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Original poster

The effect of lockdown on transitioning teen girls

183 replies

Thegenderbreadperson · 28/06/2020 23:02

I mentioned this on another thread, but as a worker in a high school we have found out during weekly phone calls home that since lockdown that most of our FtM students have de transitioned, perhaps as there is no longer the group peer pressure or affirmation from teachers? I was interested to see if there are any more examples - the other thread was started about Dr Haddock, and I felt this was worthy of its own thread.

In our school there were nine girls out of a approx 160 student year 9 cohort who identified as boys. Seven have now de transitioned since lockdown and one is considering it. Out of those nine I would have said three of them weren’t as committed as the others and had said they were “thinking about being non binary”, but were keen to remain part of that friendship group. It really is infectious.

OP posts:
Original poster
Thegenderbreadperson · 29/06/2020 08:44

@KittiesInsane
That’s true, it happened on the Twitter thread, comments that they felt sorry for the child trapped in lockdown with an unsupportive parent.

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MistyGreenAndBlue · 29/06/2020 08:31

I'm not even a little bit surprised at this tbh. It was pretty obvious that a large % of these kids were doing this under pressure.

It's so nice to hear that at least some have felt able to just be themselves again (their real selves)
I just really hope this phenomenon is country wide.
Wouldn't that be something?

KittiesInsane · 29/06/2020 08:15

I am sure the counter view will be that these poor children have been coerced into detransitioning by their transphobic families over lockdown.

AnotherLass · 29/06/2020 08:07

Is anyone aware of any academics who are (brave enough time be) researching detransitioning?

Lisa Littman is doing a study - I've seen her recruiting for it (she's the academic who wrote the paper on ROGD). But she's an American.

Langbannedforsafeguardingkids · 29/06/2020 08:03

Lamahaha I know what you mean. I went to a single sex college at University and it was such a relief after a mixed secondary school.

Still, I do think schools let boys get away with disrupting girls far too much - and some boys seem, even in primary, not to understand the word 'no'. I do think the changes that are likely as a result of coronavirus will really benefit my DD and girls in general - no girls sitting next to boys to help control their behaviour, own desk, no group work. She HATES group work.

Lamahaha · 29/06/2020 07:08

I've noticed a positive effect of lockdown on my DD of the lack of peer pressure and particularly the absence of boys. She said her small sibling constantly interrupting her was less annoying than the boys in her class constantly trying to either disrupt her work or asking her how to do their work or just simply trying to aggravate her.

When I read this I am SOOO happy that I went to all-girls schools from the age of 10.
One of the secondary schools I attended has since turned co-ed. The other one is still going strong as all-girls. I am very much in favour of single-sex education, at least for girls. But I guess you can't have that without all-boys schools , or majority-boys schools -- which would be even worse for girls.

Original poster
Thegenderbreadperson · 29/06/2020 06:38

@scotsheather
It is transphobic - she did not see her trans boy pals as boys she would date, and classed them as girls - she also could not grasp the hypocrisy of this.

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SerenityNowwwww · 29/06/2020 01:13

I wonder if there is also some level of bullying or trying to either fit in with a tribe (the trans cool kids) or reject one (the Uber girly girls)?

Impatiens · 29/06/2020 01:11

Fascinating

SerenityNowwwww · 29/06/2020 01:10

I wonder if their parents have kept them away from social media?

MushyPeasAreTheDevilsFood · 29/06/2020 01:07

Thought exactly the same scotsheather

scotsheather · 29/06/2020 01:02

She had no interest in dating another trans boy because “she wasn’t a lesbian or pansexual”....

What? That sounds a terribly transphobic thing to say.

Original poster
Thegenderbreadperson · 29/06/2020 00:49

The twitter thread linked from the detransitioning thread earlier also has a comment from a parent of another girl who has detransitioned over lockdown.

Also, in the Twitter thread the comments about dating resonate, one of our detransitioners said she was In a “dating no mans land”, she identified as gay- a boy who likes other boys, but the hetero boys weren’t interested due to her masculine presentation, and the gay boys weren’t interested due to being aware she was a female. She had no interest in dating another trans boy because “she wasn’t a lesbian or pansexual”.... it’s no wonder they are confused is it?!

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EmbarrassingAdmissions · 29/06/2020 00:39

since lockdown that most of our FtM students have de transitioned

True of family friends.

Interesting.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 29/06/2020 00:20

*Mushy" dd has ASD and is so much more relaxed doing work at home. She's in a permanent state of panic at school. Her report is great and she's managed her own workload.

bishopgiggles · 29/06/2020 00:18

they consisted of sub groups of two/three friends who hung out in the lager group at break times

Think I may have spotted the problem here... Grin
Interesting that they said 'thinking about being non-binary' - as if it's a fashion or something rather than the innate identity it's often claimed to be.

scotsheather · 29/06/2020 00:17

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster
Thegenderbreadperson · 29/06/2020 00:15

*larger group, not lager obviously Grin

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Original poster
Thegenderbreadperson · 29/06/2020 00:14

The 9 students were not all in the same tutor groups, they consisted of sub groups of two/three friends who hung out in the lager group at break times. They were from different backgrounds and different abilities, but seem to have gravitated together. There were frequent dramas with fall outs and arguments In the groups and sub groups, but they largely made up again and stuck together. I’m unsure what came first - whether they were friends and then started transitioning or whether the fact that they were transitioning made them friends.

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MushyPeasAreTheDevilsFood · 29/06/2020 00:10

Our year tens, especially the SEN students, have said they prefer school this way. No Free time at break time, no moving Around the school, all sat in the same place all day. Max 10 in a class. No drama. And crucially any child not following the rules has been sent home and told not to come back until september because they cannot be safe.

LouHotel · 29/06/2020 00:03

OP are the 9 students their only social circle? Or are there other kids that they hang out with - it’s so interesting.

Saisong · 29/06/2020 00:02

It's had a positive effect on my gnc DD too. Not so much in her attitude to dressing androgynously etc, but in her attitude to school work - she will make more effort because she won't be shamed as a try-hard by the boys. Her class is boy heavy and she has struggled to be heard/escape from their dominance. She is well aware of being 'used' to temper their behaviour.

Langbannedforsafeguardingkids · 28/06/2020 23:47

Really interesting, and something I'd wondered about.

I've noticed a positive effect of lockdown on my DD of the lack of peer pressure and particularly the absence of boys. She said her small sibling constantly interrupting her was less annoying than the boys in her class constantly trying to either disrupt her work or asking her how to do their work or just simply trying to aggravate her.

She's quite keen on the idea of separate desks and not having to sit next to boys when they go back.

Original poster
Thegenderbreadperson · 28/06/2020 23:32

I realise it is anecdotal and not hard evidence - also a small sample size from one school. It has seemed particularly popular to trans in year 9, the 13-14 year olds. I thought a dedicated thread may elicit some more anecdotes from other workers in schools.

As I said, three girls weren’t really that committed but were following their friendship group and staff felt they would eventually stop identifying as boys. If we exclude them it is 4 out of 6 girls de-transitioning and one considering it out of a cohort of 160.

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OvaHere · 28/06/2020 23:31

I've also found lockdown has been beneficial to my DS2 who has a diagnosed ASD.

Obviously this is only tangentially related to what the OP is saying as he has no identity issues going on but I think the pressure release of no school has been good for some kids.