Are trans women more likely to be sex offenders compared to non-transgender women?

If we compare cisgender (non-trans) female sex offenders with transgender female sex offenders, would the data show that trans women are more dangerous that cis women?

Rachel Saunders has conducted a systematic review of UK sex offender statistics as part of her PhD.

She found that police records only track victim sex rather than offender demographics. Similarly, UK courts do not publicly disclose data on defendants’ gender, making it difficult to assess the rates of female-perpetrated sexual offenses.

Citing studies and Freedom of Information requests, Saunders estimates that women may commit between 5–20% of all sex offenses in the UK, though exact figures remain elusive.

Forensic psychologist Dr Joe Sullivan has suggested the number of women sexually abusing children is much higher than conviction rates would suggest. Male teenage victims may for instance be reluctant to come forward because of a fear that their experience will not be viewed as abuse. Moreover, people are less likely to believe that women can commit sexual offenses, as this does not fit with the gender stereotypes.

It is clear that cis women are responsible for much more sexual abuse than trans women, but then again there are more cis women out there than trans women.

Saunders argues that the data suggest that trans women are not more likely to be sex offenders than cis women. She writes:

Cisgender women … have a ratio of 100:1 to 500:1 depending on how you wish to measure it. Already the ratio is two orders of magnitude. Thus, if one out trans woman is arrested and charged with a sexual offence in a given year she is already statistically inside the 100:1 to 500:1 ratio and it would take 100 to 500 cisgender women to ratio that.

The data itself suggest that this is within the bounds of actual cisgender female sexual offences conviction rates in the UK, so 1 trans woman per year fits a normative sexual predation pattern in the UK. 

However, Saunders also warns that the data is flawed and that there in reality “is no way to know for sure what the actual ratio truly is.”

Based on the data available Sanders argues trans women who transitioned prior to their crime commit such crimes at least two orders of magnitude less than cisgender women.

So to sum up: There is no data that shows that trans women are more likely to be sex offenders than cis women.

However, anti-trans activists and journalists use individual stories to create the impression that trans women are more dangerous.

Read Saunder’s article: “Female sex offenders”

Photo: sakhorn38

Love & Rage: the life of transgender activist and model Munroe Bergdorf

The documentary Love & Rage: Munroe Bergdorf is in UK cinemas on 10 and 11 June. The Observer has published a longer article presenting the English model and activists live.

The interview documents Munroe Bergdorf’s role in advocating for trans rights, racial justice, and social equality. It explores Bergdorf’s evolving relationship with the media, her activism, and her personal growth.

Bergdorf first gained public attention in 2017 when she became the first trans model to front a UK campaign for L’Oréal, only to be dismissed after past comments on white supremacy resurfaced.

This pattern continued with her resigning from Labour’s LGBT advisory board in 2018 and losing a role as a Childline ambassador in 2019. Over time, public attitudes shifted, and in 2020, L’Oréal apologized and appointed her to their UK Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board.

The article also covers Bergdorf’s new documentary, Love & Rage, which follows three years of intense work, including publishing her memoir “Transitional” and addressing the United Nations. She discusses the mental toll of activism, describing struggles with complex PTSD and suicidal thoughts but emphasizing resilience and recovery.

With recent UK Supreme Court rulings restricting trans rights, Bergdorf has become even more vocal. She criticizes the government’s “weaponization of fear”, drawing parallels between attacks on trans people and authoritarian tactics.

Through her activism, Bergdorf urges allies to go beyond surface-level support, advocating for intersectional solidarity, bodily autonomy, and active allyship.

Her upcoming book Talk to Me aims to equip young people with tools for meaningful conversations and change.

Read the whole article here.

Photo by Rachell Smith, the Observer

Norwegian doctors and gatekeepers stop transgender kids from getting the treatment they need

Over at Crossdreamers we examine the struggles faced by transgender youth in Norway, particularly regarding access to gender-affirming medical treatment.

The Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten has presented “Stina”, a 13-year-old who was denied puberty blockers by Rikshospitalet, the national medical institution for gender treatment.

