This page presents a list of a few select news articles, opinion articles, documentaries, and peer reviewed journal articles relevant to detransition and desistance.
News Articles
What went wrong at the Tavistock clinic for trans teenagers? — The Times UK
Since 2010, the number of teenage girls referred to the Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service has increased by 5,000 percent. Now former patients and staff members are speaking out
Why detransitioned teens regret changing genders — NY Post
The BBC Should Be Ashamed Of Its Reporting On Trans Teenagers — The Spectator
Article by James Kirkup, discussing the unethical reporting around suicide and self harm by the BBC.
Correction: Study Shows No Evidence That Gender-Affirming Surgery Provides Mental Health Benefits — The American Journal of Psychiatry
This is the official correction issued by the American Journal of Psychiatry regarding The Bränström study. The reanalysis of this study has shown no evidence that gender affirming treatment reduces the need for mental health services for trans-identified people.
The Detransitioners — Laura Dodsworth
Laura Dodsworth’s photographic series and essay about former trans men who have detransitioned.
The Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren’t — The Stranger
The article explores the debate around transition and detransition. Speaking in depth to two detrans women, Jackie and Cass, this article discusses aspects of transgender identity and some of the motivations people might have for transitioning.
Ellie and Nele: From She To He – And Back To She Again — BBC News
BBC article on the transition and detransition of two young women, Ellie and Nele. Ellie and Nele have gone on to found Post Trans, a place for detrans woman to tell their stories.
‘I will never be able to have sex again. Ever’ — The Sunday Morning Herald
Three former patients of Australia’s controversial sex-change clinic say misdiagnosis and wrongful surgery destroyed their lives. Jill Stark reports.
Puberty blockers: Under-16s ‘unlikely to be able to give informed consent’ — BBC News
BBC report on the UK’s high court decision regarding puberty blockers for underage youth.
Study of “Gender Dysphoria” In the Brain Has Long Missed One Possible Cause — Inverse
This article discusses new findings that point to a possible overlooked cause of gender dysphoria. Stephen Gliske, a researcher at the University of Michigan believes that networks in the brain associated with body-ownership and social behavior might be a possible cause of gender dysphoria.
Top Trans Doctors Blow the Whistle on ‘Sloppy’ Care — Common Sense
In exclusive interviews, two prominent providers sound off on puberty blockers, ‘affirmative’ care, the inhibition of sexual pleasure, and the suppression of dissent in their field.
Women Fear Drug They Used To Halt Puberty Led To Health Problems — KHN This article discusses possible longterm health effects of puberty suppressing drugs.
When Children Say They’re Trans — The Atlantic
This article discusses the rise in teenage girls identifying as trans and the possible consequences of medical transition.
Opinion Articles
The New Conversion Therapy: How Homophobic Quackery Is Targeting Children.
Well-researched Medium article detailing many of the risks involved with puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and correcting some of the myths pushed by the transition industry.
Bone health: Puberty blockers not “fully reversible”
Written by Simon Tegg, who is part of Fully Informed, a group of people from across New Zealand concerned about the legality and long-term impacts of prescribing puberty blockers to children.
Gender dysphoria and conversion therapy
Orla Ní Chomhrá (Letters, June 29th), draws attention to the issue of homophobia and sexism that is driving gender dysphoria in children.
I Spent a Year as a Trans Man. Doctors Failed Me at Every Turn. — The Daily Signal
Sydney Wright discusses her experience with trans health care in The Daily Signal.
Kiera Bell, the plaintiff of the groundbreaking Tavistock vs. Bell case, tells of her transition and detransition in her own words.
A Different Stripe — Psychology Today
In this essay for Psychology Today, Renee Sullivan, a desisted woman, discusses her journey from trans identification to desistance.
Autism, Puberty, and Gender Dysphoria: The View From an Autistic Desisted Woman
Written by a young, desisted woman on the autism spectrum, this essay explores trans identification and autism spectrum disorder.
Gender Identity Is Hard, But Jumping To Medical Solutions Is Worse — The Economist
This article written by Carey Callahan discusses some of the ethical issues around the informed consent model of care for trans identified people.
