Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
In this episode, Sasha and Stella sit down with Zhenya Abbruzzese, a healthcare researcher, analyst, and the author of several widely read peer-reviewed publications about pediatric gender medicine. Zhenya Abbruzzese's papers include “The Myth of Reliable Research in Pediatric Gender Medicine,” “Reconsidering Informed Consent for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults,” and most recently, “Current Concerns About Gender-Affirming Therapy in Adolescents.” She works with several healthcare organizations, including the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM), an international non-profit organization that aims to raise the bar of the quality of evidence in gender medicine, with a specific focus on children and young people.
Previously, Zhenya led analytics efforts for a major insurer to identify low-value care and overuse of invasive and non-beneficial interventions. She also developed and led a venture-backed healthcare startup to help patients with medically-unexplained symptoms and health anxiety.
A lifelong Democrat and supporter of progressive causes, Zhenya became alarmed when she saw the civil rights argument misused to justify the rapid proliferation and administration of highly invasive “gender-affirming” interventions to children and adolescents despite quality evidence supporting their use.
During their conversation, Zhenya, Stella, and Sasha explore the origins of the Dutch Protocol and dive deep into Zhenya’s insights into pediatric gender medicine, as well as her experience working with insurance companies. Zhenya takes great care to point out that in addition to considering the cultural components impacting the current gender discourse, it’s necessary to explore the psychological piece as well. But in addition to that, the involvement of medical organizations, like the APA and the American healthcare establishment as a whole, all play key roles not only in what is happening in gender medicine but how it’s happening to such extremes.
Links:
SEGM:
segm.org
Papers by Zhenya Abbruzzese
The Myth of Reliable Research in Pediatric Gender Medicine
Reconsidering Informed Consent for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
Current Concerns About Gender-Affirming Therapy in Adolescents
Methodological Bias (funny meme):
reddit.com/r/mathmemes/comments/uoc3zq/interesting_survey
If you liked this episode, more episodes you might find interesting:
The Dutch Studies Playlist
We have done a number of episodes about the "Dutch Protocol" which precipitated the surge in youth gender transition. There are many things about the Dutch research that have been misinterpreted and misapplied in various medical settings. Here are all the episodes we've done so far where we dig deeper into the studies that started it all.
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLngVCeAoK6vudCwfy0R2Rvg_SH2QxBJTu
Conversations about Medical Interventions & Gender
In these episodes, we discuss the history, evidence base, modern debates and emerging investigations around medical interventions for trans-identified children and adults.
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLngVCeAoK6vtz3WOn5z8WUM5PidraNGZU
Episode 62 - Pioneers Series: Adolescent Identity with Riittakerttu Kaltiala
youtu.be/2aWCm6CTdfU
Episode 94 — WPATH’s Bizarre 8th Standards of Care
youtu.be/aMrCTlp2-Io
Episode 114 — The Dutch Protocol: A Deprivation of Sexual Development with Julia Mason and Stephen Levine
youtu.be/QEiE_porazM
Please visit widerlenspod.com to explore more content, access additional resources, or join our listener community.
Watch us on YouTube: youtube.com/@widerlenspod
For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups:
Sasha Ayad: inspiredteentherapy.com/parents-start-here
Stella O’Malley: stellaomalley.com/parent-coaching
To learn more about our sponsors, visit:
GETA: genderexploratory.com
ReIME: rethinkime.org
Genspect: genspect.com
In this episode, Sasha and Stella sit down with Zhenya Abbruzzese, a healthcare researcher, analyst, and the author of several widely read peer-reviewed publications about pediatric gender medicine. Zhenya Abbruzzese's papers include “The Myth of Reliable Research in Pediatric Gender Medicine,” “Reconsidering Informed Consent for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults,” and most recently, “Current Concerns About Gender-Affirming Therapy in Adolescents.” She works with several healthcare organizations, including the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM), an international non-profit organization that aims to raise the bar of the quality of evidence in gender medicine, with a specific focus on children and young people.
Previously, Zhenya led analytics efforts for a major insurer to identify low-value care and overuse of invasive and non-beneficial interventions. She also developed and led a venture-backed healthcare startup to help patients with medically-unexplained symptoms and health anxiety.
A lifelong Democrat and supporter of progressive causes, Zhenya became alarmed when she saw the civil rights argument misused to justify the rapid proliferation and administration of highly invasive “gender-affirming” interventions to children and adolescents despite quality evidence supporting their use.
During their conversation, Zhenya, Stella, and Sasha explore the origins of the Dutch Protocol and dive deep into Zhenya’s insights into pediatric gender medicine, as well as her experience working with insurance companies. Zhenya takes great care to point out that in addition to considering the cultural components impacting the current gender discourse, it’s necessary to explore the psychological piece as well. But in addition to that, the involvement of medical organizations, like the APA and the American healthcare establishment as a whole, all play key roles not only in what is happening in gender medicine but how it’s happening to such extremes.
Links:
SEGM:
segm.org
Papers by Zhenya Abbruzzese
The Myth of Reliable Research in Pediatric Gender Medicine
Reconsidering Informed Consent for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
Current Concerns About Gender-Affirming Therapy in Adolescents
Methodological Bias (funny meme):
reddit.com/r/mathmemes/comments/uoc3zq/interesting_survey
If you liked this episode, more episodes you might find interesting:
The Dutch Studies Playlist
We have done a number of episodes about the "Dutch Protocol" which precipitated the surge in youth gender transition. There are many things about the Dutch research that have been misinterpreted and misapplied in various medical settings. Here are all the episodes we've done so far where we dig deeper into the studies that started it all.
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLngVCeAoK6vudCwfy0R2Rvg_SH2QxBJTu
Conversations about Medical Interventions & Gender
In these episodes, we discuss the history, evidence base, modern debates and emerging investigations around medical interventions for trans-identified children and adults.
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLngVCeAoK6vtz3WOn5z8WUM5PidraNGZU
Episode 62 - Pioneers Series: Adolescent Identity with Riittakerttu Kaltiala
youtu.be/2aWCm6CTdfU
Episode 94 — WPATH’s Bizarre 8th Standards of Care
youtu.be/aMrCTlp2-Io
Episode 114 — The Dutch Protocol: A Deprivation of Sexual Development with Julia Mason and Stephen Levine
youtu.be/QEiE_porazM
Please visit widerlenspod.com to explore more content, access additional resources, or join our listener community.
Watch us on YouTube: youtube.com/@widerlenspod
For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups:
Sasha Ayad: inspiredteentherapy.com/parents-start-here
Stella O’Malley: stellaomalley.com/parent-coaching
To learn more about our sponsors, visit:
GETA: genderexploratory.com
ReIME: rethinkime.org
Genspect: genspect.com