After years of evaluations and meetings, her family relocated to Oslo to seek treatment at Health Station for Gender and Sexuality (Helsestasjon for kjønn og seksualitet, HKS), which adopts a much more affirmative approach.

Rikshospitalet has grown increasingly cautious with providing puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones to minors, citing concerns over long-term effects. They classify such treatments as “experimental,” which has led to delays and restrictions for young trans individuals.

But here’s the thing: Withholding treatment can cause greater harm than potential side effects, increasing mental distress and suicide risks among trans youth.

Stina’s family describes how delays and mandatory evaluations worsened her emotional state, eventually making her unable to attend school. Her mother emphasizes the importance of bodily autonomy and the right for individuals to choose what feels right after being informed of treatment effects.

Ingun Wiik of HKS likens Rikshospitalet’s treatment model to conversion therapy, suggesting that it pressures trans youth into accepting the gender they were assigned at birth. The debate underscores broader medical and ethical concerns regarding transgender healthcare in Norway, as Rikshospitalet attempts to shut down HKS, limiting treatment options for trans youth.

Read the whole article here!

For more on the trans clinic of the Oslo University Hospital, see our article: What Transphobic Norwegian Doctors can Teach Us about the Diversity of Transgender People

Photo of Stina’s shoes by Charlotte Førde Skomsøy/Aftenposten.

Olympic gymnastics star Simone Biles has publicly criticized former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines for her ongoing opposition to transgender athletes.

The confrontation unfolded after transgender softball pitcher Marissa Rothenberger led her high school team to a state championship victory in Minnesota. Rothenberger’s standout performance was met with backlash from Gaines, who called her a “boy” and condemned her participation in girls’ sports.

Biles quickly responded, calling Gaines a “sore loser” and urging her to stop bullying trans kids. She suggested that instead of exclusion, sports could adopt a transgender category across all disciplines.

For many transgender athletes and advocates, Biles’ vocal support is a landmark moment. Her influence as one of the greatest gymnasts in history adds weight to the fight for trans rights in athletics.

Transvitae has more.

Human Rights Watch has released a report detailing the impact of bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the United States.

The report, titled “They’re Ruining People’s Lives: Bans on Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Youth,” argues that these bans violate fundamental human rights, including the right to health and personal autonomy. It draws from 51 interviews across 19 states, capturing testimonies from trans youth, parents, and healthcare providers.

The report highlights the emotional, financial, and logistical strain these policies place on families, forcing many to relocate or pay out-of-pocket for care in other states. Some clinics have even faced violent attacks.

Human Rights Watch warns that such bans drive trans youth toward depression and suicidal ideation, disrupting their ability to thrive.

More here.

Judge Stops US Federal Prisons From Enforcing Trump’s Trans Care Ban

The Marshall Project reports that a US federal judge has temporarily blocked the enforcement of President Trump’s executive order banning gender-affirming care for transgender individuals in federal prisons.

The ruling, issued by Senior Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, requires the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to continue providing hormone therapy and social accommodations, such as access to gender-affirming clothing and undergarments.

The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU and the Transgender Law Center, argues that the executive order violates federal law by failing to consider the medical needs of transgender inmates.

Lamberth criticized the BOP’s response as “arbitrary and capricious,” noting that officials had not studied the potential harm caused by the policy. The ruling applies to all transgender individuals in federal prisons, not just the plaintiffs.

Read the story here: Judge Stops Federal Prisons From Enforcing Trump’s Trans Care Ban, For Now

New transgender BBC drama: What It Feels Like for a Girl

The BBC’s new drama What It Feels Like for a Girl is based on Paris Lees’ memoir and follows Byron, played by Ellis Howard, as they navigate their queerness and trans identity in early 2000s Nottingham.

Byron encounters The Fallen Divas—Lady Die, Sticky Nikki, Dirty Damian, and Sasha—who shape their journey of self-discovery. The series also features drug dealer Liam, Byron’s father Steve, and mother Lisa, each playing a role in their turbulent coming-of-age story.

