Huge meta-study finds that transition helps trans people

[WAKAME]

whatweknow.inequality.cornell.edu/topics/lgbt-equality/%20what-does-the-scholarly-research-say-about-the-well-being-of-transgender-people%20/

Some excerpts:

"We conducted a systematic literature review of all peer-reviewed articles published in English between 1991 and June 2017 that assess the effect of gender transition on transgender well-being."

"This search found a robust international consensus in the peer-reviewed literature that gender transition, including medical treatments such as hormone therapy and surgeries, improves the overall well-being of transgender individuals. The literature also indicates that greater availability of medical and social support for gender transition contributes to better quality of life for those who identify as transgender."

"Regrets following gender transition are extremely rare and have become even rarer as both surgical techniques and social support have improved. Pooling data from numerous studies demonstrates a regret rate ranging from .3 percent to 3.8 percent. Regrets are most likely to result from a lack of social support after transition or poor surgical outcomes using older techniques."

"the health and well-being of transgender people can be harmed by stigmatizing and discriminatory treatment."

Matthew Greenfield on Twitter did a marvellous take down of each and every one of the 56 studies referred to by Cornell:
twitter.com/doormatt134/status/984339908658651138

This is a women's rights boards. Perhaps post in Chat?

You are posting on FWR, so how does this increase, decrease or otherwise affect the progress of women’s rights, OP?

Just saying that one group of people may benefit from something is not the whole story. After all, asking you to give me all your money woukd benefit me - how about it?

"Matthew Greenfield on Twitter did a marvellous take down of each and every one of the 56 studies referred to by Cornell:"

Hmm - whom to believe? Academics at Cornell university conducting a meta-analysis according to scientific method, or random man on twitter who says "I'm just a common-or-garden skeptic! Nothing academic about me, I'm afraid."

Tricky.

"This is a women's rights boards. Perhaps post in Chat?"

You may have noticed that this particular feminism chat forum has something of an emphasis on trans women, and that the alleged harm of transition is a popular topic. It therefore seemed useful to inform members of the latest research with regards to one of their favourite topics.

Hmm, academics who got their funding from where?

But yes, what has this got to do with women's rights? If some people find medical treatment beneficial that's not really a surprise to anyone?

Nope, the emphasis is on women's rights but sadly we get TRAs showing up and relentlessly badgering us about their far greater importance.

You must have gotten confused by the two things?

What everyone else said. Whether or not trans people are happier or not post-transition has nothing to do with women's rights.

An interesting link, thank you for posting it though not sure this is the section for it.

The question is not whether transition helps some people with gender dysphoria. I don't think most people are arguing that. It's whether by itself without other therapies it gives the long-term help as that's what's often described to people these days (transition is treated as a goal rather than part of treatment) and the percentage of those with gender dysphoria it helps/is recommended for (and what it does to those without gender dysphoria now that 'informed consent clinics' are a thing).

As only a small minority of those with dysphoria transition, there is clearly other ways people deal with it and really - as transition is medically very risky with a lot of potential negative side effects even for those it overall benefits and many people have medical reasons to be unable to transition - treating it as the end all and be all can be harmful. Tell someone with a a condition that means they can't have synthetic hormones that this is the best and only way to help them and you're setting them up to fail and possibly attempt rather risky behaviours like self prescribing.

It should be noted that as they're using studies all the way back to 1991, some of that research will not be comparing the same thing. In 1991, gender dysphoria was used as a symptom, not everyone who was told they had gender dysphoria would go onto being diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder and be recommended for transition. Some of us were diagnosed a range of other issues (mine is part of my PTSD). It was only around 2000 or so that is became it's own diagnosis (which had pros and cons) and now we have WHO among others wanting to throw it out entirely for gender incongruence which would reduce if not eliminate the distress element which would have screwed me over when I was younger as that's what I really needed help with. The way gender dysphoria - the way it is defined, how it's diagnosed, how medical professionals have deciding on methods of care - have changed drastically in the last twenty years and there has been massive shake-ups in the last few.

It's no surprise that those who go through extensive therapy and monitoring processes have few regrets and an improvement to well-being. That's not who I'm worried about and if people were pushing for more of that I would be thrilled. I'm worried about people today with less and less face time with professionals, with the encouragement by many in certain online spaces to self diagnose and prescribe, and the dysphoric people who would be better and/or may require by medical need to seek other treatments.

No, we talk about how women's rights are affected adversely by transactivism, sometimes. Your post has nothing to do with this.

And how does this benefit women and girls? This being the feminism board and all.

(I do realize that attempting to teach people basic social skills on the internet rarely goes well, especially the ones who for some inexplicable reason have decided to name themselves after seaweed.)

Even if it were conclusively proved that every single person who 'transitions' benefits* from this, permanently and with zero regrets, that would still:

1. Not mean that a 'transwoman' is anything other than a man and male.
2. That this group of men who benefit from these processes should be classified as women, or as female.
3. That this group of men should have access to women's and girl's protected spaces and opportunities.
4. That the language around sex, bodies, reproduction etc, needs to be changed in light of the fact that this group of men benefit from these procedures.

• not getting into discussion of the definition of 'benefit' - it is irrelevant to my point

(Ditto re 'transmen'...)

Post it on Chat.

I'd love to see the responses.

I'd be brave though and go for AIBU.

C'mon, you can do it!

Bollocks:

NOT MEAN that
2, 3, 4....

Coffee still not kicked in yet.....

"sometimes"

...LOL.

one of their favourite topics.

Oh I see, we’re “them”, are we?

Sadly, more often than not, due to the incessant attack on women's rights

I like Matthew Greenfield.

Can you link to the study they did on how this all intersects with woman’s rights and safeguarding of children please?

People would be allowed to be as direct as they like on AIBU though, and we can't have that.

(Have been confused about the seaweed thing ever since I first saw this person commenting at The Guardian's site. Is the idea to distract people by making them hungry? Are thoughts of miso soup meant to be filling my head, and what does that have to do with trans people?)

I second the "random man on twitter" thread, as he shows all those studies up for the bad science they are.

Nice appeal to authority though. Don't think so.

the alleged harm of transition is a popular topic
When harm of transition is discussed this is quiet often in relation to the medical transition of children, does this meta study address this or just transitioning in adults. I think we would all agree that medical transition can help some adults with dysphoria.

I think the OP would get a positive response (the one they are looking for obviously?) on AIBU?

It would at least be an original approach, unlike the "preaching to the heathens" thing they're attempting here.

I miss the days when you could avoid evangelists by just not answering the door on Sundays.