to her profession, aiming to provide a safe space for individuals to navigate their mental health challenges. However, her experience at MultiCare, a major hospital system in Washington State, led her to resign due to the push towards immediate affirmation of a patient's expressed gender identity without considering the comprehensive mental health assessment and potential underlying issues.

Pietzke criticizes the shift towards a diagnostic and treatment model that prioritizes gender affirmation over thorough evaluation, highlighting several cases from her practice that illustrate her concerns. She argues that this approach disregards the complex interplay of mental health conditions and may rush patients, especially minors, into irreversible medical transitions without adequate consideration of their broader mental health needs.

Her account raises alarms about the potential long-term harm to patients and the ethical implications for therapists forced to navigate between professional judgment and institutional directives promoting gender-affirming care without sufficient evidence of its safety and efficacy.

Read the full article.

Against Human Resources | Helen Andrews

In an essay for The Lamp, Helen Andrews, editor of the American Conservative and author, examines the transformation and implications of the Human Resources (HR) department from its origins to its modern form. Andrews tracks the evolution of HR, noting its shift from a focus on interpersonal management to a bureaucratic system emphasizing psychological over economic aspects of work. She critiques the development of HR into a field concerned more with employees' feelings than their welfare, and explores historical milestones like the Hawthorne experiment that underscored treating workers as individuals. This evolution, Andrews argues, has led to HR practices based on unproven claims, affecting workplace culture and legal norms.

Andrews further discusses the impact of HR's rise, including the feminization of the workplace and the sidelining of traditional male dynamics. She contrasts HR with unionism, highlighting the different assumptions underpinning each and questioning the necessity of HR in its current form. The essay suggests that HR's focus on subjective feelings and compliance with anti-discrimination laws has complicated workplace relations and legal standards, raising questions about the value and efficiency of HR departments in contemporary corporate culture.

She concludes by questioning the necessity of HR departments, pointing out their role in perpetuating ambiguous legal standards and fostering a corporate culture that may be overly cautious and unproductive. Andrews suggests that the proliferation of HR has not only reshaped workplace dynamics but also reflects broader societal shifts regarding gender roles and employment practices.

Read the full article.

The ‘Intersectionality’ Canard | Wilfred Reilly

For National Review, Wilfred Reilly, an associate professor of political science at Kentucky State University, wrote about the mainstream resurgence of intersectionality and its implications in the current national debate over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), among other topics. Reilly critiques the simplistic application of intersectionality in analyzing issues like wage gaps and discrimination, arguing that it overlooks the multifaceted factors influencing individual experiences. He points out that the concept, originally intended to highlight the compounded effects of various forms of discrimination, has been adopted by organizations like the United Nations but is often applied without adequately considering all relevant variables. This approach, according to Reilly, fails to account for the complexity of factors beyond race and gender that can impact outcomes, such as socio-economic status, personal choices, and geographical location.

Reilly further illustrates his point by dissecting commonly cited examples of inequality, such as the wage gap between men and women and disparities in police shootings, demonstrating that these gaps significantly narrow or disappear when additional variables are considered. He argues that serious analysis often reveals that what is attributed to discrimination can be explained by differences in choices, lifestyles, and other non-discriminatory factors. Through this critique, Reilly challenges the prevailing narrative of intersectionality, suggesting that a more nuanced understanding of individual experiences and outcomes is necessary.

He concludes by advocating for a focus on the individual as the "smallest and most vulnerable" minority, implying that the current discourse on intersectionality and privilege overlooks the complex reality of personal circumstances and societal dynamics.

Read the full article.

Coleman Hughes Wants a Colorblind America. So Should We. | Grayson Slover

For the FAIR Substack, Grayson Slover, a freelance writer and the author of Middle Country: An American Student Visits China’s Uyghur Prison-State, delved into the evolution of racial justice discourse in America, contrasting the ideals of the Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with those of the Black Power movement and contemporary perspectives on race. Slover references historical events and studies from the 1960s to highlight the widespread support for Dr. King's approach to racial equality, which emphasized integration and non-violence, over the more militant and separatist ideologies of the Black Power movement. Despite legislative victories such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the movement faced significant challenges, including violent riots and the emergence of a competing vision for racial justice in America.

Slover further discusses the present-day relevance of these historical debates through the lens of Coleman Hughes' book, The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America. Hughes criticizes modern "anti-racists" or "neoracists" for deviating from Dr. King's vision, accusing them of misinterpreting and weaponizing his legacy to support a racially divisive ideology that prioritizes race consciousness over colorblindness. Hughes argues for a return to the principles of the Civil Rights movement, advocating for policies and personal conduct that are blind to race, in line with Dr. King's dream.

