Evan Urquhart

So, the most important fact about detransition is that it's astoundingly rare for this type of medical treatment. Glad to get that sorted out. Hopefully we're all feeling really aware! Next we'll talk about retransition. 6/ #DetransAwarenessDay

Retransition is even less well studied than detransition, so we're in extra dicey territory trying to estimate the rate at which people who detransition go on to retransition at a later point. HOWEVER... 7/ #DetransAwarenessDay

...there are some useful numbers that can give us a framework for thinking about how common retransition is, and spoiler alert, it's almost certainly extremely common. 8/ #DetransAwarenessDay

In the same UK research I linked to above, they found 16 people who had regrets and/or had detransitioned. Of those, 10 had only detransitioned temporarily. 10 of 16 retransitioned. 9/ again: https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/charing-Cross-study-nhs.pdf … #DetransAwarenessDay

When you look at the sparse numbers around retransition, you generally find >50%. Now, as I said above, I prefer conservative estimates. I think 50% is a reasonable back-of-the-envelope guess as to how many who detransition stay detransitioned. 10/ #DetransAwarenessDay

I wouldn't bet my life on 50%. Permanent detransition could be being under counted in myriad ways, or (this is more supported by the evidence) retransition rates could be much higher. But 50% is reasonable, for a conservative estimate. 11/ #DetransAwarenessDay

Next, we'll talk about the facts about who the data says detransitions more frequently, trans men or trans women? 12/ #DetransAwarenessDay

According to the 2015 US Transgender Survey: "Trans women were more likely to report having detransitioned (11%), in contrast to trans men (4%)." (Don't be confused by high percents, only 0.4% had permanently detransitioned.) https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Full-Report-Dec17.pdf … 13/ #DetransAwarenessDay

Other sources show the same pattern. Detransition is far more common among trans women, and the reason they give for detransitioning is prejudice/social stigma. 14/ #DeTransAwareness

Research on detransition is, admittedly, a little sparse. More and better research would be fantastic. However, just as you can rely on multiple studies showing diets do not work despite Weight Watchers itself not doing any longitudinal research... 16/ #DetransAwarenessDay

...you can absolutely use the studies that have been done to give a solid estimate for how unusual detransition is, and what the common motivations are for it, despite individual gender clinics not conducting long term follow ups with every patient. 17/ #DetransAwarenessDay

Now, absolutely none of this means detransitioners' voices should be ignored! (Oooh, though, I think I have to insist that we need to hear much more from trans women forced into the closet by prejudice and stigma). 18/ #DetransAwarenessDay