The term “peaking” has become central to debates about transgender issues, often tied to allegations that gender-critical (GC) groups like Genspect pressure individuals into adopting anti-trans views.

This article examines the connection between Genspect and the peaking tactic, focusing on the roles of Zhenya Abbruzzense, a co-founder, her daughter Maia Poet (X: @thepeacepoet), a detransitioner who socially presented as male but did not medically transition, and Chloe Cole (@choocole), a prominent detransitioner reportedly earning $200,000 annually from speaking engagements.

The related term “peak trans,” popularized by GC advocates like Maria MacLachlan via *Peak Trans* (est. 2017), refers to a personal realization that transgender advocacy is flawed, often citing medicalization or social contagion. While “peak trans” is framed as a personal awakening, peaking implies external pressure, fueling criticism of groups like Genspect.

Maia’s experience in Israel, where she claims to have witnessed the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, shaped her rejection of transgender ideology. Drawing on recent sources and X posts, we explore how their activities contribute to the peaking narrative and the broader GC movement.

Genspect’s Mission and Controversies

Founded in 2021 by Stella O’Malley, Genspect is an international organization advocating non-medicalized approaches to gender distress. It opposes gender-affirming care for those under 25, social and medical transitions, and laws banning conversion therapy for gender identity.

Comprising professionals, parents, trans individuals, and detransitioners, Genspect promotes rapid-onset gender dysphoria (ROGD), a concept dismissed by major medical bodies like WPATH as unsupported.

The Southern Poverty Law Center designated Genspect an anti-LGBTQ hate group in 2023, citing its ties to the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM) and anti-trans rhetoric. Genspect emphasizes detransition narratives, as seen in its *Detransition Archives* and the 2023 *Bigger Picture* conference, featuring detransitioners like Ritchie Herron and Chloe Cole.

Critics argue this aligns with peaking by amplifying regret to undermine trans identities. Leaked 2023 Discord chats revealed Genspect members discussing strategies to dissuade children from trans identification, using terms like “gender cult” or “groomers” for trans advocates, mirroring peaking’s fear-based narratives.

Zhenya Abbruzzense and Maia Poet’s Role

Zhenya Abbruzzense, a Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM) co-founder and parent advocate, opposes gender-affirming care, drawing on her experiences as a mother. Her daughter Maia, identifies as a detransitioner who did not medically transition but socially presented as male by wearing a binder and using a male name and pronouns.

Maia’s X posts detail her journey, stating she identified as trans from age 12 to 24, binding her breasts and “living a lie as a man” until realizing at 25 that women can express gender non-conformity without rejecting their sex.

Maia claims her time in Israel, where her mother sent her, and her experience witnessing the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks were pivotal in rejecting transgender ideology as “nonsense.” No specific evidence confirms Maia’s presence at the attack sites (e.g., Kibbutz Be’eri or the Nova festival), where Hamas-led groups committed war crimes, including murder and hostage-taking, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251.

Her claim aligns with her narrative of a transformative experience, reinforced by posts describing her shift to supporting #MAGA and free speech on X. This mother-daughter dynamic bolsters SEGM and Genspect’s messaging. Abbruzzense’s parental advocacy, paired with Maia’s story of socially presenting as male and later detransitioning, creates a narrative that transitioning—even socially—is a reversible mistake.

Maia’s posts, describing her realization that women can wear vests and bow ties, align with Genspect’s view that gender distress can be resolved without affirming trans identities. Critics argue this narrative fuels peaking by encouraging others to view trans identities as a phase or error, leveraging Maia’s story to persuade parents or youth.

A 2021 Slate article noted how detransitioners like Ky Schevers were drawn into GC communities, only to later reject their anti-trans rhetoric, comparing it to ex-gay movements.

Chloe Cole’s Involvement and Speaking Income

Chloe Cole (@choocole), a prominent detransitioner, is a key figure in Genspect’s advocacy and the broader GC movement. Cole, who transitioned as a minor and later detransitioned, has become a high-profile speaker at GC events, including Genspect’s 2023 conference. A July 2024 X post by @ErinInTheMorn, referencing testimony during Ohio’s HB68 hearings, revealed that Cole earns up to $200,000 annually from speaking engagements, highlighting her financial stake in promoting detransition narratives.

