On March 12, 2025, the Republican Party and an array of conservative groups will host multiple events in observance of what they call “Detrans Awareness Day.” While, on the surface, it may seem like a day dedicated to discussing the challenges faced by those who detransition, the reality is far more sinister. This event is not about support, medical ethics, or helping detransitioners find adequate care. Instead, it is yet another political tool wielded by the GOP to justify attacks on transgender rights, roll back gender-affirming healthcare, and push harmful narratives that threaten the well-being of an entire community.
As a transgender woman and the owner of Transvitae.com, I have seen firsthand the struggles that come with transitioning, detransitioning, and simply existing in a world that so often seeks to erase us. This article is not just an analysis of political exploitation—it is a call to action for our community to stand strong together.
The Exploitation of Detransitioners
Detransitioning is a nuanced and deeply personal process. While some individuals detransition because they were misdiagnosed or because they realize they are not transgender, many others do so due to external factors—social rejection, lack of access to proper medical care, family pressure, or discrimination. And, crucially, many who detransition do not regret transitioning but rather regret the circumstances that forced them to stop.
However, as I have witnessed in my work within the community, the Republicans and right-wing organizations hosting these events are not interested in this complexity. They have cherry-picked a small group of detransitioners—many of whom are professional activists funded by anti-LGBTQ+ groups—to push a narrative that gender-affirming care is dangerous, unnecessary, and should be banned for everyone.
One of the most glaring examples of this manipulation is Maia Poet, also known as Maia Abbruzzese, who is frequently cited in these anti-trans events. Maia never underwent medical transition—she got a short haircut and wore a binder but did not take testosterone or receive medical interventions. Her “detransition” narrative focuses on a personal change in perspective rather than an experience with medical transition. Maia has stated that her decision to detransition followed the traumatic events of October 7, 2023, in Israel, where she was caught in a bomb shelter during the Hamas attack. She later reassessed her priorities, ultimately concluding that her gender dysphoria was less significant in the face of survival.
Maia’s mother, Zhenya Abbruzzese, is a co-founder of the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM), a group that has been widely criticized for its opposition to gender-affirming care. Public records indicate that Maia and her mother have lived together in Portland, Oregon, and that Zhenya has been involved in Maia’s educational activities, including serving as a judge at her high school debate tournaments. Maia’s prominence in anti-trans events, despite not undergoing medical transition, highlights how certain detransition narratives are selectively amplified in political discourse.
RELATED: Detransition Truths: Respecting Journeys, Rejecting Grifters
Republicans Are Not Advocating for Detransitioners—They Are Using Them
Republicans claim that these events are meant to support detransitioners, but their actions tell a different story. If they truly cared about the well-being of those who detransition, they would advocate for improved healthcare coverage, mental health services, and better support systems. Instead, they are actively working to eliminate all gender-affirming care, not just for minors but for adults as well.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s press conference at the Longworth House Office Building will feature Chloe Cole and Dr. Jared Ross, both of whom have become figureheads for the anti-trans movement. Cole, in particular, has testified at multiple GOP-led hearings advocating for the elimination of gender-affirming care for minors. Meanwhile, Ross has appeared on far-right media platforms spewing inflammatory rhetoric about trans people.
At the same time, Linda McMahon’s Department of Education is convening a roundtable discussion featuring detransitioners and so-called “experts” who have long histories of opposing trans rights. Conveniently, they have barred mainstream media from covering the event, allowing only The Federalist—a known right-wing outlet—to report on it. Transparency is clearly not their goal; controlling the narrative is.
A Stacked Event Designed to Push Anti-Trans Rhetoric
The day’s flagship event, organized by Genspect and backed by a coalition of anti-trans groups like The Heritage Foundation and Moms for Liberty, has been strategically crafted to promote misinformation. Panels will discuss topics such as “medical harm,” “social contagion,” and “legal protections against gender-affirming care.” These are not unbiased discussions—they are propaganda designed to justify legislative attacks on transgender people.
Among the speakers are well-known anti-trans activists like Laura Becker, Soren Aldaco, and Chloe Cole, all of whom have been strategically positioned as the faces of detransitioning. While their personal experiences are valid, their presence at these events serves a larger, more insidious purpose: to erase the reality that the overwhelming majority of transgender people do not detransition and benefit from access to affirming care.
The Disproportionate Impact on Trans Youth
Much of the current political attack is aimed at trans youth. The GOP uses detransitioners as an excuse to push laws banning puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgeries for minors. However, medical research consistently shows that these treatments, when provided under medical supervision, have overwhelmingly positive outcomes. Denying trans youth access to affirming healthcare increases their risk of depression and suicide—yet these harmful laws continue to be passed under the guise of “protecting children.” In reality, they do the opposite.
The Need for Expanded Healthcare Options for Detransitioners
If Republicans truly cared about detransitioners, they would advocate for expanded healthcare options that allow people to make informed choices about their bodies at every stage of their journey. This would include medical insurance coverage for individuals seeking to reverse medical interventions, as well as mental health services to help people process their experiences. Instead, anti-trans lawmakers continue to defund and restrict access to all forms of gender-related healthcare, proving that their concern is purely performative.
The Importance of Trans Community Solidarity
The trans community must ensure that detransitioners remain included rather than ostracized. Just because someone detransitions does not mean they are not part of the broader LGBTQ+ community. Many detransitioners still identify as nonbinary or gender nonconforming, and others may later choose to transition again once they are in a more supportive environment. The anti-trans movement benefits when we turn against each other—we cannot let them use detransitioners as a wedge to divide us.
As someone who has dedicated my life to advocating for trans rights, I know that the next four years under the Trump administration are going to be difficult. Now is not the time to splinter into competing subgroups. We need to stand with each other and our allies to ensure that Trump’s attempts to erase us cannot succeed. Unity is our greatest strength, and by supporting one another—including detransitioners—we can resist these harmful policies and continue fighting for trans rights.
RELATED: Empathy for Detransitioners in the Trans Community
What Trans Allies Can Do
March 31 marks Transgender Day of Visibility, a stark contrast to the weaponized messaging of Detrans Awareness Day. While Republicans attempt to use detransitioners as props, allies have an opportunity to elevate trans voices, share accurate information, and push back against the harmful rhetoric coming out of Washington, D.C.
Here’s how you can help:
- Educate Yourself and Others: Share research-based information on the realities of transgender healthcare and the rarity of detransitioning.
- Support Trans-Led Organizations: Groups like the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund are fighting these legislative attacks head-on.
- Hold Lawmakers Accountable: Contact your representatives and demand that they support trans rights instead of pushing harmful policies.
- Amplify Trans Voices: Detrans Awareness Day is designed to drown out the voices of actual transgender people. Counter it by uplifting the stories and experiences of those who have benefited from gender-affirming care.
RELATED: Why Some Are Trying to Silence Trans Day of Visibility
The Bottom Line
Detrans Awareness Day is not about compassion, ethics, or support—it is about deception and control. Republicans and anti-trans organizations are using the experiences of a small group of detransitioners as a political weapon to attack an entire community.
Transgender people exist. We always have, and we always will. And no amount of political grandstanding will change that.
