This week, the delightful duo of Ashleigh and Flint take you through:

• Ashleigh the Solarpunk fills you in on thrilling tales of her adventures and a content warning is given, because it's just that sort of "adventure."
• A triple-decked Pond Hoppin' segment that ends with some uncharacteristically good news. I know! We were surprised too.
• The NHS has published a new service specification for Children and Young People's (CYP) gender services. We assess the damage.
• A foray to the high street as Sex Matters (attempt to) take on M&S!
• Some quick notes about our staffing levels after PinkNews made all their reporters redundant. Also, we talk about how PinkNews made all their reporters redundant.
• It's been a year since the Supreme Court judgement. Yes, that one. We look back and reflect on what's changed and what it feels like has changed, even though it really hasn't.
• Our usual smattering of Trans Joy as a palate-cleanser.

References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep153

Kickflips for Trans Lives!

Episode cover photo credit (all modified):

Maya Forstater (c) Cleanweb UK https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

Ben Cohen (c) International Journalism Festival https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ (modified)

Wesley Streeting (c) House of Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This week, in a special US-focused episode, our mighty duo of Alyx and Flint talk about:

• More anti-trans activity North of the border in Scotland.
• An update on the Girlguiding policy which now has a ticking clock: all trans guides and volunteers must leave by September 6th.
• A look at the machinations of Darlington council and their recent motion regarding that supreme court judgement.
• An interview with Tori Cooper of the Human Rights Campaign in the US about her life, work and current focus.

References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep152

Exploring a new format because we're never ones to shy away from innovation, let us know what you think.

On this fortnight's episode, our embattled hosts Flint, Ashleigh & Alyx go over:

• Difficult news from the Southern states of the US in Pond Hopping. CONTENT WARNING: This story contains talking about suicide, potential murder and racism. This is signposted within the episode and a time code to skip over this story is included.
• TransActual's new report "Continuing to Endure the UK's Hostile Environment.
• How a particular professer is prohibited from participating in the PATHWAYS trial by the MHRA.
• Our main section talks about the now 'official' halting of HRT prescriptions to 16 and 17-year olds.

References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep151

Submit to a zine! Extended deadline: March 28th - Open Call — Carnations, Violets & Lavender

This week, Flint and Alyx are left to their own devices for this acronym-heavy episode and have the unenviable task of taking you through:

• Recent enforced driver's license changes in Kansas, USA.
• CONTENT WARNING: Our second story contains information about young people choosing to end their own lives and how these deaths were not included in 2024's Appleby Report. This is signposted within the episode and a time code to skip over this story is included.
• Not In Our Name Women (NION Women), supported by the Good Law Project and the letters they gather that focus on reasons to stay.
• New Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance.
• Submissions from the Trans Exile Network and the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention to GANHRI about the status of the UK's EHRC.
• PATHWAYS and the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
• BUT! After escaping from the acronyms, the team talk about a trip to the theatre to see a show starring the inimitable Abigail Thorn, featuring an interview!
• Finally, an interview with Astrid from the Trans Solidarity Alliance - the TSA is who organised the mass lobby of trans people at the UK Houses of Parliament in 2025 - to sit down and have a little chat about a recent appeal brought by the Good Law Project to the High Court.

References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep150

At last! It's here! Our long-awaited deep dive into the Levy review is here! In this episode, our hosts Ashleigh, Flint and Alyx take you through what the review got right, what it got wrong and where it didn't go far enough.

This is a special episode and as such does not talk about the main news stories of the last few weeks. It's Levy all the way down this time. Normal service will be resumed as soon as we work out what that is.

The Beaches! The awesome Canadian band we mentioned.

The Atomic Hound Dog! Ashleigh's old band.

References:

Dr Hilary Cass Chair Independent review of gender identity services for children and young people John Stewart National Director

Streeting's response -Adult Services Review

Gender Identity Services for Adults (Non-Surgical Interventions) -NHS England

NHS commissioning » Review of adult gender dysphoria services

Review of the NHS adult gender dysphoria clinics in England: terms of reference and key lines of enquiry

Arden GEM Review of NHS adult gender dysphoria clinics Engagement summary report of findings

"The Levy Review" - Operational and delivery review of NHS adult gender dysphoria clinics in England

NHS England's initial response to Dr Levy's Report

Statement by Wes Streeting to HoC regarding the completed Adult Services Review

Levy Review: A scathing audit of NHS Trans+ healthcare that isn't radical enough to fix the problems - Queer AF

Some thoughts on the Levy Review - Dr Ruth Pearce

The Levy review has been published | Good Law Project

This week, on a shorter-than-usual episode, Ashleigh and Flint take their collective feet off the accelerator and approach things in a more thoughtful way. But there is still some news talk! Including:

• CW: This episode contains a discussion around the actions of ICE, in the USA. There's no easy way of going over this.
• Closer to home, the Council of Europe has voted to ban conversion therapy, despite the best efforts of a certain anti-trans group...
• In fact that particular group had a double-whammy of deserved disappointment and we'll tell you all about it in Loser's Corner.
• Followed by a considered conversation about how, in these difficult times, are we to rest. Maybe there's ways of passing time that are in and of themselves radical. From the immortal Terry Pratchett: "It's not worth doing unless someone, somewhere would much rather you weren't doing it."

References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep148

We're back! Happy New Year! On this short & sweet(ish) episode, our exquisite hosts wade into the waters of:

• A hop across the pond to talk about stories from Texas and the US Supreme Court.
• International criticism of the upcoming PATHWAYS clinical trial.
• Bridget Phillipson's statement that trans people "should not be used as a political punchbag" and why that's a bit f**king rich coming from a Labour cabinet minister.
• AQA educational materials and their, shall we say, problematic way of addressing gender dysphoria.
• A not-quite Loser's Corner, concerning Sex Matters and the Charity Commission.

References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep147

Thumbnail photo credit: Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street

The studio has a visit from the Holly King himself...

On this svelte-yet-festive episode, hosts Ashleigh and Flint give some details about some surprisingly positive news stories, some that you may have missed and some that you absolutely definitely have heard about, including:

• An update on the NDAA bill in the USA.
• New protections for intersex people in Victoria, Australia.
• The Girlguides and the Women's Institute both saying they'd bar trans women, only for a lot of their members to rebel against it.
• A quick update from the EHRC now that Falkner has finally, finally left.
• A triple-threat Loser's Corner, including a particular Scottish nurse...
• And a visit from Father Transmasc, for a decidedly festive section about the nice list, and the naughty list!

References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep146

Thumbail photo credit: Chatham House

On this episode, Ashleigh, Flint and Alyx explore the finer details of:

• Details allegedly 'leaked' from the Civil Service to the Times about the upcoming guidance from the EHRC. It's safe to say that we have one or two concerns about it.
• The PATHWAYS trial, what it is, what it'll involve and what that stupid backronym* is supposed to mean.
• The Levy review, the much-delayed review into adult trans healthcare, featuring details of an FOI we sent and an interview with Chay from TransActual.
• Plus our regular segments of Pond Hoppin', Loser's Corner and Trans Joy!

References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep145

*a real term, I promise I didn't make that up.