4thWaveNow
4thWaveNow is an American website launched in 2015 by a mother who writes under the name Denise, after her teenage daughter announced that she was transgender. The site describes itself as a community of people who question the medicalization of gender-atypical young people.
What you will find
The site features essays and personal stories by parents, people who previously identified as trans, and professionals. Many articles focus on young people with gender dysphoria, the influence of social media, and detransition. According to the founder, her daughter later moved away from her trans identification.
Why it is included on this list
4thWaveNow is one of the early parent platforms in the English-language debate on gender care for minors. Other parent platforms on this list include Parents of ROGD Kids and Our Duty. It is an outspoken critical voice, not a scientific source: its content consists mainly of personal experiences and opinion and presents one side of the debate.
Who is behind it
The founder writes under the first name Denise. In later posts on the site, she is identified by name as Denise Caignon. She describes herself as a left-leaning parent who is critical of the prevailing framework. The site explicitly states that it supports gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals and does not identify with conservative or religious-fundamentalist views on sexuality. The founder also says that adults should be free to make decisions about their own bodies. The doubts concern lifelong medical treatment for children, teenagers, and young adults, particularly girls considering medical transition. According to the site, the daughter whose story started it all co-founded the Pique Resilience Project in 2019. A description of that project by four young detransitioners can be found on transgemeenschap.nl.
How the site has developed
After the early years, the number of new articles declined. The homepage features a post from April 2021, one from April 2022 about the founder's first public appearance in a conversation with podcast host Benjamin Boyce, two from November 2023, and one from March 2024. The latter, by Susan Nagel, examines the evidence behind guidelines for gender care for minors. In November 2023, the founder spoke with Stephanie Davies-Arai of the British Transgender Trend at a conference organized by Genspect. The site therefore primarily serves as an archive of the early parent debate.
How to assess this source
The articles are written by involved parents and like-minded people, often under pseudonyms. As a result, the experiences described cannot be verified, and responses from clinicians or young people who are satisfied with their transition are absent. Check claims about research against the original publications. An overview of the state of the research can be found under systematic reviews of gender care.