New Study: Being Transgender Is Not A Mental Disorder

Link to article

A new study presents evidence that much of if any mental distress that a Transgender person may be feeling has more to do with external factors such as harassment and rejection as opposed to just physically being Transgender.

Now, a new study published Tuesday in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry adds nuance to the topic, finding that the social rejection and violence that many transgender people experience appears to be the primary source of their mental distress, as opposed to the distress being solely the result of being transgender. That distinction matters because it has implications for how transgender people are treated in a healthcare setting, as well as how they are viewed in society.

I don't know but this seems fairly common sense to me in that if you harass, belittle and demean a person enough then yeah they are probably going to suffer emotionally/psychologically as a result. Now I know that the regular old naysayers will be through shortly with their torches and pitch forks ranting on about how this study means nothing and that Trans folk are monsters and freaks who do not deserve to breathe the same air as them but this thread is not really for you. This thread is meant for those that would actually like to take the time to understand why it may seem that Trans folk are broken on the inside when in reality we are stronger than you may ever know. Just like with a vehicle or anything really, if you abuse a person enough without taking the time to address/repair the damage then it will build up over time and manifest into real actual long term problems. I don't care how strong a person is none of us are unbreakable.

The study, which involved interviews with 250 transgender people, found that the majority of them reported social rejection related to their gender identity, as well as being the victim of violence. And the researchers conclude that "distress and dysfunction were more strongly predicted by" going through those experiences compared to "gender incongruence itself."

"There is stress that’s created as a result of having it reflected back to you that there’s something wrong with you."

When the majority of a demographic that simply seeks to live their lives free of harassment without harming others reports being victimized in a way that involves violence it indicates a societal problem with accepting those that fall outside of "societal norms". Ignorant behavior can be very contagious amongst humans i.e., a kid starts taunting another kid about their appearance then other kids start laughing and eventually joining in the harassment, a scenario I'm sure most of us have witnessed in our lifetimes. Remember this next time you needlessly feel the need to put someone down, remember that perpetuating ignorance and lies about any demographic can have potentially dangerous results and eventually get someone hurt or worse. Putting negativity into the world only produces more negativity.

UCLA's Williams Institute estimates that there are 1.4 million Americans who are transgender, translating to 0.6% of the overall population. In this study, 80% of participants were transgender women (those who had been assigned the male sex at birth but identify as female). The participants reported becoming aware they were transgender at a mean age of five years old. More than three-quarters of participants (76%) reported experiencing social rejection related to their feelings about gender, most commonly by family members. And nearly two-thirds (63%) said they had been a victim of violence related to their gender identity.

The age of self awareness/recognition is a point that is often contested fiercely here at ATS. Based on my own personal experience including having many Transgender friends and being Transgender I find the above information about right on the money. Around 5ish is when most people I have spoken to personally report feeling "different" including myself at the age of 4 being my earliest recognition of something being amiss.

2/3's of Transgender folk report being the victim of violence, let that soak in for a minute and try just for a second to imagine what it must be like to be a person just trying to peaceably live your life with those kinds of odds at work against you. Imagine the stress and anxiety that could potentially create, having to know that at any given moment you could be attacked for simply existing. I personally don't let it get to me that much but I am very much aware of the potential for danger and as such stay vigilant when out in public. I'm also formerly trained and experienced in combat with a childhood basked in pain and adversity so I do not expect others to have the same mental fortitude that I possess. I wasn't always this way believe me. I have had my dark period's of life where I just wanted to curl up in a ball and die but most of us get stronger and wiser as we get older and change our world view in way that helps us deal with outside pressure more effectively. Simply put I no longer give two craps what a stranger thinks of me.

A separate 2012 study found that 57% of transgender youth who did not have supportive parents attempted to commit suicide in the past year, while just 4% of transgender youth with "very supportive" parents did.

Here is another talking point that likes to get beaten to death here at ATS is that the high suicide rate that is attached to the Trans community must be an indication of mental illness. When we can clearly see here the connection between familial abandonment/condemnation. 57% vs just 4% paints a pretty clear picture to me and again is something that would seems to be fairly common sense. Alas the ignorant and stubborn will still take it to meant that we as a whole are broken. The truth being however that even the strongest among us can fall into a very deep and dark hole when we feel abandoned/hated by our own families. When the one group of people who you've known your whole life and are supposed to love you unconditionally and support you turn against you it can be devastating for anyone. Again 57% vs 4% tells the story now doesn't it?

“Stigma associated with both mental disorder and transgender identity has contributed to the precarious legal status, human rights violations and barriers to appropriate care among transgender people,” author Geoffrey Reed, a professor at National Autonomous University of Mexico, said in a statement. His fellow authors echoed that statement, suggesting that transgender individuals might be better cared for if doctors use a more "gender-affirmative" approach.

So please remember this, every time you perpetuate falsehoods pertaining to Trans folk you are doing us a disservice and putting us at risk. Every time you purposely misgender us you are willfully and intentionally going out of your way to hurt and belittle us. Hate and fear spread easier and faster than love and compassion unfortunately, so it is up to each and every one of us to make the world a better place and play our respective parts however big or small they may be. You never know what kind of effect your words will have on a person so please choose them wisely with a modicum of compassion.