In this article Jesse Singal makes a point-by-point critique of the ‘Science Vs’ Episode on Being Transgender, Part 1. Singal’s article discusses the lack of accurate reporting and in-depth analysis on the topics of gender dysphoria and transgender identity.
On Sex And Gender Identity: Perspectives From Biology, Neuroscience, And Philosophy
This essay explores what it means to be male or female, man, or woman. Using philosophical exploration, biological science and political analysis, this essay attempts to shed light on some of today’s hot button issues around gender and sex.
Video News Reports and Documentaries
‘Hundreds’ Of Young Trans People Seeking Help To Return To Original Sex — Sky News
The UK’s Sky News reports on the rise in young people detransitioning in the UK.
NHS Child Gender Clinic: Staff Welfare Concerns ‘Shut Down’ — BBC Newsnight
News report from the BBC discussing the possible unethical treatment of gender dysphoric youth at the Tavistock clinic.
Reversing a Gender Transition — The Atlantic
This short documentary from the Atlantic tells the story of Carey Callahan, a detransitioned woman.
This documentary from the UK discusses child transition. Hosted by Stella O’Malley, a Psychotherapist who in her childhood struggled with her own gender identity. This documentary takes an honest look at the issues around child transition and asks important questions.
The Trans Train (Swedish with English subtitles) — Uppdrag granskning
Investigative series from Sweden discussing the rise in detransition in that country and the health risks of pediatric transition.
Journal Articles
An overlooked connection: serotonergic mediation of estrogen-related physiology and pathology — BMC Womens Health
Gender detransition: a case study — Analytical Psychiatry
Individuals Treated for Gender Dysphoria with Medical and/or Surgical Transition Who Subsequently Detransitioned: A Survey of 100 Detransitioners — Archives of Sexual Behavior
Ovary removal with hysterectomy before menopause raises mortality risk study — The BMJ
Transgender Individuals Twice as Likely to Die Early as General Population — Medscape
Transgender Regret: Detransitioners Got Poor Care When Transitioning — Medscape
WPATH Draft on Gender Dysphoria ‘Skewed and Misses Urgent Issues’ — Medscape
Hysterectomy alone associated with increased long-term health risk
Study done by Mayo Clinic researchers into the health risk of hysterectomies.
Informed Consent for Transgendered Patients — Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
This article explores the history of informed consent and its possible conflicts with ethical principles held by the medical community.
Local Effects of Vaginally Administered Estrogen Therapy — NIH
This review examines the effects of low estrogen in women and possible treatments. Specifically discussing vaginal atrophy, urinary infections, and incontinence. This article is relevant to females who have been on testosterone.
One Size Does Not Fit All: In Support of Psychotherapy for Gender Dysphoria — Archives of Sexual Behavior
Letter to the editor discussing the problematic analysis and flawed conclusions of, Turban, Beckwith, Reisner, and Keuroghlian (2020) study titled, “Association between recalled exposure to gender identity conversion efforts and psychological distress and suicide attempts among transgender adults.”. Turban’s widely publicized study used data from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Both studies show substantial issues with proper data collection and analysis. Discussed in depth in this letter to the editor, D’Angelo, R., Syrulnik, E., Ayad, S. layout a well formed analysis and critique of Turban’s work.
Ovarian morphology in long‐term androgen‐treated female to male transsexuals. A human model for the study of polycystic ovarian syndrome? — Histopathology
Abstract discussing the effects of androgen on ovarian tissue. Findings show that females who took testosterone suffered damage to their ovaries similar to women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This article is relevant to female people who have taken testosterone (FtM).
Transgender Medicalization And The Attempt To Evade Psychological Distress — Analytical Psychology
In this paper, the author discusses the possible reasons a person might identify as transgender and seek medical transition to alleviate psychological distress.
Virilising Ovarian Tumour In A Woman With An Adrenal Nodule —NIH
A case study of a woman who developed higher then normal levels of testosterone. Documents the negative health outcomes of male levels of testosterone in a female body. This article is relevant to females who have been on testosterone.
High-Dose Testosterone Treatment Increases Serotonin Transporter Binding in Transgender People — Biological Psychiatry
The authors used cross-sex steroid hormone treatment of transsexuals seeking sex reassignment as a model to investigate acute and chronic effects of testosterone and estradiol on serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) binding in female-to-male and male-to-female transsexuals.