Informed Dissent

LGB Courage Coalition

You Have Permission to Question, Scrutinize, Push Back, and Dissent! Jamie Reed, Cori Cohn, and Lauren Leggieri report on their adventures and misadventures trying to explain and mitigate the gender culture wars. We will publish most weeks, focusing some on the news and some on important topics from social transition to lawsuits to what the heck the word “gender” means. informeddissentpodcast.substack.com

  1. -1 DIA

    Doc Martens: The Great Equalizer

    This week on Informed Dissent we tackle the New York Times, men in women’s sports, Trans News Network, and the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Award nominees. We also discuss shoe sizes (is a women’s 11½ an outlier?), the independent media nominees all being either trans, queer, or aligned with that side of the movement, and why Jamie can’t pronoun Brad Polumbo’s name. In our second segment we were joined by guest Ben Appel. Ben Appel is the author of Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic. He’s written for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, Newsweek, UnHerd, and many other publications. Links: Cis White Gay: https://www.amazon.com/Cis-White-Gay-Making-Heretic-ebook/dp/B0FJ2PVZCP X: https://x.com/benappel Substack: Website: https://www.benappelwrites.com/ Like, subscribe, share, and comment. Independent media only works if we share it and support it—and since we’ll probably never win a GLAAD Award, tell us in the comments who you think should be nominated for an independent media award. As always, stay informed and ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 51 min

  2. 3/01

    What Washington State Is Telling the Rest of the Country

    Informed Dissent — This Week for January 3, 2026 This week’s episode marks our return after the holiday break and focuses on Washington State, where sports policy, media framing, parental rights, and direct democracy are converging in real time. Jamie, Cori, and Lauren are together for the full episode, opening with a wide-ranging first segment before turning to an interview from Washington State. Segment One: Washington Post and NYT The episode opens with a discussion about a young man in sports and takes a rather bizarre turn to STI’s and Bacterial Vaginosis. * The conversation begins in Washington State and a recent Washington Post profile of a male athlete competing in girls’ track.🔗 Washington Post (live): “For young transgender runner, racing wasn’t the hardest thing”https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/12/28/transgender-female-athlete-competition-trump/🔗 Washington Post (archived):https://archive.is/2025.12.28-222636/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/12/28/transgender-female-athlete-competition-trump/ * Jamie, Cori, and Lauren end discussing a recent New York Times article examining new research suggesting that bacterial vaginosis (BV) may be sexually transmitted, and why the story centers a trans identified woman. 🔗 NYT: “Bacterial Vaginosis May Be Sexually Transmitted, New Research Suggests”https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/health/bacterial-vaginosis-sexually-transmitted-infection.html This post is public so feel free to share it. Segment Two: Ballot initiatives and direct democracy In the second segment Lauren, Cori and Jamie are joined by Brian Heywood, from Let’s Go Washington. Brian can be found on X @bkheywood (That Damn Mormon) Heywood discusses: * Two Washington ballot initiatives—one restoring sex-based categories in school sports and another advancing parental notification and authority—that have surpassed signature thresholds for the 2026 ballot. * The scale of volunteer participation statewide and the documented intimidation, harassment, and violence directed at signature gatherers. * Why direct democracy has become necessary when institutional actors attempt to close debate rather than resolve it. 🔗 Let’s Go Washington: https://letsgowashington.com/ We are excited to announce the final counts: IL26-001 Strengthen Communication Between Parents and Schools: 416,201 IL26-638 Protecting Fairness in Girls Sports: 445,187 Additional context and referenced voices Throughout the episode, the hosts also reference: * Reporting on Seattle-area schools administering gender-identity surveys to children and sharing data with third parties If you found this episode valuable, please like, subscribe, and share.Your engagement helps more people find the show and keeps these conversations moving forward. As always, thank you for listening. Stay informed—and stay ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    2 h 21 min

