Transgender Health – Misinformation

Transgender Health – Misinformation: Briefing Note

The vast amount of misinformation surrounding transgender healthcare is not just an issue; it’s an URGENT issue with significant consequences for the trans community, particularly young trans people. In this Briefing Note, we refer to sixty-one (primarily scientific) references, as shown in the bibliography.

False and misleading claims from trans-hostile bad faith actors about gender diversity, gender dysphoria, and gender-affirming healthcare have been strategically employed to restrict access to crucial medical care and cause harm to the gender-diverse population. It’s vital that we equip ourselves with accurate information to counter these deceptive narratives, which are funded by dark money and fuelled by a network of conservative religious and gender-critical organisations, discredited researchers, and anti-trans activists.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: Misinformation Sources

Several organisations, mainly based in the US, have been identified as key players in the spread of trans health misinformation, which is then used in the UK and other countries across the world.

The Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC), one of the most esteemed human rights organisations in the world and responsible for the demolition of the racist group the Ku Klux Klan, has identified the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM) as the hub of this anti-LGBT pseudoscience movement, closely related to organisations Genspect and Therapy First.

It is of grave concern that some high-profile NHS health professionals are closely associated with SEGM, and Hillary Cass referenced the reports authored by individuals related to SEGM. Other significant sources of anti-LGBTQLGBTQ LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive term that includes people of all genders and sexualities, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and allies. While each letter in LGBTQIA+ stands for a specific group of people, the term encompasses the entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities. https://abbreviations.yourdictionary.com/what-does-lgbtqia-stand-for-full-acronym-explained.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT misinformation include evangelical organisations like the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the American College of Paediatricians, and the Family Research Council.

The ADF, SEGM, and Genspect are all SPLC named “Hate Groups.” It should be noted that the last ADF accounts filled in the UK at Companies House showed an income of over one million pounds of obscure origin.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: The Cass Review

While the Cass Review certainly has some positive and noteworthy recommendations, there are legitimate concerns concerning some recommendations. The Cass Review has not been peer-reviewed and has been widely critiqued by numerous professional gender healthcare providers globally. This includes:

• American Academy of Paediatrics
• American Association of Paediatrics
• The Amsterdam University Medical Centre
• Asian Professional Association for Transgender Health
• Australian Professional Association for Trans Health
• British Association of Gender Identity Specialists
• Endocrine Society
• The European Professional Association for Transgender Health
• The Integrity Project at Yale University
• Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa
• Therapists Against Conversion Therapy and Transphobia
• United States Professional Association for Transgender Health
• World Professional Association for Transgender Health

Our response to Cass, entitled “Responding to the Cass Review: A Solution Focused Approach”, is supported and endorsed by the LGBT Consortium, representing over 650 LGBT organisations.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: Puberty Blockers

It must be stressed that the Cass Review did not suggest that Puberty Blockers (GnRHa) should be banned. The report controversially recommended a trial to ascertain the “risks v benefits”. Concerns around Puberty Blockers, which have been used globally to give children time to ascertain if they want to transition as young adults, have been prescribed by gender healthcare professionals for over three decades. The allegations centre on bone density loss, which medical research reports suggest recovers once the medication is stopped. There are also allegations that they may affect neurodevelopment  – the scientific basis of that is, nevertheless, questionable.

Our position statement concerning Puberty Blockers was published in late 2024, and we contend that the benefits of Puberty Blockers outweigh any risks. As an organisation, we believe private healthcare providers should be free to prescribe Puberty Blockers in agreement with patients and their legal guardians – when there is a clinical indication.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: De-transition

One of the most common false claims is that the majority of individuals who undergo gender transition experience regret. This is not true.

Medical research reports prove that 95% – 98% of those who transition are pleased they did so.

Data consistently demonstrates that regret and de-transitioning are rare. This should reassure us about the effectiveness of gender transition. The reasons for de-transition are often external, such as societal or family pressure and financial difficulties, with many re-transitioning once their personal circumstances allow.

