The paper, which has had no problem critiquing other pseudoscience efforts by RFK Jr's HHS, appears to fully embrace anti-transgender pseudoscience and conversion therapy.
Initial reaction = outrage, but further reflection = “so what”. Just like Cass, this report was created to enable people who uncritically deny evidence. And just like Cass, we know how the report is going to be used.
So, on further reflection, no new threats, just familiar disappointment.
Of course they are going to side with that nonsense, Bezos is being a good boy and not making orange hitler upset. Why? Because screw science, why would we want to consider the actual science, the actual studies and stories from hundreds of thousands of us? That doesn’t tow the party line that will help him talk the terrible tangerine to give him and his companies more tax breaks.
Here's the comment I made on the article on the Post website:
This editorial displays a shocking lack of knowledge or interest in current practice in transgender care, and more importantly, historic norms in government reports and scientific discourse.
Let's start with the fact that the report lacks any named authors, which prevents readers from assessing the expertise and potential bias of the authors. Named authors is a basic ground rule of scientific reports, and is even more to be expected when public funds pay for the creation of a report. The editorial excuses this fundamental failure -- which should disqualify the report from any serious consideration-- by noting the controversial nature of its findings. That is all the more reason why the authors should be named: So that their qualifications and potential biases can be assessed.
The report and the editorial both ignore current practice in transgender treatment. The editorial calls for therapy before medical treatment for gender dysphoria-- but that is standard practice today. Indeed, gender dysphoria is a diagnosis made by a mental health clinician, usually in psychotherapeutic treatment.
The editorial further disparages the professionalism, expertise, and training of the medical and mental health professionals treating transgender youth today, calling for their research to be overseen "by people who have no personal stake in the findings." That seems to be a call for research to be overseen by people with no expertise or history in the field-- a recipe for introducing political perspectives and censorship into research.
There is much more poor thinking on display in this editorial, but those samples are enough. The Post should withdraw the editorial and apologize to the country.
One of our goals in the coming months/years should be to thoroughly discredit these now kowtowing billionaire-owned, agenda-driven publications that were once considered stalwarts of integrity and unbiased, truthful reporting. WaPo and others have strayed so far from these ideals that they should not be considered a paper of record for *anything* at this point.
I sent letter to the editor with these links from you - also put them in a comment. Couldn't believe they printed that horrible editorial. Of course that's Bezos for you....
Thanks! I wanted to do this too after just reading Erin’s article. I don’t subscribe to the WP but will write anyway. They’re well along the way to becoming the Fox News of daily papers.
I just sent my two cents to the five op-ed editors. Meant to add the link to Fox’s piece to show how similar it was to the WP - thought it might still concern them, but forgot.
Here it is:
Leadership of The Washington Post Opinions section
I was quite surprised to see your uncritical support in the 5/11/25 op-ed on the views expressed in the four hundred page report from HHS. That report as you know has not been peer reviewed, has no authors, and no references. It couldn’t be less scientific. The views expressed are disputed by every major medical group in the United States. It proposes exploratory therapy, a rebranding of conversion therapy, to treat transgender children. It used to be used on gay children and has long since been discredited by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the Endocrine Society, and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry .
It would seem that you have done zero fact checking on this issue, which is extraordinary for such a long established and highly regarded newspaper.
The HHS report, following on one of Trump’s executive orders from January, very much mirrors the “eating cats and dogs” strategy that the President and his cabinet are known for. As a transgender woman, I find the views expressed misleading and harmful, and am disheartened to see the report coddled by the Washington Post. Children who are transgender are so much more fortunate for the care they get these days. Believe me, we know who we are by 4 or 5 usually. Now we’re not institutionalized for it. It was a forty year nightmare till I finally dealt with my gender dysphoria, and incredibly more difficult and expensive as an adult. I could give you a wealth of information about the difficulties faced. Adults also go through a year of therapy or more before starting hormones. That’s a basic that’s been standard for decades. It’s guidance that supports us, not manipulates. And it’s the one thing that helped me get through it.
