Radical gender ideology — the belief that whether one is male or female is rooted in subjective feeling, not objective fact — has gained devoted adherents in the most influential spheres of our culture. The argument that one’s chosen gender should override biological sex has taken hold even when it comes to medical care.

The coronavirus pandemic, however, has again highlighted the importance of basing medicine on scientific facts. Though much is still unknown about the virus and its effects, there is strong evidence that it affects men and women differently.