Worryingly, in the UK, the Cass Report uses the word “de-transition” eighty-two times yet could not locate even ten de-transitioners (all AFAB) from approximately 9000 adolescents who used the GIDS (Tavistock) service.

Another frequent misconception is that most pre-pubertal transgender children will “desist” or cease desiring transition after puberty. This narrative is based on outdated studies with flawed methodologies. Many of the children sampled in these flawed studies never identified as transgender or desired to transition, yet were incorrectly counted as desisting.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria

The concept of ‘rapid onset gender dysphoria’ (ROGD) is a term proposed in a study in 2018 by Lisa Littman. It suggests that gender dysphoria, a condition where a person’s gender identity does not match their assigned sex at birth, can be a social contagion spread through peer groups, particularly among adolescents.

The study’s data came from anonymous parental reports gathered from websites known for anti-trans misinformation and gender-critical politics, with parents already informed of the study’s hypothesis. Despite the absence of empirical evidence, ROGD has been heavily referenced in discussions about transgender youth.

In 2021, a coalition of psychological professional bodies issued a statement that criticised the use of ROGD clinically and diagnostically due to a lack of empirical support and highlighted that its proliferation was leading to laws limiting the rights of transgender adolescents.

Much is made by those who are trans hostile of an ‘explosion of trans kids’, yet 2024 NHS data state that 5,769 were awaiting NHS gender care out of an estimated 9.6 million under-18s in England and Wales. This correlates to one child in 1,664 (0.06%) as being gender-questioning, a figure substantially lower than the ratio of trans men and women in England and Wales, circa one adult in 633 (0.16%).

However, it should be noted that some parents would have abandoned NHS care because of waiting times and excessive gatekeeping procedures, resulting in seeking private healthcare for their children. Exact figures are impossible to retrieve, but we estimate around 1500 adolescents are currently under the care of private healthcare providers primarily based outside of the UK.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: Mental Health:

The argument that transgender identity is a mental health condition is also frequently used to justify bans on gender-affirming care.

Legislative efforts in the US often rely on the unfounded claim that gender dysphoria is caused by underlying mental illness, trauma, neurodivergence, and ADHD; while this is disputed, there is minimal evidence linking some trans people to autism. Although transgender people have higher rates of mental illness, research suggests that this is due to marginalisation and everyday discrimination, compounded by long NHS waiting times.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: “Transing Kids“

The notion that medical and LGBT+ organisations are pushing young people to transition is another significant piece of misinformation. This claim is often paired with the idea that these organisations and doctors are untrustworthy, ignoring evidence and pushing transition based on political ideology.

Contrary to the misinformation being spread, major medical organisations such as the Endocrine Society and the American Psychological Association have unequivocally opposed bans on gender-affirming care. Their stance is clear: gender-affirming care is not only valid but also necessary for the well-being of transgender individuals.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: Conversion Practices

In the face of these evidence-based recommendations, some groups advocate for conversion therapies, such as gender exploratory therapy (GET). Practitioners of GET view medical transition as a last resort, arguing that a patient’s gender dysphoria is caused by factors such as homophobia, social contagion, sexual trauma, or autism.

It’s crucial to note that there is no empirical evidence supporting conversion therapies such as gender exploratory therapy (GET). The delay in accessing medical interventions can exacerbate the mental anguish of trans youth. The refusal to use a patient’s chosen names and pronouns in these therapies has drawn comparisons to the widely discredited gay conversion therapy, which often resulted in the torture of individuals.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: Watchful Waiting

Opponents of trans rights often falsely claim that children are being transitioned too quickly. However, the reality is that gender-affirming care requires parental consent, social transition, and a psychiatric assessment. Gender-affirming surgeries in the UK only occur in adults after a complete evaluation by a multi-disciplinary team. One of the worrying concerns concerning Cass is that it promotes a watchful waiting narrative. For some individuals, this could lead to suicidal ideation.

