Athena Forum

06/08/2026

Athena Forum was in London recently for the WDI Declaration on Women's Sex-Based Rights conference, where Annette Pacey joined feminists from across the world for two days of lively discussion and collaboration. Workshops explored issues ranging from the loss of spaces for young le****ns to the UK's draft conversion practices bill.

A particular highlight was the presentation by Athena Forum expert network member Anne Kalvig , who argued that gender identity is best understood as a belief system akin to a religious belief.

05/08/2026

We were proud to contribute to Women's Rights Network - NI ‘s Respect, Rights and Reality event in Belfast yesterday.

Athena Forum board member Marianne Driessen spoke about how contested concepts around gender identity are being presented as fact in schools across Europe, and how teachers are under pressure to shield those ideas from criticism:

"Contested concepts and confusing language, like for example, 's*x can vary', 'children are assigned a s*x at birth', and that children can be 'born in the wrong body', have made their way into teaching materials and even into the core curriculum objectives for children as young as four."

29/07/2026

We are extremely proud to have the impressive Anne Kalvig former professor of Religious Studies who was ousted from her University in Norway, on the Athena Expert Network.

Listen to the full segment on GB News for a takedown of the intrinsic religiousity of the gender identity belief: https://x.com/GBNEWS/status/2081467728817242575?s=20

17/07/2026

🎙️ A new episode of On the Record is out today!

Can universities still pursue truth if controversial ideas can't be openly debated?

Anne Kalvig, former Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Stavanger, joins us to discuss academic freedom, gender identity, and why she ultimately left academia. Here, she draws parallels between gender identity as a belief and the alternative spiritual practices of New Age religion.

Watch the full episode here:https://open.substack.com/pub/athenaforumeu/p/academic-heresy-in-norway?r=72trf&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

17/07/2026

If contested ideas can no longer be openly debated in universities, what does that mean for their role as truth-seeking institutions?

🎙️ New episode!

In the latest episode of on the record, we speak with Anne Kalvig Anne Kalvig - a Norwegian scholar of religion and former Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Stavanger - about her experiences of challenging prevailing ideas on gender identity in academia and why she ultimately decided to leave her professorship.

We also explore:
• Why Norway became an early adopter of gender identity policies.
• Whether small countries are more likely to embrace new social movements.
• Anne's analysis of gender identity belief through the lens of the academic study of religion, including parallels with new religious and New Age movements.
• The importance of free academic debate and open inquiry.

Listen here and subscribe for free via the Athena Forum Substack, our YouTube channel or wherever you get your podcasts.

With Anne Kalvig

13/07/2026

The EU's Digital Services Act establishes Trusted Flaggers: organisations whose reports of allegedly illegal content to online platforms receive priority treatment, giving them significant influence over what remains visible online.

In a number of European countries, NGOs advocating gender-identity policies have been designated as Trusted Flaggers. Some have systematically characterised s*x-based advocacy as hateful or extremist; treated the use of s*x-based language as inherently abusive; promoted gender-identity policies that conflict with s*x-based rights; or pursued action against those expressing s*x-based views through police reporting, assistance in court proceedings, media campaigns or policy advocacy seeking restrictions on such expression.

This is in conflict with the requirements of independence and objectivity that Trusted Flaggers are expected to meet under Article 22 DSA.

We have submitted our briefing and recommendations on Trusted Flaggers and s*x-based rights to the European Commission's consultation on the draft Guidelines. Read all about it here:

Trusted flaggers play an influential role in online content moderation. We have submitted recommendations to the European Commission calling for DSA Guidelines that uphold s*x-based rights, freedom of expression and democratic debate.

06/07/2026

At Helsinki Pride, radical trans activists carried a banner telling Finnish researchers to "go to hell."

When medical researchers become targets of public hostility, it raises a wider question: what happens to public debate when evidence is met not with argument, but with aggression and intimidation?

Attempts to silence or intimidate researchers do not strengthen a case: they invite greater scrutiny of the evidence. Read our latest analysis below 👇

At Helsinki Pride, radical transactivists carried a banner telling Finnish researchers to “go to hell”. The attacks raise a wider question: what happens to public debate when evidence is met not with argument, but with aggression and intimidation?

04/07/2026

We had a great Athena Forum team meeting in Vienna last weekend and are delighted to welcome Marianne Driessen to our Board!

Marianne is an education specialist based in the Netherlands, with a background in Biology (BSc) and Language Learning and Technology (MA). A lifelong advocate for women’s s*x-based rights, she taught self-defence to women and girls in the 1980s. Since 2022, she has been writing on the protection of women’s sport, le***an visibility and the reform of gender care for young people.

She joins Faika El-Nagashi () and Kurt Krickler on the Board of Athena Forum.

We have much planned for the second half of 2026: more visibility, more advocacy, more debate.

We will continue to hold European politicians, institutions and civil society to account, and shine a light on where they stand when it comes to women’s rights, the safeguarding of children and adolescents, the integrity of le***an and gay rights, and freedom of expression.

Onwards! 🦉

03/07/2026

🎙🎧We are so thrilled to announce On the Record - the new podcast from Athena Forum!

Across Europe, people are losing careers, reputations, even relationships, just for speaking openly about the impact of gender identity policies. On the record is where we talk to the people who choose to speak anyway

In the first episode journalist Zsófi Balogh goes on the record about being a radical feminist in Hungary. The host is Annette Pacey.

Subscribe for free to get new episodes first on Substack (available on other platforms very soon)

With Zsófi Balogh

03/07/2026

On the record is the new podcast from Athena Forum

The first episode is out today: Zsófi Balogh goes on the record about being a radical feminist in Hungary

Watch the full episode (for free!) on our new Substack https://athenaforumeu.substack.com/ or (soon) via your favourite podcast platform.