The Killarney Group Think Tank
The Killarney Group is the world’s leading think tank for sex and gender. Our mission is to develop and promote new policy ideas which offer a healthy approach to sex and gender.
The Killarney group’s mission is to lay out a non-medicalised pathway toward resolving gender distress and toward understanding it within the larger sociocultural context. It is currently working on creating a comprehensive guide (the Gender Framework), authored by experts in biology, psychology, philosophy, sociology, law, medicine, and education.
The Framework offers an evidence-based alternative to approaches that prioritize medical transition. It recognizes that there are many routes into and out of gender-related distress, which is often influenced by neurodevelopmental conditions, mental health factors, and sociocultural influences. The resource provides practical, compassionate guidance for supporting individuals through non-medicalized interventions while maintaining a commitment to scientific integrity.
Divided into four key sections, the Framework examines: (1) the biological basis of sex and theories of gender; (2) competing paradigms in diagnosing and treating gender dysphoria; (3) clinical considerations including comorbidities and sociocultural context; and (4) conflicts of rights in wider society. Throughout, it emphasizes family-centered care and considers the needs of parents, siblings, and the family unit.
This guide is designed for teachers, healthcare providers, youth workers, legal professionals, and families navigating gender-related challenges in their work and personal lives, offering approaches that respect both biological realities and individual experiences without compromising on compassionate care.
The Gender Framework
Forthcoming from Pitchstone Publishing
A comprehensive, evidence-based guide that offers practical alternatives to medicalized approaches for understanding and addressing gender distress. Written by leading experts across multiple disciplines, this framework provides compassionate, non-medicalized pathways for supporting individuals and families.
Meet the Killarney Group
Stella O’Malley
Psychotherapist, Author, and Founder of Genspect
Dr Colin Wright
Evolutionary biologist, Manhattan Institute Fellow, writer, and member of Genspect’s Killarney Group
Jamie Reed
Whistleblower and former case manager at the Washington University Transgender Center
Holly Lawford-Smith
Associate Professor in Political Philosophy, author of “Gender-Critical Feminism” (2022) and “Feminism Beyond Left and Right” (released May 2025)
Michelle Mackness
Registered Clinical Counsellor specializing in gender distress
Emma Thomas
Advocate for children of transitioning parents and Director-Founder of Children of Transitioners
Carol Bartle
Nurse, midwife, researcher, policy analyst. Founding member of Genspect New Zealand and a member of Genspect’s Killarney Group
Jillian Spencer
Child Psychiatrist specializing in developmental approaches to gender distress
M. Lal
Researcher and Writer focusing on gender medicine research and evidence-based critique
Works: “Estrogen is Really Bad for Men”, “HHS Has Misled on Gender Medicine” (City Journal), “The 0.1% Smokescreen”
Bret Alderman, PhD
Psychologist, writer, and life coach with a PhD in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute
Author of “Eternal Youth and the Myth of Deconstruction” and “Symptom, Symbol, and the Other of Language”. Contributing author of “Cynical Therapies”.
Benjamin Boyce
Interviewer and podcaster focusing on cultural analysis, education, and gender issues
Shelley Charlesworth
Transgender Trend team member and researcher on gender ideology in education and children’s literature
Carrie Clark
Researcher
Amanda Miller
Researcher