Described as “visceral, essential viewing,” the eight-part series premiered at SXSW London and is now available to stream on iPlayer. Cast members, including Laquarn Lewis, Alex Thomas-Smith, and Adam Ali, bring depth to the characters, portraying themes of friendship, survival, and identity.

The show has been compared to Pose and Skins, highlighting its raw and emotional storytelling.

More over at Pink News: Meet the cast of ‘essential’ BBC trans drama What It Feels Like for a Girl

The FBI has issued a call for public tips on hospitals and clinics providing gender-affirming surgeries for minors, framing these procedures as “mutilation.”

This move, occurring during Pride Month, is seen as an escalation of the Trump administration’s crackdown on transgender healthcare. This is an intimidation tactic aimed at forcing clinics to halt care, even in states where it remains legal.

The legal justification for this action is based on 18 U.S.C. §116, a statute originally designed to combat female genital mutilation (FGM). However, gender-affirming surgeries for minors are rare and supported by major medical organizations. The administration’s reinterpretation of this law follows Executive Order 14187, which seeks to criminalize youth gender transitions.

Federal prosecution could override state protections, creating a chilling effect on healthcare providers. Clinics in blue states have already reported increased fear and appointment cancellations. The FBI’s actions echo historical government surveillance of LGBTQ+ individuals. This is fascism, plain and simple.

Read the article: FBI Posts Ominous Call for “Tips” on Gender Affirming Care Providers

Kate Nash releases pro-transgender song attacking TERFs like JK Rowling

Kate Nash has released a protest song titled GERM, which directly condemns transphobia and misogyny in the UK. She is clearly addressing the toxic hate of British “gender critical” TERFs (i.e. so-called “trans-exclusionary radical feminists” like JK Rowling.)

“Girl listen up, You’re not radical,” she sings. “Exclusionary, regressive, misogynist. Germ! Germ! Nah, you’re not at rad at all.”

The song responds to a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that legally defines women by biological sex, excluding transgender women. Human Rights Watch has warned that this decision could endanger transgender individuals in the country.

In GERM, Nash challenges anti-trans narratives, including concerns about bathroom safety and women’s sports. She highlights statistics on violence against women committed by cisgender men and the rise in anti-trans hate crimes.

She sings: “I feel no threat from any trans person that might be in the toilets.”

Following the ruling, Nash joined other British artists in expressing solidarity with the trans community. She will premiere GERM live with The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra at the Mighty Hoopla Festival in London on May 31st.

You can read more about it here.

You can watch the lyric video here.

The Transgender Saints of Medieval Christianity

During early medieval Europe, three saints—St. Eugenia, St. Euphrosyne, and St. Marinos—became widely known for defying gender norms. Each was born as a woman but chose to cut their hair and adopt male identities to enter monasteries.

Sarah Barringer has written an interesting article on Medieval Christian transgender men over at Counter Punch.

Among them we find Eugenia, originally a pagan, who sought Christianity and became an abbot.

Euphrosyne avoided an unwanted marriage by joining a monastery, where he lived the rest of his life.

Marinos, formerly Marina, renounced womanhood to live as a man with his father in a monastery.

Their stories circulated in popular medieval manuscripts. Eugenia’s tale appeared in Ælfric’s Lives of Saints and The Golden Legend, widely read texts in Old English and Latin. Euphrosyne’s story was preserved in Latin, Middle English, and Old French. Marinos’ life was recorded in at least ten languages.

For illiterate audiences, these manuscripts were read aloud in churches during saint’s day celebrations, ensuring their enduring legacy.

Joseph of Schönau, born female, joined a Cistercian monastery in Germany in the late 12th century. On his deathbed, he recounted his life story, including a pilgrimage to Jerusalem as a child and his arduous return to Europe after his father’s death. Upon reaching his birthplace of Cologne, Joseph entered monastic life as a man, viewing his survival as divine intervention.

In a 2021 collection of essays about transgender and queer saints in the medieval period, scholars Alicia Spencer-Hall and Blake Gutt argue that medieval Christianity saw transness as holy.

Read the article here.