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Dear Mr Grier,
We are writing to express our concern about the January 2026 paper by Roberto D’Angelo published in the International Journal of Psychoanalysis (IJP), “Trans is not the new gay: How psychoanalytic elitism and the rejection of science are creating a repetition of the past”. Dr D’Angelo accuses psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic organisations and component organisations, including the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA) and its Committee on Gender and Sexuality (COGS), of elitism and of rejecting science when it comes to theoretical and clinical approaches to transgender patients. It is worth noting that Dr D’Angelo argues for an approach that frames current psychoanalytic scholarship on trans subjectivities within a historical context yet neglects to acknowledge that this history is fraught not only with homophobic/heterosexist narratives of sexuality, but also with transphobic/cissexist etiological theories of gender (Hansbury 2017), the legacies of which resonate in his article. Much more could be said on this; however, we believe it is most pressing to address Dr D’Angelo’s accusations regarding the rejection of science, and frame this within a wider sociopolitical context that is dangerous to transgender individuals, their families, and their medical providers.
Transgender people in the US are facing attacks on their rights, dignity, and humanity, including legislation restricting healthcare, public accommodations, legal recognition, and education. Such legislation has surged dramatically in recent years, representing an increase by over 3000% since 2015 (Breslow et al. 2025). The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security (2026) has issued “Red Flag Alerts” warning that the United States is in the early stages of a genocidal process, characterised by a systemic denial of identity, against transgender, non-binary, and intersex people. Healthcare systems across the country are eliminating gender-affirming care under threat of fi