by Jennifer Lahl and Kallie Fell
Commentary by Paul Senz The Catholic World Report
Pope Francis recently said that gender ideology is “the ugliest danger” we face today, because it “erases differences”, and “erasing differences erases humanity”. Indeed, gender ideology has rapidly swept into the mainstream in Western societies, after many decades of sporadic, but gradual, growth.
The Detransition Diaries (Ignatius Press, 2024) recounts the stories of five women and two men who felt they were born in the wrong body and believed the lie, told by so many in their lives, that they could alter their bodies to match the opposite sex. These stories are heartbreaking, showcasing the short- and long-term harm and pain that such attempts (often ironically referred to as “gender affirming care”) cause, both mentally and physically. The personal stories are put in the wider context of the history of the “gender affirmation” movement, and how this ideological movement has spread over time.
The authors of The Detransition Diaries are Jennifer Lahl and Kallie Fell. Lahl is the founder and former president of the Center for Bioethics and Culture (CBC), prior to which she spent twenty-five years in pediatric nursing and senior-level hospital management. She has produced several award-winning documentaries on the topic of gender ideology. Fell is executive director of the CBC and a perinatal nurse, who was co-producer of documentaries for the Center.
Lahl and Fell spoke recently with Catholic World Report about their new book, the rise of the “gender” movement, and why it is important to tell the stories of those who regret their attempts to “transition”.