You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist

We’re kicking off the new year by welcoming back the guest featured on my most popular episode for a long overdue part two!

Following up on our prior conversation about the impact of conversion therapy legislation, Helen Joyce, a former journalist and advocate for Sex Matters, sheds light on misconceptions surrounding gender, biology, belief, and human rights.

Helen emphasizes the importance of acknowledging sex in various aspects of society, from public facilities to anti-discrimination laws. Do laws attempting to protect certain groups from discrimination do so at the expense of others? How are freedom of speech and belief impacted? And what are the potential consequences of broad legislation aimed at banning conversion therapy?

Delving into the UK's Tavistock GIDS clinic, we uncover the shocking practices and lack of evidence-based care for young individuals seeking gender identity services. While an interim report called for its closure, the story doesn't end there. Discover the current state of gender identity services in the UK and the challenges faced in providing safe and ethical care.

We explore the evolving landscape of gender identity and the emergence of new categories within the transgender community. What underlying factors drive individuals to wish to dissociate themselves from their sexual biology? And how does the cultural shift towards embracing so-called gender diversity impact vulnerable individuals and those who position themselves as rescuers?

Helen Joyce is author of “TRANS: When Ideology Meets Reality”, published in July 2021 by OneWorld and in paperback since May 2022. A Times of London and Spectator book of the year, it is a UK and Amazon top ten bestseller. It received rave reviews in publications ranging from the Telegraph to the New York Times, and endorsements from, among others, Daniel Dennett (“A sane, humane book”), Lionel Shriver (“Utterly unintimidated by extremist orthodoxy”) and Richard Dawkins (“Thoroughly researched, passionate and very brave”).

Helen now works as Director of Advocacy for Sex Matters, a human-rights organization that campaigns for sex-based rights. Her journalism can be found on her website, HelenJoyce.com. Find Sex Matters at Sex-Matters.org.

Books mentioned in this episode: 

“Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality” by Helen Joyce can be found via this Amazon affiliate link or in my bookshop. Either way your purchase helps support the show. Thank you!

Previous episode mentioned:
Episode 11. Helen Joyce: Debunking the Myth of Conversion Therapy

Helen Joyce, Stephanie Winn

00:00 Start

[00:00:03] Bikini medicine and sex differences.

[00:03:32] Global push to ban conversion therapy.

[00:07:17] Conversion therapy and political motivations.

[00:10:57] Laws against conversion therapy.

[00:13:55] Misuse of UK law.

[00:19:29] Gender-critical beliefs are protected by law.

[00:21:05] Experimental medical practices on young vulnerable people.

[00:24:01] Lack of support for gender issues.

[00:30:23] Modern-day conversion therapy.

[00:31:11] Gender identity in Gen Z.

[00:34:49] Teenage girls and gender identity.

[00:38:33] Online grooming and transitioning.

[00:43:26] The blue fringe brigade.

[00:45:37] LGBTQ+ representation in education.

[00:49:16] Mermaids' board member controversy.

[00:52:36] Controversial charity challenges UK court.

[00:56:09] Ideological capture of the counseling profession.

[01:00:10] Diagnostic overshadowing and gender.

[01:03:08] Bullying and wrong solutions.

[01:06:27] Autogynephilic men in the movement.

[01:10:33] Sex differences in human bodies.

[01:13:28] Default bias in medical research.

[01:17:43] Why sex matters.

[01:21:14] Freedom of speech and feminism.

[01:24:09] Autogynephilia and its implications.

[01:30:00] Ego-syntonic versus ego-dystonic.

[01:31:37] Autogynephilia and gender dysphoria.

[01:35:06] Cross-dressing and women's sports.

[01:39:13] Gender-affirming therapy and legal considerations.

[01:42:01] Co-opted institutions passing the buck.

[01:45:40] Gender crisis and parenting.

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Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.

Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.

Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.

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