Gender as a Body-Modification Youth Sub(cult)ure
Eliza Mondegreen discusses online trans communities.

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Eliza Mondegreen discusses how online trans communities influence young people’s beliefs about themselves, their bodies, and gender identity. She argues that these spaces use cult-like tactics, encouraging teens to see transition as the only solution to their struggles. She explains how peer pressure, social media, and activism draw young people in, often leading them to cut ties with family and make irreversible medical decisions. Mondegreen highlights concerns about how these ideas spread, how doubts are discouraged, and how some later regret their choices but feel trapped in the ideology.

Eliza Mondegreen is a researcher and freelance writer who focuses on gender identity issues, particularly the dynamics within online transgender communities and the principles of the ‘gender-affirmative’ medical model. She contributes to various platforms, including UnHerd, where she has authored numerous articles on topics such as youth gender transition, medical practices, and the societal implications of gender ideology.