Activists inflate trans suicide statistic to gain acceptance of puberty lockout

The debate regarding the treatment of children with dysphoria or gender incongruity (discomfort with one’s body sex and desire to change sex) came to American TV. On the HBO channel and on the service of

Self-Extermination Statistics

The source of the statistic cited by the endocrinologist is a report by 100 focused on transgender adults in the United States, published by the Williams Institute, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Among the key findings, the paper actually says that in its sample of 6.59 transsexuals (obtained from LGBT NGOs) the suicide attempt rate is 41%, almost ten times higher than the rate in the general population. The first discrepancy with what Shafer said is that this sample is all greater than 18 years old.

However, the report itself clarifies its limitations: the statistic is based on a single questionnaire question: “Have you ever attempted suicide?”, with a dichotomous answer, yes or no. “Researchers have found that using this question alone in surveys can inflate the percentage of affirmative responses, as some respondents may use it to report self-injury behavior that is not ‘suicide attempt’, such as seriously considering suicide, planning to or injure yourself with no intention of dying,” explain the authors. Without further investigation, they add, “we could not determine to what extent the 45% (.. .) who reported attempting suicide may overestimate the actual prevalence of attempts in the sample”.

The difference between serious attempts and so-called “helpful cries” is important, as it reflects, for example, gender differences: the vast majority of suicide victims are men, while the majority of suicide attempts, especially the second type, are women. Drawing the difference is not insensitivity, but an important tool for effective prevention.

An article that followed more than eight thousand transsexuals in the Netherlands by 45 years old, published on 2020 by endocrinologist Chantal M. Wiepjes and colleagues in the journal

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, found in this sample a rate of 0.6% of completed suicides. In addition to being larger than the US sample, the Dutch sample includes people between four and 89 years old, when they made their first visit to the incongruity clinic of gender.

The purpose of the research from the Netherlands was to investigate whether hormone treatment in adults reduced the risk of suicide. Scientists found that it was, but only in trans women (male birth), and they saw no increase or decrease in trans men (female birth). The suicide rate of Dutch transsexuals is higher than that of the general population, but not higher than the rate of homosexuals.

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This is, however, an irresponsible argument. As the National Institutes of Health said in October, “there is limited evidence that these treatments pose short-term or long-term health risks for transgender teens.” Similar statements of ignorance about the effects have been made by the World Professional Transgender Health Association (WPATH) and the Endocrine Society of the United States. Cases noted by newspapers such as the

New York Times show development of osteoporosis in young people who have had puberty blocked, which is plausible due to the role of hormones sex on bone development. In addition, there are also reports of harm to transsexuals themselves, who would not develop enough genital tissue to allow sex reassignment surgery later (not everyone opts for it).

70707024-90% of dropouts: the most ignored by activists

The theme of transsexuality, which for years has become one of the most important political tugs of war in the United States, has motivated in states under control of the Republican Party laws that limit or ban puberty blocking treatments and hormonal and surgical sex change for children. This is the case in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida and Texas, but in three of them judicial measures blocked the laws on a provisional basis. At least 60 other states are considering altogether more in 20 similar bills. In response, some families who want these medical treatments for their underage children are moving to states under Democratic Party control.

In Brazil, the subject is regulated by a resolution of the Federal Council of Medicine of 2019 which only allows hormone treatments from years with parental consent . However, the CFM also admits treatments at younger ages on an experimental basis for scientific research.

As indicated 24 different studies, the number of children who manifest dysphoria, but it resolves in their own sex until puberty without the need for drug or hormonal treatments , its between 60 and 90%. This majority of dropouts means that the term “trans child” is out of place, with “dysphoric child” or “gender-incongruent child” being preferable.

Obviously, this leaves a minority of children and adolescents for whom some type of intervention, preferably lighter, such as the change of name and dress could be the indicated treatment. It is salutary, however, the presence of a medical professional who is well-informed — which is crucial due to the scarce data and the interference of activism in the issue — and who helps parents to make decisions.

It is important to know, for example, the evidence that the phenomenon is no longer the same as it was classically, but is under the influence of a brand new social contagion of LGBT identities, especially involving girls. One analysis noted an explosion of 15% in diags symptoms of dysphoria in children in just one year in the United States.

In Brazil, there have already been attempts to remove medical mediation from this process. A Bill of 100, authored by ex-deputy Jean Wyllys (PSOL) and Erika Kokay (PT), which sought to facilitate sex change, dealt with adults, but explicitly said that “it will be only informed consent is required (…). It will not be necessary, in any case, any type of diagnosis or psychological or psychiatric treatment”.