Trans Myths Debunked
It’s just a phase.
Most trans people who socially and/or medically transition continue to identify as trans throughout their lives. [1]
Transgender youth are accessing dangerous and misinformed treatments.
Youth use puberty blockers under the care of medical experts to safely and temporarily delay puberty, with any potential side effects managed just as they would be with any other treatment. The medication is fully reversible, and in the UK, fewer than 100 trans youth accessed it through the NHS before the 2024 ban.[4],[5]
Trans rights invalidate women’s rights.
Trans rights activists advocate for bodily autonomy, safety, and freedom for all people. The struggle for liberation is one we all share; when trans people challenge rigid ideas about ‘womanhood’ and ‘femininity’, we also challenge the limiting roles society assigns to women. Everyone should be allowed to celebrate themselves, their bodies, and their identities.
Trans women have an inherent advantage in sports.
There is no evidence that people taking feminising HRT provides any inherent physical advantage, however studies and statistics show the exact opposite. [2],[3].
Trans people regret transitioning
0.3 to 1% of trans people detransition due to regret. Most cases are due to external factors like discrimination or lack of support. For reference, regret rates for knee replacement surgeries range from 6-30%. But, ya know, need it anyway.[6],[7]
Transgenderism’ is a new trend & an ideology.
‘Transgender’ people have existed for as long as we can see them in recorded history, and many cultures have had more than two sexes throughout time to refer to different identities that people may align with. One of the first records we have of what we would perhaps call ‘transgender’ today can be found from around 2250 BC. [8]
Eating disorders only affect cis women.
1 in 4 non-binary people (24%) have experienced an eating disorder in the last year, 1 in 5 trans people (19%) have experienced an eating disorder in the last year.
LGBT+ people who try to use non-LGBT+ support services often report a lack of understanding or discrimination from the counselors. [14]
Less than 20 LGBT+ people polled who received abuse were handed Advocacy Services by support, despite over 9 times more having wanted access to them.
There is plenty of support available to everyone.
Over 80% of LGBT+ victims of domestic violence live outside of major cities where support is more accessible.
LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Network Group identified trans+ people as the group more likely to report domestic abuse than lesbians, gay men or bisexual people. [9]
Trans people face the same risks and have equal access to support
The prevalence of housing insecurity among Trans [Stonewall Housing] service users highlights a concerning trend within the community. Many individuals frequently find themselves in environments that compromise their safety and fail to meet their needs. [11]
Galop found only 1 'by and for' LGBT+ domestic abuse service provides refuge for trans people fleeing abuse in the UK. No funded ‘by and for’ LGBT+ domestic abuse services exist in the South West and North East of England, or in Wales. [10]
Citations
[1] Steensma et al. (2013). ‘Factors associated with desistance and persistence of childhood gender dysphoria: a quantitative follow-up study’. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(6), 582–590.
[2] Hamilton B et al. (2024). ‘Strength, power and aerobic capacity of transgender athletes: a cross-sectional study’. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 58, 586-597.
[3] GGP. (2024). ‘New Report Confirms Trans Athletes Do Not Have Biomedical Advantage in Elite Sport’. GenderGP. [Online article]. https://www.gendergp.com/new-report-confirms-trans-athletes-do-not-have-biomedical-advantage-in-elite-sport/
[4] ‘Dispelling Myths Around Puberty Blockers’. Science for Georgia. [Online article]. https://scienceforgeorgia.org/knowledge-base1/dispelling-myths-around-puberty-blockers/
[5] ILGA-Europe et al. (2024).‘Joint Statement on the Decision to Ban Puberty Blockers for Trans Youth in the UK’. ILGA-Europe. [Online article]. https://www.ilga-europe.org/news/joint-statement-on-the-decision-to-ban-puberty-blockers-for-trans-youth-in-the-uk/
[6] [Summary]. Skye Davies et al. (2019). ‘Detransition rates in a national UK Gender Identity Clinic’. 3rd biennal EPATH Conference Inside Matters. On Law, Ethics and Religion. 118.
[7] Expósito-Campos, P., Salaberria, K., Pérez-Fernández, J. I., & Gómez-Gil, E. (2023). Gender detransition: A critical review of the literature. Actas espanolas de psiquiatria, 51(3), 98–118.
[8] Joshua J. Mark, on The Literature of Ancient Sumer, translated by Jeremy Black et al. , article called ‘Hymn to Inanna‘, website: world history, article published on 18 November 2022 https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2109/hymn-to-inanna/
[9] Donovan et al. ‘LGBT Domestic Abuse Service Provision Mapping Study’. Galop. https://galop.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Galop-LGBT-Domestic-Abuse-Service-Provision-Mapping-Study-Final.pdf
[10] Galop. ‘’An isolated place’, LGBT+ domestic abuse survivors’ access to support’. https://galop.org.uk/resource/an-isolated-place-lgbt-domestic-abuse-survivors-access-to-support/
[11] Stonewall Housing, ‘Stonewall Housing Impact Report 2023/24’, https://stonewallhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Stonewall-Housing-Impact-Report-23-24.pdf
[12] Meredithe McNamara et al. ‘An Evidence-Based Critique of “The Cass Review” on Gender-affirming Care for Adolescent Gender Dysphoria’. Yale Law School. https://law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/documents/integrity-project_cass-response.pdf
[13] BMA Media Team. (2024). ‘BMA to undertake an evaluation of the Cass Review on gender identity services for children and young people’. BMA. https://www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-centre/bma-to-undertake-an-evaluation-of-the-cass-review-on-gender-identity-services-for-children-and-young-people