A “detransitioner” in Australia is suing her former psychiatrist for professional negligence following her gender transition.
Jay Langadinos underwent hormonal therapy, a double mastectomy, and the removal of her ovaries and uterus between the ages of 19 and 22. Now 31 years old, she no longer identifies as male, citing autism and social phobia as the underlying reasons why she sought transition. According to a court document, Langadinos’s psychiatrist had recommended family and social therapy prior to undergoing surgery, but she did not follow this suggestion. The case will set a precedent regarding where the line should be drawn regarding adults’ ability to consent to transition-related interventions.
So-called “gender-affirming care” has increasingly become a service available on-demand. In my view, adults should have the ability to make autonomous decisions about their bodies, taking into consideration co-occurring mental health conditions. Research has documented that, in many cases of detransition, additional mental health troubles were driving the person’s desire to live as the opposite sex or a “third gender.”
Indeed, in some cases, scientific research has documented multiple previously diagnosed mental disorders in those who detransition. Some of these conditions include post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and eating disorders. It is also questionable whether these people met the diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria.
Contrary to what critics believe, the decision to detransition is not due solely to social stigma or difficulties financing one’s transition. Detransitioning usually follows the realization that one’s unhappiness stems from problems besides one’s sex. Detransitioners who were born female detransition, on average, a year sooner than those born male (that is, after approximately five years, versus six years, respectively).
I have concerns about the ways in which detransitioners have been weaponized in the name of supporting various political arguments. We should be mindful that many are coping with the aftermath of detransitioning, including a loss of support from the friends and community that once cheered for them, the logistical steps required to change identification documents and to alert loved ones of the return to their previous name and identity, and coping with difficulties that predated transition.
Greater efforts must be made to help detransitioners navigate the disorientation that often accompanies becoming disenfranchised with gender ideology, as well as increasing societal acceptance. Our goal should be to facilitate healing so they can successfully move on with their lives.
Dr. Debra Soh is a sex neuroscientist, the host of The Dr. Debra Soh Podcast, and the author of The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths About Sex and Identity in Our Society.