This income, significantly higher than the U.S. median household income of $80,610, underscores the personal gain of her advocacy, which includes appearances at rallies, conferences, and legislative hearings opposing gender-affirming care.

Cole’s story, like Maia’s, is used to argue that trans identities are often temporary or misguided, aligning with peaking’s goal of sowing doubt. Her high-profile status and substantial income suggest a deliberate effort to amplify detransition narratives, potentially influencing vulnerable individuals—parents, youth, or policymakers—to reject trans identities or healthcare.

Critics argue that Cole’s financial success, tied to her anti-trans advocacy, exemplifies how peaking can exploit personal stories for ideological gain, with detransitioners being celebrated only when their narratives serve GC goals.

Genspect’s Contribution to Peaking

Genspect’s publications, such as booklets advising against chosen names or pronouns and advocating sex-based policies, foster stigma around trans identities, critics say. Its promotion of ROGD and exploratory therapy—likened to conversion therapy by Health Liberation Now! (2023)—aligns with peaking by encouraging skepticism about trans identities. Leaked Discord chats revealed members discussing ways to “reach” children to prevent trans identification, consistent with peaking’s aim of sowing doubt.

The stories of Maia Poet and Chloe Cole amplify this narrative. Maia’s X posts frame her social transition as a “cult” that wasted 12 years, reinforcing Genspect’s view that gender non-conformity can be addressed without affirming trans identities.

Cole’s well-funded advocacy, earning $200,000 annually, adds a professional dimension, with her speeches and testimony shaping public and legislative perceptions. Critics argue such stories exaggerate detransition’s prevalence (1-3% of those who transition, per a 2024 study) and overemphasize external pressures like stigma as reasons for regret, aligning with peaking’s selective storytelling.

The October 7 Context and Its Impact

Maia’s claim of witnessing the October 7 attacks, which included war crimes like murder and sexual violence at sites like Kibbutz Be’eri and the Nova festival, is a significant part of her narrative. A post by @AndrewGold_ok suggests this experience was a catalyst for her rejecting transgender ideology, framing it as a “woke” delusion. While no evidence directly places Maia at these sites, the attacks’ brutality—documented by Human Rights Watch and The New York Times—could plausibly shape a worldview prioritizing tangible dangers over ideological debates.

Her mother’s decision to send her to Israel, possibly for personal or cultural reasons, adds a layer to their story, suggesting Abbruzzense’s intent in exposing Maia to experiences that shifted her perspective.

Critical Analysis: Intent or Consequence?

Critics, including TransVitae and Slate, argue that Genspect’s use of detransition narratives, like those of Maia Poet and Chloe Cole, is a deliberate peaking tactic to manipulate vulnerable individuals into anti-trans stances.

The mother-daughter dynamic between Abbruzzense and Maia personalizes this narrative, while Cole’s $200,000 speaking income highlights the professional stakes of GC advocacy.

Both stories make Genspect’s messaging persuasive to parents, youth, or policymakers questioning gender. Conversely, Genspect, Maia, and Cole frame their work as protecting people from medicalization or ideological “cults,” with their stories evidencing real harm but no personal responsibility.

While Genspect may not explicitly aim to peak individuals, its rhetoric and focus on regret can have that effect. The lack of evidence for ROGD and rejection of Genspect’s approach by bodies like the APA highlight its controversial nature. Maia’s story, while personal, and Cole’s well-funded advocacy risk being tokenized to support an anti-trans agenda, a key criticism of peaking.

Maia’s claim of witnessing the October 7 attacks, if true, adds a dramatic element that could amplify her influence, though its unverifiable nature warrants caution.

Conclusion

Genspect’s advocacy, amplified by Zhenya Abbruzzense, her daughter Maia Poet, and Chloe Cole, aligns with the peaking tactic by promoting narratives that cast doubt on trans identities. Maia’s story of socially presenting as male, shaped by her time in Israel and the October 7 attacks, and Cole’s $200,000-a-year speaking career, underpin Genspect’s view that gender distress is a reversible phase.

While Genspect frames its work as protective, critics argue it manipulates vulnerable individuals, with Maia and Cole’s stories serving as high-profile examples. This dynamic underscores the intentionally polarized nature of gender discourse, where personal stories are leveraged in ideological battles.