Trans suicide stats - a plea for any lurking journalists

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

SO GREAT that we have had so much media exposure in the last few weeks! Thank you SO MUCH to those who have facilitated this.

If there are any lurking journalists out there or if anyone has the ear of a journalist I was rather hoping that I could put in a suggestion for an investigative journalism piece?

It would be really, really useful for those who work with young people in particular to have reference to a piece asking some incisive questions about trans suicide stats. These seem to be bandied around whenever anything trans is mentioned. They have the rhetorical purpose of stopping debate and when working with young people they are influential because everything is 'in the best interests...'. But as we have noted here, there is no real basis for them and many question whether some of the some of the initiatives of the trans lobby really are 'in the best interests' (for example, lupron, etc.).

An article investigating this would be so useful...

Note - of course suicide of any person is, of course, tragic, but what I am referring to here are false statistics on suicide rates which does not help anybody.

This could be a good place to start...

www.transgendertrend.com/stonewall-school-report-what-does-suicide-rate-mean/

Or this...

www.transgendertrend.com/the-suicide-myth/

Thanks :)

I've seen those ... something in the mainstream press is needed because tgt can be dismissed as too invested in the debate. Plus, it needs to reach a wider audience.

Ah sorry, I was suggesting those as reading for the lurking journalists, not you!

Ooops - sorry! Missed that :).

Here is another article that examines the widely-circulated claim that 41 per cent of transgender people have attempted suicide:

4thwavenow.com/2015/08/03/the-41-trans-suicide-rate-a-tale-of-flawed-data-and-lazy-journalists/

Here is another article from transgendertrend:

www.transgendertrend.com/a-scientist-reviews-transgender-suicide-stats/

I'd like to know if those stats are predominantly MTF or FTM in those reports.

If the number of attempted suicide numbers are higher with MTF than FTM transgender people would this have any correlation with the higher number of attempted suicide numbers of working age men.

So not a transgender issue as such, but an issue with adult males IYKWIM

I don't have any statistics, but wanted to mention that correlation does not simply causation. What if there is an additional factor?

For example, girls with ASD are more likely to present with gender dysphoria than girls who are not on the autistic spectrum. If natal females who identity as transgender have a higher rate of self-harm and suicide than those who don't, then it might be due to the gender dysphoria, but could equally be due to the stress of trying to cope with the challenges of ASD.

I don't have any statistics, but wanted to mention that correlation does not simply causation. What if there is an additional factor?

We'll exactly. Everyone assumes that being trans causes mental health issues because they are oppressed for being trans.

For some inexplicable reason people never consider the possibility that mental health issues may cause people to believe they are trans.

Oppressed for being trans or psychologically traumatised due to a changing identity?

(I’m against self identification as proposed for various reasons BTW I just want to know the stats on this has I have a severe and enduring mental health condition that impacts my identity).

@alabamashakes - it’s higher in MTF (or used to be).

The stats for raising young male suicide are mostly linked to careers (medicine, vets and farmers).

The other thing I'd like to see investigated is that it is well known that suicidal ideation and social contagion are incredibly likely to be triggered by descriptions of suicides. In fact the Samaritans and other MH organisations issue very detailed guidance to the press on how to report suicide so as not to inadvertently trigger copy-cat attempts.

Yet when it comes to trans issues, these guidelines get thrown out the window. In fact the opposite seems to be the case. It's almost as if the threat of suicide is encouraged to further political aims, and to hell with the life-or-death consequences for any vulnerable young people struggling with their gender dysphoria ho happen to get caught in the cross fire.

I'm the wife of a transwoman. I have attempted suicide twice because of it. They have not.

Sorry if this derails, having a very bad day

Tartan

Tartan

Have you found the transwidow's thread? Women in your situation to talk to.

Have you seen the Trans Widows escape committee thread in this folder TartanHare?

Tartan . Do visit the suggested threads. You will find company there.

tartan

I actually think Daily Mail would be your best bet here! 👋 Woohoo daily mail journos I know you're reading and even though you're hated here on MN I buy your paper every time you report on this issue!

They ran two pieces yesterday both on same page the Labour LM farce which was the most factual piece I'd read on it, same page conservative LGB ex chairman convicted for being paedophile. They made it very clear that both main parties need to GET A GRIP.

Daily mail you now need to go at this from a safeguarding/suicide angle I know you can, you did sterling work exposing ask.fm

Bumping! Please read journos!

The Daily Mail are pretty good on this issue, but I'd prefer the Times TBH because there is less chance of it being dismissed outright.