I hope you’ll publish rebuttals to your op-ed to balance the harm that’s been done. As an example of what I believe is closer to the truth of the issue, and more in depth, I’m including the link to Rolling Stone’s 5/6/25 article -
I have given up my subscriptions for WaPo and the NYT. My humanity as a Trans American is NOT up for debate as their editorial department has long considered. The NYT showed us long ago their commitment to justice doesn't extend to queer people or non-whites, so they really have nothing to say I need to hear.
They refuse to listen to us, I refuse to listen to them.
This is as sad an allegory as I can imagine for today's America, a nation locked in battle with itself in a no- winner, no one takes anything, zero gain proposition. Our cold civil war is so close to going hot and I'm 110% certain we transgender Americans will be the first mass casualties when it all goes kinetic but we won't be the last. Shame WaPo decided to let peace die in the darkness along with democracy by choosing to fellate the rancid MAGA meatstick.
This is our hour of reckoning we need to be cautious with how to proceed. Reason and logic are meaningless. The tide has turned. The Supreme Court ruling looms. How do we change course to win in the long run? I wish I knew, I am curious in others opinions. Pop Culture always helps. Perhaps that’s the route.
Good question. I fear it’s going to be a rough few years ahead. But in the face of this backlash we must remain hopeful and steadfast, and we must retain our pride and dignity.
Have you sent these exact comments to the Washington Post editorial board?
As well, I would strongly urge you to also send to the editorial boards of the American Journal of Psychiatry and Journal of the American Medical Association.
So well stated. Thank you so much for your hard work.
I just submitted this letter the Washington Post editor:
I have never in my life sent a shame-on-you letter to anyone, public or private. But yesterday's editorial deserves a huge shame-on-you.
Shame on you for using the pseudoscience Cass Report, widely criticized by medical experts for excluding relevant studies, to assert that “good points” are being made by the opponents of transgender care for children. Using the Cass Report to contribute to the public debate on gender affirming care for children is like using Eugenics to build an immigration policy.
If you want to better understand gender affirming care for children, I promise you it won’t come from a review that was commissioned in a highly transphobic climate and reeks of an agenda to wipe out trans people from public life.
The Cass Report is part of a coordinated government attack on trans people. This attack is underway for only one reason, and it’s not to protect American children. If the government wanted to protect American children they would not have cut billions of dollars in programs that have a long track record of protecting American children.
This attack is underway because stripping away the rights of marginalized, misunderstood, and demonized groups has always been how tyrants test the willingness of a free society to turn a blind eye to the civil rights abuses of others. If successful, this approach can pave the way to the undoing of civil rights altogether. Furthermore, manufacturing the accusation that “the youth are being corrupted” is often the pretense for these types of attacks.
With this editorial you risk appearing to propagandize and legitimize the illegal efforts of this administration to strip trans people of their civil rights. Do you want to be a trusted source of intelligent journalism for people like me; people who turn to the Washington Post to get an understanding of our rapidly changing world? Or do you not?
Very well said. Especially about how "tyrants test the willingness of a free society to turn a blind eye to the civil abuses of others..." how do we wake up those who don't see it this way?
The Post and the Times are very anti-trans. Or "both-sides" trans. Which, of course, is ridiculous journalism. I don't both-sides people with blue eyes and brown eyes. Drives me crazy.
Initial reaction = outrage, but further reflection = “so what”. Just like Cass, this report was created to enable people who uncritically deny evidence. And just like Cass, we know how the report is going to be used.
So, on further reflection, no new threats, just familiar disappointment.
Of course they are going to side with that nonsense, Bezos is being a good boy and not making orange hitler upset. Why? Because screw science, why would we want to consider the actual science, the actual studies and stories from hundreds of thousands of us? That doesn’t tow the party line that will help him talk the terrible tangerine to give him and his companies more tax breaks.
Here's the comment I made on the article on the Post website:
This editorial displays a shocking lack of knowledge or interest in current practice in transgender care, and more importantly, historic norms in government reports and scientific discourse.