  3. 20/12/2025

    Escalating Federal Involvement

    Informed Dissent — This Week for December 20, 2025 This week’s episode moved fast and covered a lot of ground. Cori and Jamie opened with a wide-angle look at where things actually stand right now—before turning to a guest conversation that tested the limits of dialogue across disagreement. Policy, politics, and what’s winning Cori and Jamie begin the episode by breaking down several developments shaping the current moment, while also taking a trip down memory holed land into the world of the AAP and Peanuts. * A discussion of proposed rules from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services related to Medicaid, including what these changes could mean in practice and where leverage points may exist. * An overview of House legislation introduced by Marjorie Taylor Greene and Dan Crenshaw, with attention to political signaling, strategy, and how these efforts fit into the broader legislative landscape. * A grounded conversation between Cori and Jamie about what is winning right now—distinguishing institutional progress from rhetorical noise, and identifying where momentum is translating into real-world outcomes. Guest: Dr. Laura Targownik Dr. Laura Targownik is a gastroenterologist and clinician-researcher in the University of Toronto Department of Medicine. Dr. Targownik holds a Master of Science in Health Services from UCLA and is the author of more than 230 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Targownik is internationally recognized for work in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease and in health economics. Four years ago, Dr. Targownik publicly shared a history of transition. Since that time, Dr. Targownik has become an advocate for trans rights, drawing on personal experience to present a vision of trans coexistence that emphasizes integration, civic participation, and contribution to the common good. Writing by Dr. Targownik has appeared in the The Globe and Mail and the Canadian Health Network. X (Twitter): @datadriven_tdoc Tweet of the Week:A satirical clip from Women Are Real that circulated widely this week and sparked discussion about how political conflict and cultural critique now travel through humor, shorthand, and viral media. Programming note We’ll be taking next week off for the holiday and will return the following week. If you value this show—even when it’s imperfect—please like, subscribe, rate, and share. That support keeps these conversations going. As always: stay informed—and stay ready to dissent. Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    2 h 16 min
  4. When Health Changes with Guest Alasdair Gunn

    13/12/2025

    When Health Changes with Guest Alasdair Gunn

    Informed Dissent — This Week’s Episode This week on Informed Dissent, we’re joined by Alasdair Gunn and Harrison Tinsley for a wide-ranging and deeply human conversation about health, survival, fatherhood, civic responsibility, and what it means to protect children in a culture that often resists restraint. We discuss how lived experience—serious illness, custody battles, and advocacy—reshapes moral clarity, and why real compassion requires honesty, boundaries, and the courage to act when institutions fail. Guests Alasdair GunnX: @ngusdairAlasdair Gunn is a long-time gender-critical writer and commentator who was early to recognize the harms being done to boys and young men in gender medicine. In this conversation, Alasdair reflects on how surviving a life-threatening cancer diagnosis clarified his understanding of consent, care, and health—especially when supporting people who are deeply vulnerable and suffering. Harrison TinsleyX: @HarrisontinzHarrison Tinsley is a father who successfully fought for custody of his son, in part over concerns related to gender ideology. Harrison joins the show to discuss fatherhood, the legal realities parents face when protecting their children, and why supporting others matters—especially when the stakes are this high. Please note: Informed Dissent will take a brief break the week of December 27. The news never seems to stop, but our underpaid—and often unpaid—volunteers have officially demanded one day off this year. We honor the request. Please enjoy an episode from our back catalogue that day, or you can always revisit the Mariah Carey 1994 Christmas album. Thanks for listening to Informed Dissent! Thank You Thank you to Harrison and Alasdair for joining us, and to our listeners for continuing to engage thoughtfully and respectfully. If you have a guest suggestions for 2026 please drop it in the comments below. As always, please like, subscribe, share, and leave a comment—it helps more than you know. Stay informed. And stay ready to dissent. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 49 min
  5. Following the Money with Ben Ryan

