Detransition narratives are frequently weaponised against trans people making this is a difficult topic to address at all, and we frequently do so from a defensive corner, avoiding anything that could be seen to invalidate our identities. But I think it’s important to face head-on, because absolutely none of it does.

Notes on this video:

My mic audio didn’t record so I had to use the audio on my phone, sorry for dodgy quality.

“Desistance” is a vague catch-all term that doesn’t make clear distinctions between no longer having dysphoria, undergoing medical transition, or identifying as trans. This imprecise classification likely contributes to the wildly inaccurate yet oft-cited statistics. Basically it’s a bollocks term that reinforces binarism and transmedicalism as well as lacking the precision and nuance required to discuss gender identity irl. I self-refer more to demonstrate how useless the term is than because I think it genuinely applies to me, or to anyone else for that matter.

Hard stats on transition regret are difficult to come by. Due to the aforementioned lack of clear parameters regarding precisely what constitutes regret vs detransition and “desistance,” the possibility of partial regret, and overall lack of research to draw from, it’s impossible to state statistics with certainty. However the clear overall pattern presents a very low statistic.

This video otherwise draws from personal and anecdotal experience of patterns observed from existing within the transgender community.

Sources:

Detransition

2005 study: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/sex-reassignment-outcomes-and-predictors-of-treatment-for-adolescent-and-adult-transsexuals/D000472406C5F6E1BD4E6A37BC7550A4

2010 study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24872188/

2019 study: https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/charing-Cross-study-nhs.pdf

Sexism

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Survey-Questions-2018-National-Study-on-Sexual-Harassment-and-Assault.pdf

https://www.onrec.com/news/statistics-and-trends/women-in-the-workplace-working-harder-not-getting-further

https://www.salaryfinance.com/uk/blog/womens-wellbeing-at-work/

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/18/us/transgender-killings-hrc-report-trnd/index.html