Gender

Supporters of gender-affirming therapy (GAT)—transition affirmation—are doubling down on claims that regret and detransition are rare. From state-level bills in my home state of California to national policy initiatives from the federal administration, the assertion that transitioning for gender dysphoria is all but regret free is used as a promotional tool for the proposed mandating of GAT essentially on request. However, the sales pitch does not hold up to inspection.

Gender identity issues are complex in today’s culture. “Transgender” individuals refer to their “gender” as a sexual identity that is different than their biologic sex on the basis of an internal sense or feeling. Th is self identification differs from their biological sex, and it takes priority over their physical biology as recognized in their chromosomal DNA and innate physical sexual characteristics.