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Where the Clinic Meets the Movement: Does Gender Ideology Arm Left-Wing Authoritarian Psychology? is a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services examining the psychology behind strong support for radical gender ideology and left-wing authoritarianism.
Researchers surveyed over 1,200 U.S. adults using a new measurement tool built from “gender-affirming” guidance issued by major medical and psychological associations. The study found that people who scored higher on this measure (i.e., those who are more likely to agree with the guidance) were also more likely to hold left-wing authoritarian views — and more likely to say political violence could be justified in certain cases, even after accounting for political party alone.
The authors conclude that support for "gender-affirming" norms is strongly associated with broader authoritarian attitudes, not just political identity, and predicts support for political violence.
Published August 2026
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