The effect of lockdown on transitioning teen girls

[Thegenderbreadperson]

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.

If I were a journalist, I might be very interested in 8 out of 9 'transboys' detransitioning over lockdown. Just saying.

It's very interesting and points to a large social contagion effect.

It crosses my mind that there might be less in the way sexist/objectifying remarks from boys at school and out and about as well.

A pressure from another angle that's been removed.

Oh! My friend whose teenage DD has been identifying as first non binary and then a boy for the last 3 years rang me the other day and in conversation was using her DDs birth name instead of the boys name she's been using for the last couple of years. I asked how that was going and she was a bit vague and just said it had been a really lovely few months and that her DD seemed to be doing a lot of growing up. I didn't push it because we have pretty much agreed to disagree on the matter in the past - I use her DDs preferred name and pronouns but my friend is well aware I think it's all bullshit! I wonder...

Is anyone aware of any academics who are (brave enough time be) researching detransitioning? The last I heard was the refusal of Bath to fund James Caspian.
I’m kicking myself because 10 years ago I had a wave of girls in their mid-teens wanting to take part in a small scale gender study and I had to turn them down (needed participants over 18 for ethics approval).
Interest is now partly increased due to guilt - I didn’t see any of this coming but I could/ should have.

that's very interesting. I do hope some more extensive data is collected and analysed properly. anecdotes are interesting but hard data is what is needed.

Yes, this effect has been noted on here and discussed:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3924990-Beautiful-thread-by-mum-of-desisting-teen-trans-boy

It's a very interesting phenomenon.

I wonder whether as well as a break from social contagion, it’s a respite from the adolescent male gaze, banter etc.

@nauticant

Yes, this effect has been noted on here and discussed:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3924990-Beautiful-thread-by-mum-of-desisting-teen-trans-boy

It's a very interesting phenomenon.

Oh thanks nauticant! Dang. I’m going to have to set up another twitter account

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

*larger group, not lager obviously

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...
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.

*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.

since lockdown that most of our FtM students have de transitioned

True of family friends.

Interesting.

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?!

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.

Thought exactly the same scotsheather

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

Fascinating