Masha Gessen from The New York Times won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for opinion writing on Monday, largely for a series of essays mostly critical of President Donald Trump.
When looking at Gessen’s career, it becomes evident that there isn’t much diversity in her opinions.
Gessen, who began identifying as “nonbinary” in 2020, emigrated to the U.S. from Russia with her family when she was young. She later returned to Russia as an adult, regained her Russian citizenship, and then moved back to the U.S. in 2014 to escape what she described as the Kremlin’s anti-gay campaign.
Initially arriving in Harlem, Gessen brought with her some pretty typical views of the intellectual elite regarding race. She recounts a conversation with a woman who claimed to have faced “racist remarks.”
“I cringed at her words,” Gessen says, reflecting that the woman was white and the comments had come from individuals of another race. Gessen believes that “reverse racism” doesn’t exist; she argues that one can’t experience racial discrimination if they belong to the majority.
The following day, Gessen took her daughter to a Harlem playground where a drunken man called her daughter a “white bitch.”
When her daughter asked, “Isn’t this racism?” Gessen writes, “Somehow, my previous understanding, which denied racism aimed at the majority, couldn’t grasp the dynamics at play between a child and an adult.”
However, Gessen’s conclusion is somewhat unsatisfactory. She doesn’t explore the implications of the man’s comments possibly reflecting a broader issue of anti-white racism. Instead, she merely sees it as an indication of a new “power dynamic.”
While Gessen claims to be both “trans” and “nonbinary” and prefers the use of “they” pronouns, she has expressed a desire to eliminate pronouns entirely. In a social media post from 2020, she noted that ideally, she would prefer to use “Gessen” as a pronoun.
“Avoiding pronouns is a great solution,” she commented, praising a reviewer for their efforts in this area.
Despite being recognized for her work on “rising authoritarian regimes,” Gessen seems unaware of how her own attitudes can reflect a form of minor authoritarianism.
Gessen has attempted to clarify her pronouns multiple times, sometimes with noticeable frustration.
In one winning essay, she recalls a tense interaction with a border security officer. When asked about her gender, she stated, “It’s X.” Their exchange continued with her refusing to elaborate.
Gessen mentions her passport indicates her gender as “X,” claiming it represents her identity as someone who doesn’t fit into male or female categories. But the question remains: self-identification doesn’t change biological realities. There are surely many individuals who claim weights or heights that don’t align with their actual measurements, yet a passport needs to be reliable to serve its purpose.
Gessen seems confused about why gender is on identification documents at all. “I’m the right age,” she writes, “and the photo matches.” However, gender is a fundamental aspect of personal identification, whether Gessen or others might wish it were otherwise.
She has also advocated for “gender-affirming care” for minors, criticizing the Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Skrmetti. Gessen argues that numerous choices teenagers make, such as taking medication or competing in sports, carry potential long-term consequences.
This attitude raises concerns about her disregard for the impact of medical decisions on young individuals. Additionally, her analogy seems misplaced. Enrolling a child in sports looks to improve athletic abilities; what is the goal of consenting to a mastectomy for a teenager? Is it merely to help her mimic a male figure?
Even if one were to compare the stakes involved in sports and medical procedures, they are certainly not equivalent.
The Pulitzer Prizes evaluate opinion writing based on clarity, moral purpose, logic, engaging style, and influence on public opinion. While Gessen demonstrates a degree of logic and intent in her writing, it is unfortunate that these elements appear skewed.
