Trans phenomenon: an ideology or a business?

One of the main reasons for the success of the trans phenomenon is the business behind its claims. In addition to the ideological burden and its political use, it generates significant profits that allow the maintenance of a powerful lobby among political parties, NGOs, and doctors to ensure favorable legislation.

This is stated in the report The Transgender Leviathan by the American Principles Project Foundation (APPF), which has approached this movement from a social, scientific, political, and economic point of view. Foundation president, Terry Schilling, said "the widespread normalization of transgenderism has been fueled by a mix of factors: the ideological capture of key cultural institutions, the financial profitability to Big Pharma of encouraging gender transitions, and well-funded lobbying campaigns in politics. And despite the enormous evidence that this movement is damaging the physical and mental health of countless children, its advocates continue to press forward, while gaslighting the public as to the horrible effects."

It combines ideology, politics and economic benefits

Unlike other key points of the woke culture, "transgenderism has the winning trifecta, and makes the movement much harder to defeat, despite its obvious harm to individuals and the lack of any legitimate science or data to support its central tenets." In other words, it combines ideology, politics and economic benefits. Something that, for example, does not happen with eugenics, which has behind it "ideology and a political movement, but not profits that could be reinvested in lobbying for protective legislation."

Therefore, "to fight back effectively, we have to expose the truth. That is what The Transgender Leviathan aims to do, and we look forward to educating lawmakers and all Americans in the coming weeks on the reality behind this destructive movement and what we must do to stop it," says Schilling.

A "staggering" amount of money

The report's author, Pedro L. Gonzalez, stressed that the transgender ideology includes advocates who, politically, identify as Democrats and Republicans. The movement is supported by a group of powerful individuals, and moves a "staggering" amount of money.

According to Gonzalez, "There are generally two motives driving the normalization of transgenderism: ideology and interest, or those who are true believers and those who see transgenderism as an avenue for increased profit and power. However, regardless of motive the result is the same: a society that lives by lies, the undermining of the family, and a radical reimagining of the relationship between the individual and their body and the citizen and state."

A market of more than $1.5 billion in 2026

On the economic side, the author complains that "transitioning has created an extremely profitable market with lifetime consumers. The global market valuation for sex reassignment surgery is expected to exceed $1.5 billion by 2026, according to an analysis by Global Market Insights." These figures can be better understood with an example. The report includes the case of Elle Bradford.

This transgender woman "paid around $30,000 for “gender confirmation surgery” and roughly the same amount for facial feminization surgery, plus a breast augmentation surgery that runs between $5,000 and $10,000. Hormone therapy costs at least $1,500 per year. Bradford's experience is that she plans to be a lifelong user, as is common for transgender people. If we reference the average life expectancy (78 years) the amount that these people will invest in pharmaceuticals is enormous. However, as the report highlights, "the mortality rate among transgender people is, in general, much higher than that of the average population, which means a shorter life expectancy.

Over $60 million in donations to political parties

In the case of children and teenagers, one of the main targets of transgender ideology and the industry behind it, the stakes are even higher. For example, each monthly injection of Lupron, a puberty blocker, "costs between $1,100 to $2,500 for patients without insurance. The estimated cost out of pocket for a three-month kit of Lupron is about $9,500.84. Financial records show that Lupron has generated more than $5 billion in domestic net income since 2013."

It is worth noting that the pharmaceutical company that markets this product, ABBVie has invested more than $60 million since 2013 in donations to the Democratic Party and the GOP. However, Gonzalez clarifies that the split is not exactly even: "To be sure, Democrats are the biggest beneficiaries of giving related to LGBT issues like transgenderism. In the 2020 election cycle, Open Secrets data show groups in this space spent $6.9 million supporting Democrats and only $79,800 on Republicans."

For its lobbying actions, "AbbVie has hired 169 different lobbyists in the last decade across 31 states. Among its top payees is Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm with close ties to the Republican Party." Through this company, Gonzalez exemplifies the involvement of politicians from both parties in the trans business. "In 2021, the Ballard signed a lobbying agreement with Freedom for All Americans, a Washington-based nonprofit pushing for the passage of the Equality Act, which would enable the federal government to infringe on individual liberties in the name of anti-discrimination." "Trent Morse, who served as President Trump’s liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services, works at Freedom for All Americans."

Physicians on payroll

In addition, companies such as ABBVie rely on doctors to support and give credibility to their products. Despite the damage they cause, and the lack of an objective scientific basis, doctors such as Peter A. Lee have even led a radical change of perspective. "In 2009, Lee told the Chicago Tribune about the benefits of puberty that Lupron deprives users of: “In women, you are talking about bone density, and in both sexes, cardio health in addition to sexuality and reproduction."

A year later, Lee published a study about Lupron being used on children that omitted two serious side effects: a bone disorder and a disease-caused fracture. What had changed? According to ProPublica’s database, Lee received $322,469 between 2013 to 2018 from AbbVie to talk about Lupron.