HHS Study Links Gender-Affirming Care Support to Left-Wing Authoritarianism

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a study on August 27, 2026, concluding that support for gender-affirming care is associated with higher levels of left-wing authoritarianism and a greater willingness to justify political violence. The report, titled "Where the Clinic Meets the Movement: Does Gender Ideology Arm Left-Wing Authoritarian Psychology?", surveyed 1,208 U.S. adults and found that stronger endorsement of gender-affirming positions was substantially linked to authoritarian attitudes and the justification of violence across six scenarios.