Helen Joyce, a prominent anti-trans activist and self-declared defender of “women’s rights,” is once again at the center of controversy — this time for suggesting that doctors who provide gender-affirming care to trans youth should be sentenced to life in prison. The comments came during a panel at the Oxford Literary Festival, where Joyce spoke alongside fellow anti-trans crusader Julie Bindel, in an event already drawing backlash for its inclusion in an LGBTQ+ lineup.
During the hour-long talk titled Trans: Gender Identity and the New Battle for Women’s Rights, Joyce made it crystal clear that she believes gender-affirming healthcare isn’t just controversial — it’s criminal. “There are people I could name right now whom I would like to see in jail for the rest of their lives,” she said. That’s right — a life sentence, not for malpractice, but for respecting and supporting trans youth.
Joyce referenced an unverified anecdote of a young person who allegedly underwent several gender-affirming surgeries and later regretted them, using it as a springboard to paint a picture of widespread regret in the trans community. The reality? Multiple studies have shown regret rates for gender-affirming procedures hover around 1%, far lower than the dissatisfaction rates for things like knee surgeries or bariatric weight-loss operations. But facts don’t seem to factor much into Joyce’s rhetoric.
She didn’t stop there. Joyce described being transgender as a “social contagion,” reducing the lived experience of trans people — especially trans youth — to a trendy escape from reality. And she took aim at cisgender allies too, suggesting their advocacy is less about justice and more about spicing up their “boring” lives. “Why might a middle-aged white woman… want to invent themselves as some amazing sort of ally?” she asked, to approving nods from Bindel and a smattering of applause.
Outside the event, protesters gathered, many incensed that Joyce, who is neither LGBTQ+ nor a medical professional, was being platformed at all. “Having Helen Joyce in an LGBTQ+ lineup is like asking a vegan to judge a BBQ competition,” one protester said. “She has no place in these conversations — and certainly no moral high ground.”
For the trans community and its allies, Joyce’s remarks are more than offensive — they’re dangerous. In a time when trans rights are under attack globally, comments like hers embolden the already growing tide of anti-trans legislation and sentiment. Doctors providing lifesaving care are being villainized, and trans youth are being painted as confused victims rather than autonomous individuals deserving respect.
This isn’t just a difference of opinion. It’s a targeted campaign to erase and criminalize trans lives, one inflammatory soundbite at a time. And while Joyce may enjoy the literary spotlight, the impact of her words lands far beyond the Oxford halls — in clinics, classrooms, and homes where trans people are just trying to live.