Gender Flashpoints

Americans can’t agree on what “gender” means—and that’s fueling some of the most explosive political battles of our time.

Gender Flashpoints: The Power of Dialogue (In Press, Russell Sage Foundation) shows how competing definitions of gender drive conflicts over bathrooms, sports, pronouns, identity documents, and childhood socialization. Through interviews with 94 activists—including feminists, LGBTQ+ advocates, conservatives, and gender-critical feminists—it reveals both profound disagreements and unexpected common ground.

The book demonstrates that major policy changes implemented without public debate trigger backlash and policy whiplash. It identifies workable solutions (like redesigned restrooms) that satisfy competing concerns. And it makes the case that honest dialogue across political divides is both possible and essential—offering practical strategies for fostering such conversations.

This book doesn’t tell you what to think. It gives you tools to understand, navigate, and discuss some of the most crucial and fraught topics of our time.

This book was generously funded by the National Science Foundation.

This book extends earlier work published with Juliet Williams and Mallory Rees in leading sociology, law and society, and gender studies journals, including Social Forces, Social Problems, Gender & Society,  Signs, and Law & Society Review.

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