“Just as people's motives vary as to why they choose to transition and to what degree they alter their bodies, those who detransition do so for a variety of reasons. It is often said that the majority do so because of persecution and the lack of support. However, surveys of detransitioners show that "[the three most commonly cited reasons for detransition among trans activists-financial concerns, lack of social support, and institutional discrimination were among the lowest, at 18%, 17%, and 7%—in fact, institutional discrimination was the lowest scoring category."(16)
On the other hand, one of the most common themes expressed by detransitioners is that the process never resolved their deeper issues. One woman explained:
"Being trans" on Tumblr was a fun distraction from the misery of my daily life. I still had next to no friends at my new school, I still had a bad relationship with my parents, I still hated my fat, but at least I could enter this alternate universe where I was a cool guy with lots of followers. It started being a lot less fun when I began pursuing transition in real life.(17)
Others shared similar sentiments:
It's become really clear in recent years that any sort of big problems that I thought I would fix by transitioning weren't really fixed.(18)
It was a waste of my money. It was a waste of my time. It was more time that I didn't do what I needed, which was [to] address my dissociative symptoms.(19)
Some realized after transitioning that their original motives were misguided attempts to grapple with their sexuality. One remarked, "My dysphoria was hatred of my body due to internalized misogyny.(20) In Newcastle, England, hundreds of young women have come forward, seeking help to detransition. What most of the women have in common is that they are either autistic or identify as lesbian.(21) Through a painful process of self-experimentation, they realized that they did not cease to be female just because they didn't fit the feminine mold. On the contrary, by attempting to pass as male, they were conforming to male stereotypes and reinforcing them.(22)
Meanwhile, others choose to detransition because they are dissatisfied with the results. One woman admitted, "Identifying as a male really made my dysphoria worse.”(23) Another remarked that she knew if she continued trying to be a man, "I was going to give myself gender dysphoria eventually ... which is really ironic."(24) Even after receiving chemical and surgical alterations to their bodies, many gaze into their mirrors each day with sorrow at a body that still disagrees with them.”
-Jason Evert, Male, Female, or Other: A Catholic Guide to Understanding Gender
16) Cari Stella, "Female Detransition and Reidentification: Survey Results and Interpretation" Post), Tumblr, September 3, 2016,, https://guideonragingstars.tumblr.com/post/149877706175/female-detransition-and- reidentification-survey; Cf. Elie Vandenbussche, "Detransition-Related Needs and Support: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey," Journal of Homosexuality 69/9 (2022), 1602-1620; Lisa Littman, "Individuals Treated for Gender Dysphoria with Medical and/or Surgical Transition Who Subsequently Detransitioned: A Survey of 100 Detransitioners," Archives of Sexual Behavior 50:8 (2021), 3353-3369.
17) Soh, The End of Gender, 184.
18) "Growing Up Trans (full documentary)." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIuS-48tSpE&t=5s&ab_channel=FRONTLINEPBS%7COfficial
19) "Reversing a Gender Transition," https://youtu.be/V6V0p3_bd6w?si=pw2P7Ok_QEQFdDn2
20) "Detransition TikToks compilation-June & July 2021," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG5rOpNc8t0&ab_channel=CatCattinson
21) Cf. S. Lockwood, "Hundreds" of Young Trans People Seeking Help to Return to Original Sex," Sky News, October 5, 2019.
22) "Detransition TikToks compilation-June & July 2021.". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG5rOpNc8t0&ab_channel=CatCattinson
23) "Coercion & Abuse in the Gender ID Community | with ⚢ GNC-Centric ⚢" https://youtu.be/QAMar22S0ck?si=K2DQhSejkvUiQ06T
24) "DETRANSITION: How My Voice Has Changed," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UvqwOm3dD0&ab_channel=Kshipa
For more recommended resources on gender dysphoria, click here.
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