    06/12/2025

    Following the Money with Ben Ryan

    Informed Dissent News for the Week December 6, 2025 Segment One — Conversation with Glenna Goldis We open the episode with Glenna Goldis and a breakdown of the week’s biggest stories: * The New York Times piece on the secretly recorded surgery consultation * Chase Strangio, taking one for the team with a public-facing optimism that change is possible within current advocacy structures — and why that message feels (because it is) another kind of fake believe. Glenna provides legally grounded analysis, highlighting how weak or ideologically driven legal defense strategies can create long-term consequences for everyone — eroding public trust, distorting precedent, and reshaping the legal landscape in ways that harm both patients and professionals. Her critique underscores how fragile the rule of law becomes when institutions abandon rigor. Segment Two — Interview with Journalist Ben Ryan Next, we sit down with journalist Ben Ryan for an in-depth historical and cultural discussion of the HIV landscape: * The origins and development of AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) * How these organizations became federally funded and what that funding structure meant for their long-term mission and operations * The history, promise, and limitations of PrEP, including how it reshaped the HIV prevention paradigm * How medical interventions, public-health messaging, and funding priorities can influence — and sometimes transform — community culture, norms, and expectations Ben offers rich historical context and a nuanced understanding of how institutions evolve, how public-health decisions ripple outward, and how medicine can shape a community’s identity and trajectory. Our Guest: Journalist Ben Ryan Ben Ryan is an independent journalist specializing in science and health care coverage. You can find more here: http://www.benryan.net/bio.html Bluesky: @benryanwriter Twitter: @benryanwriter Substack: Hazard Ratio Additional Notes: Guest Glenna Goldis Here’s her 2024 piece on Chase Strangio that quotes her saying gender identity isn’t real, etc. - Glenna on X: https://x.com/glennagoldis Thank you for joining us this week. Please subscribe (it’s free!) wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to like, rate, review, and share — it truly helps the show grow. As always:Stay informed, and stay ready to dissent. Thanks for listening to Informed Dissent! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 56 min

  6. 29/11/2025

    Breaking Ranks with Rep. Jonah Wheeler

    Informed Dissent — News of the Week • Nex Dagny Benedict We cover the ongoing developments in the Nex Dagny Benedict case and the layers of narrative, reporting, and political framing that continue to emerge. • New Research Study — Covered by Ben Ryan We discuss the newly released study on youth suicidality and cross-sex hormones, along with journalist Ben Ryan’s detailed analysis of its methods and conclusions.🔗 Ben Ryan’s article: Conversation Notes * Helen Webberley and her many media hits * UK Pathways Puberty Blocker Study * Wheeler’s early political identity and public presence * His decision to break with party leadership on gender-related legislation * The political and cultural pressures surrounding those moments * How his past speeches and civic work reveal a through-line in his values * The broader landscape of youth gender medicine and how Wheeler situates himself within it PLEASE NOTE! After the show was recorded, Jamie spent the day reading all of the arms of the PATHWAYS studies and wrote a detailed tweet thread breaking it down.🔗 https://x.com/JamieWhistle/status/1994546772656431274?s=20 Guest: Jonah Orion Wheeler Our guest this week is New Hampshire State Representative Jonah Orion Wheeler, whose public service and recent high-profile decisions have made him a central figure in the current gender-medicine debate. Background & Featured Clips • Local TV Interview (December)21-year-old State Representative Jonah Wheeler makes mark at State House | CloseUp🔗 • Speaking for Women — March 20, 2025NH Rep Jonah Wheeler breaks ranks with Democrats to stand up for women — HB148🔗 • Confrontation After the Internet-Outage HearingRepresentative Jonah Wheeler Faces Down Angry Crowd in New Hampshire🔗 If you enjoy Informed Dissent, please: * Subscribe — it’s free wherever you get your podcasts * Like, rate, and review the show (especially on Apple Podcasts, which helps boost visibility) * Share this episode with friends, colleagues, and anyone following the gender-policy landscape * Drop us a note — we love hearing your thoughts and reading the discussion in the comments You can also support our work by visiting the LGB Courage Coalition merch store at LGBcourage.org — and stay tuned: an Informed Dissent merch store is on the way. Everyone needs a new coffee mug. Stay informed — and stay ready to dissent. Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    2 h 6 min

