A study recently released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is touted as proving that “gender ideology” leads to more left-wing extremist violence. In right-wing media, the paper is being celebrated—and internationally as well. The Austrian online magazine Exxpress, which like Nius is partly owned by German billionaire Frank Gotthardt, ran the headline: “Trans ideology fuels willingness to engage in left-wing violence.”
The paper claims, based on a survey, that people who endorse “gender-affirming” principles (i.e., recognizing transgender people) also score noticeably higher on “left-wing authoritarianism.” In addition, they would be more likely to accept political violence. The takeaway offered is that acceptance of queer people undermines democracy and increases politically motivated crime. In the report, “gender ideology” is described as an “ideological accelerant” of violence.
Report is not a study
What is often omitted in right-wing blogs: the paper is not, scientifically speaking, an established or widely recognized scholarly study. It is a report from government-affiliated think tanks and organizations. There was no peer review—no evaluation by a respected psychology or sociology journal.
Criticism also surrounded the study’s methodology: the online survey, involving roughly 1,200 participants, merely measured whether people would agree hypothetically with statements about violence. Such a setup cannot determine whether someone has actually engaged in or planned violence.
Moreover, the cross-sectional design can only identify correlations and not causality. In other words, the study does not prove that engaging with queer topics makes people violent or authoritarian. Equally plausible is that people who are already politically radical or angry simply latch onto current polarizing issues.
Report: Only violence against the political right questioned
Additionally, there is criticism that the survey selectively posed scenarios about violence: when it came to justifying political violence, the questions almost exclusively targeted violence against prominent right-wing conservatives or institutions, which heavily skewed responses from participants with left-leaning beliefs.
Beyond that, questions about agreement with “gender ideology” repeatedly measured whether a person accepted the scientific consensus. One example stated: “If gender identity of a transgender person is not recognized, this increases the risk of severe psychological distress for the individual.” This is not inherently an ideological question; medical guidelines have long shown that rejection can elevate the risk of mental health crises among many minorities. Anyone who agrees with these established medical guidelines is therefore automatically cast in the report as part of “left-wing authoritarianism” and “endorsement of violence.”
Human Rights Campaign: “MAGA Republicans want to sow hate against our fellow citizens”
LGBTQI advocacy groups criticized the report sharply: “For almost two years now, the Trump administration and officials like Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have used our own government as a cudgel against queer people and increasingly targeted toward the transgender community,” explained Kelley Robinson, head of the Human Rights Campaign. “This so-called study, funded by an ultra-right-wing interest group, is another example of research being steered to fit a desired conclusion—MAGA Republicans want to sow hate against our fellow citizens in a desperate attempt to distract from their own failures ahead of the midterm elections.” The midterm elections are set for November 3; polls suggested Democrats could potentially regain control of the House and possibly the Senate.
The Trump administration has taken a hard line against transgender people since taking office on January 20, 2025, including measures like sports bans and a blanket ban on transgender service in the military. More recently, the tone has grown harsher: acceptance of transgender people is even described in a document on American anti-terror strategy as a potential indicator of terrorism (TheColu.mn reported).
