The Critic Podcast The Critic Podcast

The publication of the Cass Review validated many of the concerns that “gender-critical” commentators and activists had expressed about transgenderism and transitioning. In this series, Jo Bartosch will explore how we got here — interviewing some of the people who helped to make it happen.

In this episode, Jo speaks to Stephanie Davies-Arai about children, safeguarding and her pioneering work founding Transgender Trend.

The publication of the Cass Review validated many of the concerns that “gender-critical” commentators and activists had expressed about transgenderism and transitioning. In this series, Jo Bartosch will explore how we got here — interviewing some of the people who helped to make it happen. 

In this episode, Jo interviews Dr Michael Biggs, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Oxford and Fellow of St Cross College, about his early research into young people and gender medicine.

Josephine Bartosch is joined by Charlotte Gill to discuss silly academic research, the right to debate the apportioning of taxpayers’ money and our decadent intellectual culture.

An all star panel of Critic editors and contributors, chaired by deputy editor Graham Stewart, addressed the theme of the crisis in the universities. James Orr spoke about the narrowing of speech in the university, and the centralisation of increasingly politicised research at Oxford and Cambridge. Sebastian Milbank discussed the medieval origins of  the university, and its contemporary crisis of purpose. Charlie Bentley-Astor led us into the subterranean world of the modern conservative student, forced to live out their shameful beliefs in secret. And David Butterfield called for a return of the humanistic heart of academia.

Our next event will be a discussion of transgenderism held in a central London venue. You can sign up to our mailing list here, to stay informed.

Emma B from Children of Transitioners joins Jo Bartosch to discuss growing up with a trans father and the material and psychological challenges that it can cause.