Individuals Treated for Gender Dysphoria with Medical and/or Surgical Transition Who Subsequently Detransitioned: A Survey of 100 Detransitioners

Abstract

The study's purpose was to describe a population of individuals who experienced gender dysphoria, chose to undergo medical and/or surgical transition and then detransitioned by discontinuing medications, having surgery to reverse the effects of transition, or both. Recruitment information with a link to an anonymous survey was shared on social media, professional listservs, and via snowball sampling. Sixty-nine percent of the 100 participants were natal female and 31.0% were natal male. Reasons for detransitioning were varied and included: experiencing discrimination (23.0%); becoming more comfortable identifying as their natal sex (60.0%); having concerns about potential medical complications from transitioning (49.0%); and coming to the view that their gender dysphoria was caused by something specific such as trauma, abuse, or a mental health condition (38.0%). Homophobia or difficulty accepting themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual was expressed by 23.0% as a reason for transition and subsequent detransition. The majority (55.0%) felt that they did not receive an adequate evaluation from a doctor or mental health professional before starting transition and only 24.0% of respondents informed their clinicians that they had detransitioned. There are many different reasons and experiences leading to detransition. More research is needed to understand this population, determine the prevalence of detransition as an outcome of transition, meet the medical and psychological needs of this population, and better inform the process of evaluation and counseling prior to transition.

Keywords: Detransition; Gender dysphoria; Transgender.

Fig. 1

Distribution of participants’ current gender identification (after detransition) (n = 100). Notes: The sum of the numbers appearing in the “Birth Sex” circle indicates the number of participants who returned to identifying with their birth sex (71)—either as birth sex alone (61) or birth sex in addition to a second identification (10) represented in the overlap between two circles. For example, eight participants identify as their birth sex and as nonbinary. The sum of the numbers appearing in the “Nonbinary” circle indicates the number of participants who identify as nonbinary (25)—either as nonbinary alone (14) or nonbinary in addition to a second identification (11). The sum of the numbers appearing in the “Transgender” circle indicates the number of participants who identify as transgender (13)—either as transgender alone (8) or transgender in addition to a second identification (5). Four participants had responses that did not fit the categories above and were coded as “other”