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Notes -
Given how much lying has gone on about this issue, how certain are we about this particular bit? One of the early criticisms of the trans discourse was that the primary reason being given was the dire nature of the suicidality of trans people, but transitioning didn't seem to decrease the suicide rate. At the time, this idea that transitioning was an effective treatment seems to me to have been mostly testimonials from non-detransitioners, and claims that it solves the suicidality problem, without any data.
Have there been good studies that show comprehensive mental health improvements from solid pre-transition baselines, across the range of outcomes? If some percentage of trans people detransition, doesn't that imply they didn't find it particularly helpful? Exactly how big is that cohort, and what is their mental health at? These are the sort of questions that need answers if we're going to say things like "the most effective treatment is transitioning". As opposed to what other treatment?
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