LGBT Movement Suffers Major Blow In New Study
By Daniel Walker | April 21, 2024
Early adolescence
Recent research from the Netherlands indicates that most children who struggle with gender identity ultimately no longer experience these feelings once they reach adulthood. This study, which followed more than 2,700 individuals from their preteen years into their mid-twenties, sheds light on the growing popularity of gender transition surgeries for children.
The study, published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, represents one of the most extensive explorations into how children’s gender identities evolve over time.
Gender feelings
Over a 15-year period, researchers periodically surveyed participants about their gender feelings, uncovering a notable decline in dissatisfaction with their gender as they grew older.
The study
This research delved into the intricate process of gender identity development from early adolescence to young adulthood.
11% of the children
Initially, around 11% of the children expressed some form of gender discontent.
Age of 25
However, by the age of 25, this percentage had decreased to just 4%, highlighting a significant resolution of these feelings as individuals matured.
Gender dissatisfaction
As part of the Tracking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS), a study involving 2,772 participants aimed to investigate the complexities of gender dissatisfaction, defined as unhappiness with the gender assigned at birth, and its association with self-perception, mental well-being, and eventual sexual orientation.
Three distinct paths
The research uncovered three distinct paths of development: the majority (78%) experienced no gender dissatisfaction, 19% saw a decrease in these feelings over time, and a small subset (2%) exhibited an increase.
Prevalent among females
Notably, gender dissatisfaction was more prevalent among females and was connected to lower overall self-esteem, increased emotional and behavioral challenges, and a non-heterosexual sexual orientation.
Ongoing discussions
The decrease in gender dissatisfaction highlighted by the study has significant implications for ongoing discussions about transgender children and the growing trend towards medical interventions.
Careful consideration
This evidence underscores the need for a more careful consideration of gender transition surgeries for children and teenagers, emphasizing the importance of implementing stricter guidelines to limit medical interventions for minors.
Notable rise
This research comes at a critical juncture, coinciding with a notable rise in transgender children in the United States receiving medications and undergoing surgical procedures to transition their gender.
Patrick Brown
Patrick Brown, associated with the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center, told the TheDailyMail, “This study provides even more reason to be skeptical towards aggressive steps to facilitate gender transition in childhood and adolescence.”
Prudence and caution
“The fact that rates of satisfaction are lower even just a few years later suggests that for the vast majority of people, prudence and caution, rather than a rush towards permanent surgeries or hormone therapies, will be the best approach for teenagers struggling to make sense of the world and their place in it.”
Prohibit gender transition
Brown explained, “As such, policies that prohibit gender transition for minors make a great deal of sense.”
Gender non-contentedness
“Gender non-contentedness, while being relatively common during early adolescence, in general decreases with age and appears to be associated with a poorer self-concept and mental health throughout development,” the study explained.
Confusing time
“As anyone who has ever been a teenager knows, puberty and its aftereffects can be a confusing time of hormonal surges, physical changes, and social insecurity,” Brown continued. “It isn’t surprising that the highest rates of being dissatisfied in one’s body would peak during this time.”
