An emerging body of research indicates that parents are frequently “forced” to alter their offspring in order to address gender dysphoria. After the transition, the parents said their children’s emotional health grew worse.
Michael Bailey, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University, looked at survey findings from 1,655 parents of teenagers and young adults who said they were the opposite sex or didn’t fall into either gender category. The findings of the survey were compiled by the anonymous support organization Parents of Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) Kids, which gathers horror stories from parents whose children have experienced problems with gender dysphoria.
The data originated from households where a child transitioned between the ages of 11 and 21, and their parents.
Bailey’s research showed that gender dysphoria was much more prevalent in girls than in boys. Seventy-five percent of kids diagnosed with gender confusion were born female. Girls were also much more prone to alter their gender identity in social settings or more. Most people who struggled with gender identity as adults did so because of preexisting mental health issues.
Young individuals with preexisting mental health issues were more likely to have socially and physically transitioned than those without, according to the research. “Parents reported feeling pressured by clinicians to embrace their AYA child’s new gender and assist in their transition. Parents of AYA children claim that their mental health got a lot worse after societal change.
The research supports the claims of ROGD Kids’ parents that social contagion contributes to their children’s gender uncertainty and transgender self-identification. According to the study, female friendship groups encourage members to conform to norms and share ideas.
“It’s probable that these young people are using the phrase “gender dysphoria” to express general emotions of sorrow that they don’t know how to name anything else and don’t comprehend. Making the adjustment won’t assist them. In a press release about the research, the group said, “It can only cause damage that can’t be fixed and make things much worse.”
When the Washington Post published an article last month claiming that transgender persons were satisfied after receiving treatment, the parents of ROGD Kids were not pleased.
The Washington Post reported on a survey that showed the vast majority of transgender people were pleased with their choice to transition on March 23, 2023. Despite what they may believe, the group said they scored lower than average on every measure of psychological well-being and social competence.
The most concerning finding was that 78% of trans individuals who participated in the poll reported having serious mental health issues as children or teenagers. These findings support our conclusion that shifting has no positive effect on psychological well-being.