Transgender Health – Misinformation: The Media

In America, the mainstream media has also been criticised for platforming and amplifying misinformation. Outlets like The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and notably The New York Times, have been called out for their biased coverage of transgender health care, with hundreds of contributors and LGBTQ advocates sending open letters about the misinformation they have platformed. A similar picture exists in the UK, with gender-critical journalists such as Hannah Barnes, Sonia Sodha and Suzanne Moore together with the right-wing media, in particular, The Telegraph, The Daily Mail and GB News, promoting narratives which we believe are unhelpful.

The American Psychological Association has called for additional research to counter this disinformation/misinformation. There is significant scientific evidence supporting gender-affirming care, and medical organisations agree on waiting until individuals are old enough before consenting to surgical procedures.

The ongoing spread of misinformation about transgender healthcare continues to pose a serious threat to the well-being of transgender individuals, particularly trans girls and trans women.

It is crucial to be aware of the source of information and to rely on evidence-based practices supported by reputable medical organisations. The deliberate misrepresentation of facts by those spreading anti-trans rhetoric serves only to harm a vulnerable community and limit their access to life-saving medical care.

Bibliography:

Billard, Thomas J (2024-03-03). “The Politics of Transgender Health Misinformation”. Political Communication. doi:10.1080/10584609.2024.2303148. ISSN 1058-4609.

 Cravens, R.G.; McLamore, Quinnehtukqut; Leveille, Lee; Hodges, Emerson; Wunderlich, Sophie; Bates, Lydia (December 12, 2023). “Group dynamics and division of labor within the anti-LGBTQ+ pseudoscience network”. Southern Poverty Law Center

Cravens, R. G.; McLamore, Quinnehtukqut; Leveille, Lee; Hodges, Emerson; Wunderlich, Sophie; Bates, Lydia (December 12, 2023). “Manufacturing the doubt that fuels the network”. Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on 28 December 2023.

Cravens, R. G.; McLamore, Quinnehtukqut; Leveille, Lee; Hodges, Emerson; Wunderlich, Sophie; Bates, Lydia (December 12, 2023). “Foundations of the Contemporary Anti-LGBTQ+ Pseudoscience Network”. Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on 28 December 2023

Moazami, Sahar (2024). “Legalizing transphobia: from courtroom to legislature, how gender‐critical activism is hurting us all”. California Western International Law Journal. 54 (1).

Alstott, Anne; Olgun, Melisa; Robinson, Henry; McNamara, Meredithe (2024). “”Demons and Imps”: Misinformation and Religious Pseudoscience in State Anti-Transgender Laws” (PDF). Yale Journal of Law and Feminism.

Lockmiller, Catherine (2023). “Decoding the Misinformation-Legislation Pipeline: an analysis of Florida Medicaid and the current state of transgender healthcare”. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 111 (4): 750–761. doi:10.5195/jmla.2023.1724. ISSN 1558-9439. PMC 10621716. PMID 37928129.

“ROGD Statement”. Coalition for the Advancement & Application of Psychological Science. 26 July 2021

 Pauly, Madison; Carnell, Henry (July 2024). “First they tried to “cure” gayness. Now they’re fixated on “healing” trans people”. Mother Jones. 05.

MacKinnon, Kinnon R.; Gould, Wren Ariel; Enxuga, Gabriel; Kia, Hannah; Abramovich, Alex; Lam, June S. H.; Ross, Lori E. (2023). “Exploring the gender care experiences and perspectives of individuals who discontinued their transition or detransitioned in Canada”. PLOS ONE. 18 (11): e0293868. Bibcode:2023PLoSO..1893868M. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0293868. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 10686467. PMID 38019738.

Leising, Julie (2022). “Gender-affirming care for youth—separating evidence from controversy” (PDF). BC Medical Journal. 64 (7).

Ashley, Florence (2022). “Interrogating Gender-Exploratory Therapy”. Perspectives on Psychological Science. 18 (2): 472–481. doi:10.1177/17456916221102325. PMC 10018052. PMID 36068009. S2CID 252108965.

