Ryan T. Anderson — When Harry Became Sally
When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment is a book by American political philosopher Ryan T. Anderson. It was published in 2018 by Encounter Books. Anderson is a socially conservative thinker and worked for the Heritage Foundation when the book was published.
What the Book Is About
Anderson examines the cultural and political debate over transgender identity in the United States. He rejects what he calls transgender ideology and is critical of hormone treatments and surgeries, particularly for minors. The book includes stories of people who came to regret their transition and discusses legislation concerning bathrooms, schools, and sports. Its starting point is the view that the body determines whether someone is male or female.
Reception and Criticism
Conservative media praised the book. Critics accused Anderson of referring to transgender people by their former names and of treating gender dysphoria as a disorder. In February 2021, Amazon removed the book from sale, citing the reason that it portrayed LGBTQ identity as a mental illness. Anderson disputed that interpretation, and the removal sparked a debate about censorship. In February 2025, Amazon added the book back to its catalog. It is included as an example of critical perspectives from a conservative viewpoint.
A Closer Look at Amazon’s Removal of the Book
The book is 264 pages long. Amazon removed it from its catalog in February 2021, shortly after the company had changed its policy on hateful content. On March 12, 2021, Amazon explained its decision: the company had chosen not to sell books that presented LGBTQ identity as a mental illness. The decision was criticized by, among others, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, as well as by the National Coalition Against Censorship, an organization that opposes censorship in general. The criticism of the removal therefore came not only from people who shared the author’s views. On February 4, 2025, Amazon reversed its decision.
Its Place Among Other Books
The criticism that Anderson refers to transgender people by their former names came, among others, from the progressive news site ThinkProgress. The book differs from other critical titles in this archive in its starting point. Anderson writes from a socially conservative tradition. Authors such as Kathleen Stock and Helen Joyce arrive at partly similar objections through philosophy and journalism, respectively, but do not share that background. Anderson remained active in the debate after the book’s publication. He later became affiliated with the Ethics and Public Policy Center and wrote an endorsement for the documentary The Detransition Diaries, calling it a film everyone should see.