Slover's analysis presents a critical examination of the shift in racial justice philosophies over time, highlighting the tension between the ideals of colorblindness and race-consciousness in the ongoing struggle to achieve racial equality in America.

Read the full article.

Our Professional Psychiatric Association Has Abandoned Evidence-Based Care | Miriam Grossman

For the Dallas Morning News, Miriam Grossman, a practicing child and adolescent psychiatrist and a senior fellow at Do No Harm, critiques the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) latest publication, Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care, arguing it deviates from evidence-based, ethical standards. Grossman asserts the guide politicizes psychiatric care, challenging scientific neutrality and the binary understanding of gender as mythical, thus undermining the credibility and mission of the APA. She highlights the book's ideologically driven content, including claims that deny the binary existence of male and female and propose that psychiatry and psychology have oppressed transgender youths. Grossman emphasizes that the book's recommendations are not based on reliable evidence and critiques its advocacy for interventions like puberty blockers and hormone treatments without acknowledging the associated risks and long-term effects, branding the guide more as a political manifesto than a scientific resource.

Furthermore, Grossman raises concerns over the lack of mention of systematic reviews in the text, which are crucial for evidence-based medicine, and points out the international shift towards psychotherapy and cautious approach to gender-affirming care in minors. She criticizes the book's misleading information about the reversibility and safety of puberty blockers and hormone treatments, citing the absence of long-term data and the potential for serious side effects. By demanding unconditional support for self-diagnosed gender dysphoria in children and overlooking the need for rigorous peer review, the publication, according to Grossman, risks causing iatrogenic harm.

Grossman concludes by calling for the APA to retract "Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care" until concerns are addressed, underscoring the duty of the psychiatric profession to uphold ethical standards and protect patients from ideologically motivated practices.

Read the full article.

Where Did All the Weird Nerd Women Go? | Eliza Mondegreen

For Genspect, Eliza Mondegreen, a graduate student in psychiatry, published her her in-depth conversation with Nicole Rainey regarding the pervasive influence of gender identity in online fandom communities. This discussion delves into how gender identity dynamics have fundamentally altered the landscape of these spaces, transforming them from mere hubs of shared interests into environments deeply intertwined with discussions and expressions of gender. The interview starts with Rainey's observation of how gender identity has saturated every hobby and community she has been part of since the early 2000s, highlighting the complex interplay between gender, creativity, and social interaction within these spaces. The interview reveals the challenges and nuances of navigating female-dominated spaces that are increasingly focused on gender identity, discussing the impacts of this shift on community culture, personal identity, and creative expression.

The interview further explores the dichotomy of positive and negative aspects within these communities, emphasizing the significant role they play in fostering creativity, collaboration, and a sense of belonging among their members. Despite the challenges, Rainey articulates the value and joy found in the camaraderie and creative output of these spaces, while also critiquing the toxicity and drama that often pervade them. The conversation shifts towards a broader reflection on the evolution of online spaces, the intersection of neurodiversity and gender identity, and the implications for personal and community growth.

Rainey's experiences and insights shed light on the intricate ways in which gender ideology has become a central, yet contentious, element of online fandom cultures, raising questions about identity, creativity, and the future of these communities.

Read the full article.

Why the ‘Be Kind’ Era Is Bad for Women | Julie Burchill

For Spiked, columnist Julie Burchill wrote about the perceived shift in societal values towards promoting kindness and self-care among children, particularly through events like a free kindness workshop for children aged four to 10 at a garden centre in Brighton. Burchill criticizes this trend as a move away from instilling resilience and toughness in children, suggesting instead that it leads to overprotection and fails to address the real issues affecting the mental health of young people. She questions the focus on female participants in such initiatives and hints at a broader societal push towards conditioning females to be kind, a trait she argues is now being exploited to enforce gender ideology at the expense of women's rights and spaces.

Further, Burchill expands on the theme of enforced kindness as a tool of suppression, especially against women, in the context of gender ideology and the trans rights movement. She describes how this ideology demands that women not only acquiesce their spaces and rights but also engage in what she views as deceitful affirmations of trans women, which she argues is detrimental in the long term. Burchill criticizes certain factions within the Labour Party, referring to them as "Transmaids," for promoting these beliefs at the expense of women's safety and biological realities.

She concludes by questioning the appropriateness of the “be kind” mantra in a world where young men hold regressive views on rape and domestic violence, suggesting that a tougher stance might be more beneficial for girls growing up in such an environment.

Read the full article.

