In Nov. 2025, The Needle opened an investigation into McMaster University’s collaboration with an anti-trans hate group which promotes pseudoscience about trans people. The Needle’s earlier coverage showed that SEGM paid over $300,000 CAD to the Canadian University to suit politically-aimed research objectives.
Now, according to a new batch of records released under Canada’s Freedom of Information laws, it is clear that SEGM’s control of the research went deeper than previously reported.
The Needle previously reported that SEGM was given “near-total power over the studies conducted” through its contract with McMaster University. Newly released documents show that the agreement also prevents the professor who conducted the research from sharing study results without 30 days advance notice which contains the full manuscript.
Further, this 30 days notice was tied to provisions allowing one party or the other to object to any publication or presentation of the research.
This was agreed to by both sides after SEGM suggested a “redline” change from the original text, which read “an outline and associated abstract of any research results”.
The executed copy reads “a draft manuscript containing research results”.
In response to the proposal by SEGM, the professor who was agreeing to undertake the research wrote,
“I am ok with the change that pertains them seeing more than just [an] outline and abstract of potential publications. For everything else I do not fully understand the implications, and so I’d appreciate your help.”
Such revelations reinforce the pre-existing questions and concerns regarding this collaboration as well as questions about how far anti-trans groups are willing to go to force their ideology into existence.