There is something wrong, we are not sea horses nor do we have more then two types of genders. XX or XY its quite simple

There is something wrong, we are not sea horses nor do we have more then two types of genders. XX or XY its quite simple

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

Though I understand their/your anger
People get a bit sick of it
Live and let live but what can you do
I see those LGBT people becomming nasty as well.
Also they act like everyone needs to see the way they act
Please keep your private lives private. I don't think you need to share it out on the streets

I am not trying to cause offence but some bring it on

It's common sense if a person is getting harassed they'll experience trauma. Most people don't care if you're a boy dressing like a woman. I'm guessing the transgenders that flamboyantly advertise how special they are are the ones that experience most harassment.

Important distinction.

It's well known that most of the transgender community doesn't want all the attention the media has given them, the media like always used the outspoken as a tool to push an agenda. When the media pushes the transgender 'movement' onto to children there's a problem.

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

I think the science is still out and is not completely understood to make any conclusions. These kind of studies can be swayed to hit an agenda.

How many people where in the study? Might have missed it

Making this a social issues and discrediting the possibility of this actually being a mental disorder doesn't help a community with a massive suicide rate.

Thanks for sharing, well done OP.

Now I'm going to set a timer to see just how long it takes for this to either be closed for review, or simply vanish...

Starting........now.

I dont get why people get so upset about this whole issue.

If John wants to be Jill its no skin off my nose.

a reply to: Raggedyman

Please keep your private lives private. I don't think you need to share it out on the streets

Please keep your heterosexual life private. My gods, do you have to share it all the time on the streets!?

I'm not sure I would call it a mental issue.
I believe it's a biological issue.
Body chemistry determines pretty much everything about us.
Deciding what's acceptable as normal is the real issue.

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
I dont get why people get so upset about this whole issue.

If John wants to be Jill its no skin off my nose.

Sure

But i should not be forced to share there #ed up delusions.

Deciding what’s ‘acceptable' has little to do with biology, and everything to do with being a decent person.

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

Your title isn't accurate..

The article is saying that being transgender doesn't inherently CAUSE MORE mental disorders..

That any ADDITIONAL mental disorders are caused by societal rejection not because they are transsexual..

Besides the study is obviously as flawed as possible..

A) it's only 250 people..

B) they are only conducting interviews, lol.. no cat scans and MRIs lol?!?!



Unless I missed something they in no way claim that being transgender is not caused by a mental disorder..

Which imho obviously is..and not that that is a bad thing..

If some autistic kid thinks he is a ninja turtle, we don't beat the kid over the head with the fact he isn't.. we all let the poor kid pretend he is a ninja turtle..

Assuming being trans or gay IS an issue of some crossed wires, and I don't see how it couldn't be an issue of crossed wires.. then it is an issue we cannot even remotely diagnose correctly , let alone actually fix .


And what do we do when someone has a medical condition we cannot fix??

Make them as comfortable as possible and let them live their lives...

You know all those chemicals and hormones we force feed our animals to produce more. Those insecticides and poisons we lace our crops with to keep the pests at bay. Our medications that are half ass tested and shampoos and ointments for every ailment.

This is the outcome.

originally posted by: crazyewok

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
I dont get why people get so upset about this whole issue.

If John wants to be Jill its no skin off my nose.

Sure

But i should not be forced to share there #ed up delusions.

who is forcing you to share anything.

If I turn round to you and tell you that my name is no longer John but jill and I have paid money to go get my bits chopped off and get a nice new pair of boobs how is that forcing you to share my "delusions"?

So long as I am a decent person why would it matter to you?

If your doctor for example had went through gender reassignment, you might not know about it, and so long as he or she was to fix your broken leg or whatever it wouldn't matter.

Some people feel like they identify to different genders, get over it!

a reply to: crazyewok

So how are you forced to do anything besides acknowledging their existence???

Acknowledging some one exists is not forcing you to do something crazy lol.

Conservatives some how act like some how they will be required to have gay sex or something lol..

a reply to: crazyewok

But i should not be forced to share there #ed up delusions.

Forced?

Explain to me how you feel the element of coercion is a factor here!

Seriously. How has it been forced on you?

originally posted by: xSEEKxNxSTRIKEx
There is something wrong, we are not sea horses nor do we have more then two types of genders. XX or XY its quite simple

Never fails to amaze me how simplistic some people on ATS think when it comes to the use of language.

This quote for example, you are not talking about gender you are talking about biological assigned sex the two are totally different.

Its like you have your apples and oranges all mixed up.

Well you can share in mine I'm a hellisexual. Im goinf to get surgery to become an attack helicopter.People can make fun of me all they like but wait until I get those 30 mm cannons and hell fire missiles. Who would dare laugh then huh???

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
I dont get why people get so upset about this whole issue.

If John wants to be Jill its no skin off my nose.

Mine neither - and I genuinely mean that, it's only an issue for Transgenders when I'm not interested in buying what they're selling and this consequently becomes unacceptable.

Like Jesus people knocking on the door bugging me with crap I'm not interested in but they keep invading MY space and insisting I listen to the new gospel according to new studies.