Amery, Fran (2023). “Protecting Children in ‘Gender Critical’ Rhetoric and Strategy: Regulating Childhood for Cisgender Outcomes”. DiGeSt – Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies. 10 (2). doi:10.21825/digest.85309. ISSN 2593-0281. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024

Santoro, Helen (2023-05-02). “How Therapists Are Trying to Convince Children That They’re Not Actually Trans”. Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Archived 

Riedel, Samantha (22 November 2024). “Slew of Discredited, Anti-Trans Doctors to Testify In Upcoming SCOTUS Case on Trans Health Care”. Them.us.

“Anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups support Supreme Court case to ban gender-affirming care”. SPLC. 30 October 2024.

Dopp, Alex; Peipert, Allison; Buss, John; De Jesús-Romero, Robinson; Palmer, Keyton; Lorenzo-Luaces, Lorenzo (November 26, 2024) [December 28, 2024]. Interventions for Gender Dysphoria and Related Health Problems in Transgender and Gender-Expansive Youth: A Systematic Review of Benefits and Risks to Inform Practice, Policy, and Research – RAND_RRA3223-1.pdf(PDF) (Report). RAND Corporation

Horton, Cal (2024). “The Cass Review: Cis-supremacy in the UK’s approach to healthcare for trans children”. International Journal of Transgender Health. doi:10.1080/26895269.2024.2328249. ISSN 2689-5269.

McNamara, Meredithe; Baker, Kellan; Connelly, Kara; Janssen, Aron; Olson-Kennedy, Johanna; Pang, Ken; Scheim, Ayden; Turban, Jack; Alstott, Anne. An Evidence-Based Critique of “The Cass Review” on Gender-affirming Care for Adolescent Gender Dysphoria (PDF) (Report). Yale Integrity Project.

Meyerowitz-Katz, Gideon (2024-10-09). “There’s Just Not Scientific Evidence That Gender Medicine for Teens Should Be Restricted”. Slate. ISSN 1091-2339.

Bond, Shannon (26 August 2022). “Children’s hospitals are the latest target of anti-LGBTQ harassment”. All Things Considered. NPR.

 Hudnall, Hannah (August 22, 2022). “Fact check: False claim about Boston Children’s Hospital’s transgender care program”. USA Today

Halpert, Madeline (31 August 2022). “Boston Children’s Hospital Bomb Threat: How Right Wing Media Escalate Harassment Of LGBTQ-Friendly Places”. Forbes.

Hawkins, Derek; Venkataramanan, Meena (August 17, 2022). “Boston Children’s Hospital says it faces threats after right-wing tweets”. The Washington Post.

McCausland, Phil (August 31, 2022). “Boston Children’s Hospital faces bomb threat after right-wing harassment campaign”. NBC News.

Jamison, Peter (26 August 2022). “Children’s hospital threatened after Libs of TikTok recording on trans hysterectomies”. The Washington Post

Venhuizen, Harm (August 27, 2022). “D.C. children’s hospital harassed over trans youth services”. Associated Press.

Rodriguez, Mathew (2024-12-03). “Trans Teens Stage “Die-In” to Protest the UK’s Puberty Blocker Ban”.

Riedel, Samantha (2024-04-12). “Advocates Say a Controversial U.K. Report on Healthcare for Trans Kids Is “Fundamentally Flawed””.

Turner, Jackie (2023-03-09). “Anti-trans disinformation is rife in Australia — and it’s being spread by a small group of organisations”.

“Trans Health Map 2024: As WHO guidelines approach, healthcare for trans people in the EU still hindered by stigma and long delays – TGEU – Transgender EuropeTGEU – Transgender Europe”. Transgender Europe. 2024-10-29.

González, Geo (2024-02-08). “Desinformación en México: es falso que la disforia de género sea una enfermedad mental” (in Spanish).

Barbosa, Melina; Orozco, Leslie (2023-02-27). “Desinformación culmina en transfobia y violencia institucional”. (in Spanish).

Reynoso, Lucas (2024-10-28). “El bulo transfóbico que evidencia las dificultades para combatir la desinformación en Colombia”. El País (in Spanish).