Let's start with the fact that the report lacks any named authors, which prevents readers from assessing the expertise and potential bias of the authors. Named authors is a basic ground rule of scientific reports, and is even more to be expected when public funds pay for the creation of a report. The editorial excuses this fundamental failure -- which should disqualify the report from any serious consideration-- by noting the controversial nature of its findings. That is all the more reason why the authors should be named: So that their qualifications and potential biases can be assessed.
The report and the editorial both ignore current practice in transgender treatment. The editorial calls for therapy before medical treatment for gender dysphoria-- but that is standard practice today. Indeed, gender dysphoria is a diagnosis made by a mental health clinician, usually in psychotherapeutic treatment.
The editorial further disparages the professionalism, expertise, and training of the medical and mental health professionals treating transgender youth today, calling for their research to be overseen "by people who have no personal stake in the findings." That seems to be a call for research to be overseen by people with no expertise or history in the field-- a recipe for introducing political perspectives and censorship into research.
There is much more poor thinking on display in this editorial, but those samples are enough. The Post should withdraw the editorial and apologize to the country.
Excellent analysis, Frank!
Great letter!
One of our goals in the coming months/years should be to thoroughly discredit these now kowtowing billionaire-owned, agenda-driven publications that were once considered stalwarts of integrity and unbiased, truthful reporting. WaPo and others have strayed so far from these ideals that they should not be considered a paper of record for *anything* at this point.
I sent letter to the editor with these links from you - also put them in a comment. Couldn't believe they printed that horrible editorial. Of course that's Bezos for you....
https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/fact-check-trumps-hhs-review-on-trans
https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/roundup-experts-condemn-trump-pseudoscientific
Thanks! I wanted to do this too after just reading Erin’s article. I don’t subscribe to the WP but will write anyway. They’re well along the way to becoming the Fox News of daily papers.
When you get support from Fox, you know you’ve lost all credibility. Here’s their response to the WP op-ed:
https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-post-praises-trump-hhs-report-trans-surgery-children-says-makes-strong-case-caution
I just sent my two cents to the five op-ed editors. Meant to add the link to Fox’s piece to show how similar it was to the WP - thought it might still concern them, but forgot.
Here it is:
Leadership of The Washington Post Opinions section
Mary Duenwald
Deputy Opinion Editor
Mary.Duenwald@washpost.com
Michael Larabee
Deputy Opinion Editor
Michael.Larabee@washpost.com
Stephen Stromberg
Deputy Opinion Editor
Stephen.Stromberg@washpost.com
Stephen Stromberg
Deputy Opinion Editor
Stephen.Stromberg@washpost.com
Bina Venkataraman
Editor-At-Large, Opinions Strategy & Innovation
Bina.Venkataraman@washpost.com
Dear Editors,
I was quite surprised to see your uncritical support in the 5/11/25 op-ed on the views expressed in the four hundred page report from HHS. That report as you know has not been peer reviewed, has no authors, and no references. It couldn’t be less scientific. The views expressed are disputed by every major medical group in the United States. It proposes exploratory therapy, a rebranding of conversion therapy, to treat transgender children. It used to be used on gay children and has long since been discredited by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the Endocrine Society, and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry .
It would seem that you have done zero fact checking on this issue, which is extraordinary for such a long established and highly regarded newspaper.
The HHS report, following on one of Trump’s executive orders from January, very much mirrors the “eating cats and dogs” strategy that the President and his cabinet are known for. As a transgender woman, I find the views expressed misleading and harmful, and am disheartened to see the report coddled by the Washington Post. Children who are transgender are so much more fortunate for the care they get these days. Believe me, we know who we are by 4 or 5 usually. Now we’re not institutionalized for it. It was a forty year nightmare till I finally dealt with my gender dysphoria, and incredibly more difficult and expensive as an adult. I could give you a wealth of information about the difficulties faced. Adults also go through a year of therapy or more before starting hormones. That’s a basic that’s been standard for decades. It’s guidance that supports us, not manipulates. And it’s the one thing that helped me get through it.
I hope you’ll publish rebuttals to your op-ed to balance the harm that’s been done. As an example of what I believe is closer to the truth of the issue, and more in depth, I’m including the link to Rolling Stone’s 5/6/25 article -
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/trans-youth-hhs-report-conversion-therapy-1235332473/
great writeup!! and thanks for the emails...