  7. 22/11/2025

    The End of ‘X’ and the Philosophy of Resistance — Derrick Jensen Joins Us

    Informed Dissent — Week of Nov 22, 2025 News of the Week: Passport Ruling We walk through the recent U.S. Supreme Court order that allows the Trump administration to enforce a passport policy requiring sex markers to match sex as recorded at birth — eliminating the option of an “X” marker and ending self-identification on new passports, renewals, and corrections. We cover: * What the Orr v. Trump decision actually does * What happens to existing passports with X markers * How this fits into the broader legal landscape on sex, identity documents, and women’s rights Informed Dissent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Guest: Derrick Jensen About Derrick Jensen Hailed as the philosopher poet of the environmental movement, Derrick Jensen is author of twenty-five books, including The Myth of Human Supremacy, Endgame, and A Language Older Than Words. He holds a degree in creative writing from Eastern Washington University, a degree in mineral engineering physics from the Colorado School of Mines, and has taught at Eastern Washington University and Pelican Bay State Prison. He has packed university auditoriums, conferences, and bookstores across the nation, stirring them with revolutionary spirit. Support the Show If you enjoy Informed Dissent, please subscribe, share, like, and leave a comment — it helps more people find the show and join the conversation. Thanks for reading Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    2 h 18 min
  8. The Devils Finest Trick

    15/11/2025

    The Devils Finest Trick

    🎙️ Informed Dissent — Nov 15, 2025 This week, Jamie Reed and Cori Cohn hold down the fort while Lauren Leggieri recovers from being sick — we miss her and hope she’s back next week. Jamie and Cori are joined by Vincent Deboni for a wide-ranging discussion about how powerful ideologies tend to follow the same playbooks across countries and institutions. Together they tackle one of the biggest questions of the moment: Are rates of transgender identification actually falling?How do we measure it, what early signals are emerging, and why might the landscape be shifting? We also break down the news of the week, share updates from the movement, and look ahead to major events coming up. 📅 Save the Date — January 13th, U.S. Supreme Court Join us on the steps of the Supreme Court on January 13th to stand in support of protecting girls’ sports.Bring a sign, bring a friend, and bundle up — we’ll be out there doing the right thing, together. 🔗 Links We Discussed • CRT in South Africa: The Devil’s Finest Trick https://psychkitchen.wordpress.com/2021/07/16/the-devils-finest-trick-crt-southafrica/ • Paper: A Male Perspective of Psychology from the Rainbow Nation https://zenodo.org/records/4301377 • Angelo Vincent Deboni — PsychReg Profile (10 articles on related topics) https://www.psychreg.org/angelo-vincent-deboni/ Please subscribe to our Substack — it’s free — and don’t forget to like our podcast and share your comments below. And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, please rate and review the show; it really helps others find our work. Thanks for listening to Informed Dissent! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit informeddissentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 3 min
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Sobre

You Have Permission to Question, Scrutinize, Push Back, and Dissent! Jamie Reed, Cori Cohn, and Lauren Leggieri report on their adventures and misadventures trying to explain and mitigate the gender culture wars. We will publish most weeks, focusing some on the news and some on important topics from social transition to lawsuits to what the heck the word “gender” means. informeddissentpodcast.substack.com

Informação

  • Autoria
    LGB Courage Coalition
  • Anos em atividade
    2024 - 2026
  • Episódios
    52
  • Classificação
    Explícito
  • Copyright
    © Informed Dissent Podcast
  • Site do programa
    Informed Dissent

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