“Trans children as a target: existing legislation failed to stop transphobia in elections”. Transmídia. November 16, 2024.

de Assis, Carolina (2024-11-27). “New site by and for trans people in Brazil aims to cover politics and everyday trans experiences”.

Romano, Aja (2023-03-31). “Trans rights are human rights. Journalists are failing both”.

“USPATH and WPATH Respond to NY Times Article “They Paused Puberty, But Is There a Cost?” published on November 14, 2022″ (PDF) (Press release). World Professional Association for Transgender Health. November 22, 2024.

Oladipo, Gloria. “Nearly 1,000 contributors protest New York Times’ coverage of trans people”. The Guardian.

Migdon, Brooke (2023-02-15). “NYT contributors blast paper’s coverage of transgender people”. The Hill.

Yurcaba, Jo (February 16, 2023). “N.Y. Times contributors and LGBTQ advocates send open letters criticizing paper’s trans coverage”. NBC News.

 Gilbert, David (August 17, 2022). “Far-Right Extremists Are Threatening to “Execute” Doctors at a Children’s Hospital”. Vice News.

Eckert, A. J. (2022-10-22). “Cutting through the Lies and Misinterpretations about the Updated Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People”. Science-Based Medicine.

Alfonseca, Kiara. “Researchers dive into common gender-affirming care youth misconceptions, questions”.

“AMA strengthens its policy on protecting access to gender-affirming care” (Press release). Endocrine Society. June 12, 2023.

Lavietes, Matt (2024-09-09). “Trump repeats false claims that children are undergoing transgender surgery during the school day”. NBC News.

“Health Misinformation Monitor: Falsehoods About Transgender People and Gender Affirming Care”. KFF. 2024-10-10. Retrieved 2024-12-03.

“Health Misinformation Monitor: Falsehoods About Transgender People and Gender Affirming Care”. KFF. 2024-10-10.

Wolfe, Elizabeth (2024-12-03). “How a Supreme Court decision on health care bans for transgender youth could impact trans people nationwide”.

Levin, Sam (21 November 2024). “Revealed: trans rights case at US Supreme Court features doctors previously discredited by judges”. The Guardian.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-u-k-s-cass-review-badly-fails-trans-children/

https://ruthpearce.net/2024/04/16/whats-wrong-with-the-cass-review-a-round-up-of-commentary-and-evidence/

Kim, Hyun-Hee; Thayer, Nova; Bernstein, Caryn; Cruz, Roxana; Roby, Christopher; Keuroghlian, Alex S. (2024). “On the Frontlines: Protecting and Advancing Gender-Affirming Care in a Hostile Sociopolitical Environment”. Journal of General Internal Medicine. doi:10.1007/s11606-024-09080-3. ISSN 1525-1497. PMID 39384688.

Wuest, Joanna; Last, Briana S. (2024). “Agents of scientific uncertainty: Conflicts over evidence and expertise in gender-affirming care bans for minors”. Social Science & Medicine. 344: 116533. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116533. ISSN 0277-9536. PMID 38401237.

 McNamara, Meredithe; McLamore, Quinnehtukqut; Meade, Nicolas; Olgun, Melisa; Robinson, Henry; Alstott, Anne (2024). “A thematic analysis of disinformation in gender-affirming healthcare bans in the United States”. Social Science & Medicine. 351: 116943. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116943. ISSN 0277-9536. PMID 38759383.

OTHER CREDITS:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17794-1

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/anti-trans-polls-media-republicans-rcna90655

https://www.stonewall.org.uk/resources/lgbtq-hubs/trans-hub/the-truth-about-trans

https://translucent.org.uk/responding-to-the-cass-review-a-solution-focused-approach/

https://translucent.org.uk/translucent-puberty-blocker-gnrh-analogues-position-statement/

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09923116

https://www.them.us/story/nhs-trans-youth-waitlist-two-years-gender-affirming-care

US Trans Survey

Wikipedia