Nope, Alberta’s Gender Policy Isn’t a Matter of ‘Life and Death’ | Rahim Mohamed

For National Post, Rahim Mohamed, a political columnist based in Calgary, wrote about the widespread backlash against Alberta's proposed policies concerning transgender minors. He highlights the protests and political opportunism surrounding these policies, emphasizing the critique that they could lead to an increase in suicide attempts among transgender youth. Mohamed points out that this claim, often repeated by progressive groups and individuals like former Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, is based on a limited evidence base. He scrutinizes the reliance on studies from the Trevor Project, a U.S.-based organization, for data supporting these claims, noting the organization's vested interest in promoting transgender-inclusive policies and the methodological flaws in their research.

Mohamed further critiques the Trevor Project's influence on Canadian legislation and questions the impartiality of its research due to its advocacy role. He contrasts the Trevor Project's findings with other studies that question the effectiveness of gender-affirming treatments on mental health outcomes and suicide rates. Additionally, Mohamed discusses Alberta's forthcoming policies aimed at balancing restrictions on transgender youth with measures to support their dignity and inclusion, criticizing the simplistic opposition from critics.

He calls for a more nuanced debate on the issue, free from the emotionally charged tactics used by groups like the Trevor Project, to better address the complex needs of transgender-identifying children and their families in Alberta.

Read the full article.

Other Good Reads

The Spiral of Tokenism: Part 1 | Sarah Haider

The Ghost of Joe McCarthy | Carol Tavris

Guilt-Tripping Our Way to Self-Destruction | Laura Hollis

TOP STORY

American College of Pediatricians: Gender-Reassignment Treatments Have No Mental Health Benefits

For The Epoch Times, award-winning investigative journalist Jana J. Pruet wrote about the American College of Pediatricians' (ACPeds) opposition to "gender-affirming" treatments for youth with gender dysphoria. Pruet's article highlights the ACPeds' review of over 60 studies, which found no long-term evidence that mental health concerns are decreased or alleviated after such treatments. The group, expressing concern over high rates of mental health problems among transgender youth, criticized the support of gender transition by parents, healthcare, and educational professionals as potentially contributing to increased depression in affected individuals. ACPeds urges medical professionals and parents to address underlying mental illnesses and family dysfunction, rather than affirming the youth's dysphoria through medical or surgical interventions.

The article also delves into ACPeds' stance on the terminology and outcomes of gender transition, arguing that terms like "transgender" and "transition" are misleading because they suggest a change in sex or sexual/gender identity, rather than a change in appearance or presentation. ACPeds points to studies indicating higher rates of suicide attempts among those who have undergone gender-reassignment interventions, challenging the notion that such treatments save lives. Furthermore, the group advocates for intensive psychotherapy to address the root causes of gender dysphoria and warns against the life-long consequences of transitioning during adolescence, including sterility and loss of sexual function.

Pruet's coverage of ACPeds' position sheds light on the complex debate surrounding gender-affirming treatments for youth, emphasizing a cautious approach that prioritizes mental health and family support.

Read the full article.

OTHER NEWS

Insanity Section

• Ford Says Ontario Will Not Change Gender Identity Policies, Including in Schools, as Alberta Did

• California School Spending $250,000 on ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Training as Test Scores Plunge

• WHO Taps Gender Ideologues, Activists to Develop Guidelines on Trans Medicine

• Metro Vancouver Transit Police Say They “Don’t Know” Whether Sexual Assault Suspect Is Male Or Female Despite Having Semen Evidence

• Trans-Identified Male Charged with Sexual Assault of Teen Boy, Reported As “Woman”

Sanity Section

• Detransitioner Kellie Pirie Says Alberta Is Doing the Right Thing

• Poilievre Condemns Attempts to ‘Misrepresent’ Conservatives on Alberta’s Child Transition Restrictions Policy

• Senator Defends Suspended Councillor Who Spoke Out on Trans Issues

• Ohio DOH Announced Reforms To Proposed Rules for Trans Health Care

• Doctors, Nurses and Medical Groups Urge Province To Walk Back Plans To Limit Gender-Affirming Care

Jonathan Haidt explains how woke identity politics is “making students less wise.”

Subscribe now

Share

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers and includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of summarized interesting opinion pieces from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below!

Subscribe now

Richard Dawkins Endorses My ‘Sex Binary’ Lecture

Last Tuesday, renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins offered high praise for my lecture on the sex binary, which I delivered at Genspect’s “The Bigger Picture” conference last year in Denver, CO. He described my lecture as “superbly clear and totally correct,” and reiterated several of my talk’s main points: “There are only 2 sexes & they’re defined by gamete size. Convoluted attempts to deny binary sex are like Ptolemaic epicycles.”

