Gender-Affirming Surgery: Who Benefits? Who De-Transitions?

"Changing genders is never easy. It's one thing to know deep down in your soul that the gender you were assigned at birth is a horrible mistake, but quite another to present to the world as the other gender or nonbinary, and face the daunting-and potentially dangerous-challenges of explaining your new identity to family, friends, and your larger community, and then living life as your new self, not to mention obtaining medical care."

"These questions are deeply personal, but they also have a political dimension. Trans activists and their supporters insist that gender transitioning, while challenging, significantly improves lives. But social conservatives contend that transitioning causes deep regret, particularly when pre-adolescents have gender-altering surgery. Several studies have investigated this. Most find that the large majority of gender-changers report significantly improved mental health. But some show that 1 to 10 percent of transitioners ultimately"

Gender-affirming surgeries in the U.S. have tripled since 2016. Most people who undergo gender-affirming procedures report significant improvements in mental health and reductions in suicide risk. A University of Colorado study compared 100,097 people with gender dysphoria who did not have surgery to 4,061 who had surgery; the surgical group averaged 36 years old and included mostly white patients but represented all races. Multiple studies find that the large majority of gender-changers experience better mental health. A minority, commonly estimated between 1 and 10 percent, ultimately de-transition, rarely because of clear regret and often for other reasons. Political debate centers on care for minors and perceived risks versus benefits.

Read at Psychology Today