I got it in under the wire, about 8 hours before my WashPo subscription expired....
I have given up my subscriptions for WaPo and the NYT. My humanity as a Trans American is NOT up for debate as their editorial department has long considered. The NYT showed us long ago their commitment to justice doesn't extend to queer people or non-whites, so they really have nothing to say I need to hear.
They refuse to listen to us, I refuse to listen to them.
This is as sad an allegory as I can imagine for today's America, a nation locked in battle with itself in a no- winner, no one takes anything, zero gain proposition. Our cold civil war is so close to going hot and I'm 110% certain we transgender Americans will be the first mass casualties when it all goes kinetic but we won't be the last. Shame WaPo decided to let peace die in the darkness along with democracy by choosing to fellate the rancid MAGA meatstick.
This is our hour of reckoning we need to be cautious with how to proceed. Reason and logic are meaningless. The tide has turned. The Supreme Court ruling looms. How do we change course to win in the long run? I wish I knew, I am curious in others opinions. Pop Culture always helps. Perhaps that’s the route.
Good question. I fear it’s going to be a rough few years ahead. But in the face of this backlash we must remain hopeful and steadfast, and we must retain our pride and dignity.
WAPO is filled with anti-trans editors. It would be interesting to learn why they have the bias they don't disclose publicly.
Isn't this the same paper that uses "Democracy Dies in Darkness" as their slogan? I guess they only care about the freedoms of the right demographics.
"𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺 𝘋𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴... 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴."
Fixed it for them.
Seriously. I am so sick of seeing these news media outlets capitulate to Trump out of fear.
Or rather,
"Hello Darkness, my old friend"
Seriously fuck the Washington Post with something spiky and rusted.
Erin:
Have you sent these exact comments to the Washington Post editorial board?
As well, I would strongly urge you to also send to the editorial boards of the American Journal of Psychiatry and Journal of the American Medical Association.
So well stated. Thank you so much for your hard work.
I just submitted this letter the Washington Post editor:
I have never in my life sent a shame-on-you letter to anyone, public or private. But yesterday's editorial deserves a huge shame-on-you.
Shame on you for using the pseudoscience Cass Report, widely criticized by medical experts for excluding relevant studies, to assert that “good points” are being made by the opponents of transgender care for children. Using the Cass Report to contribute to the public debate on gender affirming care for children is like using Eugenics to build an immigration policy.
If you want to better understand gender affirming care for children, I promise you it won’t come from a review that was commissioned in a highly transphobic climate and reeks of an agenda to wipe out trans people from public life.
The Cass Report is part of a coordinated government attack on trans people. This attack is underway for only one reason, and it’s not to protect American children. If the government wanted to protect American children they would not have cut billions of dollars in programs that have a long track record of protecting American children.
This attack is underway because stripping away the rights of marginalized, misunderstood, and demonized groups has always been how tyrants test the willingness of a free society to turn a blind eye to the civil rights abuses of others. If successful, this approach can pave the way to the undoing of civil rights altogether. Furthermore, manufacturing the accusation that “the youth are being corrupted” is often the pretense for these types of attacks.
With this editorial you risk appearing to propagandize and legitimize the illegal efforts of this administration to strip trans people of their civil rights. Do you want to be a trusted source of intelligent journalism for people like me; people who turn to the Washington Post to get an understanding of our rapidly changing world? Or do you not?
Very well said. Especially about how "tyrants test the willingness of a free society to turn a blind eye to the civil abuses of others..." how do we wake up those who don't see it this way?
Guessing there isn't a single board certified medical professional amongst their board.
They should shut the fuck up and leave medical reviews to medical professionals willing to author their papers and put it up to peer review.
Think a flood of disapproval to an email/phone number would do anything in this case, or is there even a point?
The Post and the Times are very anti-trans. Or "both-sides" trans. Which, of course, is ridiculous journalism. I don't both-sides people with blue eyes and brown eyes. Drives me crazy.
No trust in the Bezos Blog, I mean The Post. This was inevitable.