For those who may not know, Dawkins has been an intellectual hero of mine for quite some time. He inspired me to become an evolutionary biologist and instilled in me the value of speaking and pursuing the truth no matter what. In my first ever public essay on the topic of sex denying pseudoscience, “The New Evolution Deniers,” which was published in Quillette in 2018, I wrote:

I did not train to be a scientist for over a decade just to sit quietly while science in general, and my field in particular, comes under attack from activists who subvert truth to ideology and narrative. When I reflect on my initial reasons over a decade ago for choosing a career as an academic scientist, it was largely due to the inspiration I felt from outspoken public intellectuals like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Stephen Fry, and the late Christopher Hitchens, who led by example and followed reason wherever it took them.

This endorsement from Dawkins means the world to me, and I am hopeful that it will help spread awareness about this long-neglected, yet extremely important, issue.

If you haven’t seen it already, you can watch my full lecture below.

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers and includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of summarized interesting opinion pieces from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below!

Subscribe now

Dear SPLC, Debate Me on the Biology of Sex

In a recent podcast I did with the Daily Signal, I have publicly invited the SPLC to debate me on what they label as “anti-LGBTQ+ pseudoscience,” particularly concerning transgender issues and the biology of sex. The SPLC recently published a lengthy report, which is riddled with inaccuracies and lacking in serious engagement with the criticisms of the transgender movement. They’ve accused me of promoting “pseudoscience,” a claim I vehemently dispute.

The SPLC’s approach is more of a smear campaign than a scholarly critique. My stance is rooted in scientific inquiry and the quest for truth, which contrasts sharply with what I perceive as the politically motivated endeavors of some activists in humanities disciplines. My aim is to clarify the biology of sex, which is being obscured by radical ideological narratives.

I believe that open, honest debate is essential, especially on topics that bear significant societal and individual consequences when fundamental aspects of our biology are misunderstood or misrepresented. If anyone from the SPLC wants to sit down and discuss/debate the biology of sex with me, I am more than willing. It would be a great opportunity for them to embarrass me by exposing my “pseudoscience” to the world.

Read or listen to my full interview on the Daily Signal podcast.

Sex and ‘Gender’ X Space

Last Friday, and I hosted an engaging X Space session where we delved into the biology of sex, gender ideology, and answered questions from the audience. The atmosphere was relaxed and informal, and we plan on hosting these sessions every Friday at 6:00pm CT.

We welcome everyone to join, participate in the discussion, and ask questions. For those unable to attend, I'll be uploading the audio recordings to future Reality Reports, allowing you to listen at your convenience.

Please consider joining us next week at the same place and time. We encourage differing viewpoints, provided they are expressed politely and sincerely.

NDT News Today: Defending Laws ‘Rooted in Reality’

Last week, I was featured on NTD News Today, hosted by David Lam. We discussed the Heritage Foundation's Defining SEX Act, a model legislation that has been recently introduced in Missouri, where I recently submitted expert testimony.

Watch the full interview.

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers and includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of summarized interesting opinion pieces from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below!

Subscribe now

The Sex Binary: What It Is and Why It Matters

My full talk, “The Sex Binary: What It Is and Why It Matters,” which I delivered at the recent Genspect conference in Denver, CO, is now accessible on YouTube. In this talk, I elucidate the concept of the sex binary and refute various arguments activists use to challenge the existence of male and female as distinct natural categories.

I urge you to share this talk broadly! It's crucial that the content is widely understood.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

The Truth About Gender Clinics: Whistleblower Jamie Reed

In 2018, Jamie Reed began working as a case manager at a pediatric gender center. But after witnessing firsthand the irreversible effect that “gender-affirming care” was having on children, she decided to speak out.

“At the end of the day in these centers, nobody was the responsible one. So, the therapists would write a letter thinking that the endocrinologist was making the decision, the endocrinologist would say, ‘But the therapist wrote the letter.’ And then they would all go and say, ‘But the parents are making the decision,’” says Ms. Reed.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers and includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of summarized interesting opinion pieces from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below!

Subscribe now

My Rubin Report Appearance with Andy Ngo

Last week, I had the privilege of appearing on The Rubin Report, hosted by Dave Rubin, with journalist Andy Ngo as a guest. We discussed a range of topics including the plagiarism scandal involving former Harvard President Claudine Gay, the influence of feminist directors on Star Wars, the US border issues, and the widespread Hamas protests across the West and on college campuses.

I don't usually engage in media commentary, but this experience was enjoyable and something I hope to repeat in the future!

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

Read more

What is the Weekly Reality Report?

The Weekly Reality Report is published every Sunday morning for paying subscribers and includes a roundup of the previous week’s articles on Reality’s Last Stand, a reading list of summarized interesting opinion pieces from around the web, relevant news headlines to keep you informed, and a special Moment of Zen.

Upgrade to a paid subscription to access the full Realty Report below!

Subscribe now

Read more