UnHerd
UnHerd is a British online magazine covering opinion, analysis and interviews. It was founded in 2017 by journalist Tim Montgomerie and is funded by investor Paul Marshall. The name refers to its intention not to follow the herd.
What you can find
UnHerd publishes essays and short commentaries daily, as well as video interviews. Contributors writing about gender include philosopher Kathleen Stock and psychotherapist Stella O'Malley. Topics include the evidence behind gender care for minors, the British Tavistock clinic and the conflict between women's rights and gender identity.
Why it is on this list
The platform is a regular outlet for authors who challenge the affirmative care model, providing access to many critical perspectives. Opposing views receive less attention, and the articles are opinion-driven. For the state of the research itself, see science and debate.
Founding and editorial team
UnHerd launched on 21 July 2017. Tim Montgomerie was editor-in-chief until September 2018. He was succeeded by Sally Chatterton, who had previously worked at The Daily Telegraph and The Independent. Freddie Sayers joined as executive editor in 2019 and is now editor-in-chief and director. He previously led the polling company YouGov and co-founded Politics Home. In January 2025, Sohrab Ahmari became the US editor. Since November 2022, UnHerd has had its own café and private members' club in Westminster, where conversations and debates are recorded for YouTube. Its contributors include Giles Fraser, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Lionel Shriver and Julie Bindel of The Lesbian Project.
Owner
Paul Marshall is a hedge fund manager who serves as owner and publisher. In September 2024, he also bought The Spectator and is a co-owner of the television channel GB News. UnHerd is generally described as conservative. Critics argue that its image of independent thinking conceals a conservative foundation, with a strong focus on the culture war. A related British opinion magazine on this list is The Critic.
The conflict with the Global Disinformation Index
In April 2024, it emerged that the Global Disinformation Index, an organisation that advises advertisers, had placed UnHerd on an exclusion list. The reason was three articles the organisation classified as anti-transgender stories. As a result, advertising revenue fell to approximately 5 per cent of what had been expected.
How to use and assess this source
The essays are arguments put forward by individual authors. They are valuable for reading an argument in its strongest form, but they do not replace the research they discuss. Two authors have their own profiles on this list: Kathleen Stock and Stella O'Malley.