News Commentary
GHQ is concerned by the latest statement by Mermaids, an organization in the UK that promotes social and medical transition underage for gender dysphoria in which they suggest that debating the critical issues of appropriate healthcare for gender-dysphoric children and young adults leads to self-harm and suicide and therefore must be avoided. In the area of gender medicine, where little quality evidence exists regarding treatments and outcomes, and where the results of the treatments are life-long and irreversible, the debate is essential. Further, invoking youth self-harm attempts in a sensational and emotive way is at odds with the principals outlined by Good Samaritan, and other suicide prevention groups, which specifically caution against such practices due to the highly contagious nature of self-harm among young people. It violates the principles laid out in a fact sheet specifically addressing LGBT youth and suicide risk put out by the American Foundation for the Prevention of Suicide.
The fact that suicidality among transgender identifying individuals is elevated is yet another reason to promote, rather than suppress, vigorous debate. A recent report by the Sweden’s National Board of Health published in 2019 established that 0.6% of gender dysphoric individuals have committed suicide since 1998, which is 4.9-13.7 times higher than the general population. Suicides are complex, multifactorial events. The Swedish National Board found that people with gender dysphoria who commit suicide have a very high rate of co-occurring serious psychiatric diagnoses, which in themselves sharply increase risks of suicide. Further, they found that the general population with no gender dysphoria diagnosis but with other psychiatric diagnoses, had even higher suicide rates than the gender-dysphoric population. Another study (Wiepjes 2020) states that suicides happen at all stages of transition, including post medical transition.
Unfortunately, no studies to date have shown that affirmation of children or adolescents reduces suicide, prevents suicidal ideation, or improves long-term outcomes, as compared to either “watchful waiting” or psychotherapy (Biggs 2020). High post-transition suicide rates found in the adult populations further complicates the “transition or suicide” narrative. It is vital that debate regarding the treatments and outcomes in the area of transgender health is conducted in a fair, responsible, and intellectually rigorous way, to improve the quality of the available evidence and to provide gender-dysphoric individuals, their families, and their clinicians with accurate information on which they can base their decisions.
The media, LGBT organizations, and even some of the most prominent affirmative model mental health professionals and doctors (Diane Ehrensaft, Johanna Olson-Kennedy) promote a “transition or die” narrative to parents of trans-identified children to enforce affirmation in ways that Mermaids does. The information from Sweden’s National Board of Health and psychologist Dr. Zucker indicates suicide risk for gender dysphoric people is in line with other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, a serious concern but not the “epidemic” some portray it as.
From GHQ Topic 15:
Dr. Zucker has noted that suicide ideation in trans youth should be a concern of parents and mental and medical health professionals involved in treatment of dysphoric youth. However, it is no different than the concern for the elevated suicide risk for all youth seeking mental health treatment.
We reference other problems with Mermaids regarding extremist behavior and promoting false narratives on the GHQ site:
https://www.genderhq.org/search?q=Mermaids
References:
American Foundation for the Prevention of Suicide. (2020). Talking About Suicide & LGBT Populations. Retrieved from https://www.datocms-assets.com/12810/1576937561-talking-about-suicide-and-lgbt-populations-2nd-edition.pdf
Bailey, M., Blanchard, R. (2017). Suicide or transition: The only options for gender dysphoric kids? 4thwavenow. Retrieved from https://4thwavenow.com/2017/09/08/suicide-or-transition-the-only-options-for-gender-dysphoric-kids/
Good Samaritans. Guidance for covering self-harm in the media. Retrieved from https://media.samaritans.org/documents/Guidance_for_covering_self-harm_in_the_media_FINAL_1.pdf
Mermaids. (August 28, 2020). A call to J.K. Rowling. Retrieved from https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/a-call-to-j-k-rowling/
Wiepjes, C.M., den Heijer M., Bremmer M.A., de Blok C.J.M, Coumou B.J.G., Steensam T.D. (2020). Trends in suicide death risk in transgender people: results from the Amsterdam Cohort of Gender Dysphoria study (1972–2017). Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 2020,1-6. doi.org/10.1111/acps.13164
Zucker, K. (2019). Gender Identity and Kids (starts at 1:03:32). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHREA4Q4V4Q.