Research undertaken by Daniel L. Metzger and colleagues is the latest in a long line of studies demonstrating that, far from not knowing who they are, trans youth have a very firm grasp of their gender identity. It builds on research by Kristina R. Olson finding very low rates of detransition among trans youth, and research by Michael Zaliznyak demonstrating that the decision to come out and begin medical transition is an extremely slow one that usually requires years of gradual processing and sustained effort.
Metzger and his team followed 445 trans adolescents for a median period of 2.4 years, finding that only 2.9% of them switched their gender identity back to one that aligned with their birth sex; the remaining 97.1% retained a trans identity. What’s more, of those who initiated gender-affirming medical care, only a miniscule 1.1% of them chose to discontinue it, and none for reasons of reidentifying with their birth sex. This research puts the lie to the idea that massive amounts of trans youth will regret their transitions.
There are also people who retransition, not just those who stay transitioned or detransition. I’d be curious to know what the numbers are on those who retransition after stopping HRT.
Now if only any meaningful fraction of the population cared about the research.
If they did, then there wouldn’t be a legal way for grown adults to look at children’s genitals. Republicans would NEVER allow that.
