'Generation Indoctrination': Bold new season confronts challenges facing those helping detransitioners
In the latest season of the podcast “Generation Indoctrination,” Christian Post commentator and podcaster Brandon Showalter explores an issue gaining prominence in public discourse: support for those known as detransitioners.
In the premiere episode, "What's Being Done to Help Detransitioners," Showalter sheds light on the rising number of individuals seeking to reverse their gender transitions and the challenges they face in those efforts. The series offers a detailed examination of the legal, medical, and social landscapes shaping detransitioners’ journeys, inviting listeners to consider both the impacts of gender ideology and the legislative responses to it.
“In the last two years, people who have become known by the term ‘detransitioners’ have been testifying in public hearings and speaking to mostly conservative media about how their health was ruined and how their bodies were irreparably damaged by this experimental gender medicalization and surgery,” Showalter says.
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“As their heartbreaking stories become more widely known, and as the public continues to awaken to the enormous medical scandal that is so-called ‘gender-affirming care,’ we've decided to launch season four of the “Generation Indoctrination” podcast series to focus on what can be done to stem the tide of all the chaos.”
In Oregon, one of the most progressive states on gender identity issues, efforts to advocate for detransitioners are taking root.
Republican State Rep. Ed Diehl recently introduced an amendment to a Democrat-led bill on “gender-affirming care.” Diehl’s amendment aimed to establish specific protections for detransitioners by increasing the statute of limitations for malpractice cases, setting up a research task force, and formally defining “detransitioners” in state law.
“The response I had was from the Democrat leadership [who said] don't introduce this. It's very controversial. [...] What's controversial about allowing someone who made this grave mistake to reverse what was done to them? What is controversial about that? But there's really an attitude that [....] there's no such thing as detransitioners,” he said.
Diehl’s amendment was ultimately rejected along party lines, but he said he hopes his push for accountability and transparency will inspire further action.
Listen to season 4 of The Christian Post podcast "Generation Indoctrination"
He explained that when one starts digging into the definitions of “gender identity” in state law, it becomes evident just how convoluted the whole conversation has become.
“Gender identity doesn't mean anything. It's just a nothing word, which is kind of what they want,” he said.
Idaho state Rep. Julianne Young, where gender legislation trends conservative, said that solid definitions in state law are essential for protecting both minors and detransitioners. Young spearheaded legislation to define sex strictly on biological grounds, emphasizing that clear language is crucial for constructive dialogue on gender issues.
“I can't think of anything that makes it more difficult to put your arms around an issue and find a solution than a complete inability to communicate on both sides,” she said. “So having this language available to us, and our ability to communicate openly and honestly in a way that everyone can understand is critical.”
The podcast also highlighted Executive Director of the Center for Arizona Policy Greg Scott and his work advocating for the "Detransitioners Bill of Rights" — a measure aimed at ensuring detransitioners receive equitable medical care. Scott’s bill, vetoed by Arizona's Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs, posited that the medical institutions administering “gender-affirming treatments” should also be responsible for the care of those reversing their transitions.
Yet Scott’s experience reveals a surprising gap in the legislative process: despite overwhelming testimonies from parents, doctors and detransitioners, the bill encountered minimal resistance in committee hearings. The absence of vocal opposition, Scott suggested, reflects a growing acknowledgment of the issue even within circles that previously endorsed such treatments for minors.
Showalter also profiled grassroots advocates like January Littlejohn, who works with the advocacy group Do No Harm. After her own experience helping her daughter through gender confusion, Littlejohn now connects parents and detransitioners to resources nationwide. She explained that there’s a real need for practical support, as people are often too ashamed to reach out, afraid of the backlash.
“This ideology, it does not discriminate, it impacts families of all walks of life,” she said.
Littlejohn noted that detransitioners frequently feel isolated in their struggles, especially when their health insurance doesn't cover detransition-related medical care. In response, Do No Harm has introduced the first “Detransitioners Bill of Rights,” which calls for insurance coverage for detransition care, effective mental health support and more accountability for healthcare providers.
Another advocate, Steve Scare, is known as “Sidewalk Steve” for his work engaging the public in New Hampshire. Scare wears a sandwich board that challenges mainstream gender ideology and strikes up conversations with passersby to educate them on detransition issues.
“When they start out, they want to tell me off. That's part of it. But they also want someone to hear their stories, which I listen to, and then I can ask probing questions like, ‘OK, you're talking about taking testosterone, starting on this when you're 16. Do you know all the side effects?’ ‘Well, yeah, I know some.’ They really want someone to listen to and share those concerns, because they’ve got some doubts themselves, you're not getting any pushback from people,” he said.
“Generation Indoctrination” underscores the challenges and complexities detransitioners face in a society divided over trans issues. With perspectives from advocates, legislators, and detransitioners themselves, Showalter says the podcast aims to inform and provoke thought.
In future episodes, the podcast will feature testimonies from detransitioners and explore ongoing legislative efforts to provide support for those affected. The goal, Showalter said, is to keep the conversation alive and to encourage solutions that reflect both compassion and accountability.
