Genspect’s #ROGD conference will be starting shortly. Last chance to register is right now! You will receive a zoom link by email instantly. We will be live tweeting some highlights here. Stay tuned!
Genspect Manager Angus Fox welcomes hundreds of listeners and recognizes #TransDayOfRemembrance.
Genspect Director @stellaomalley3 is giving an overview of #ROGD. She raises that there are several ways in and out of gender dysphoria. You can change your mind, change your body, or learn to manage your distress.
Stella explains that the #ROGD cohort is a brand new group never seen before. They are post-pubertal, mostly female, & they typically self-diagnose as trans after loads of time spent online engaging with trans content. Some type of trauma is also very common. So is ASD, ADHD.
Stella says adolescents must be allowed to explore their identity- that this is developmentally appropriate. She refers to Erickson’s model of identity development. From age 12-25, it’s quite normal to try on many different hats. They don’t, however, need to be concretized.
When a child / adolescent says they want to medically transition and “don’t care” about their future fertility and / or sexuality, adults must understand that they can’t quite understand the impact of those decisions.
Stella explains that many social justice-minded ROGD adolescents struggle with their privilege. Other common issues are internalized homophobia, misogyny or misandry.
“Born in the wrong body” is just a description of a feeling - it is not a diagnosis. We need to consider the role of social / peer contagion in #ROGD adolescents.
Social transition should not be undertaken lightly, or without supervision. There is no long term research on this intervention for this ROGD cohort. We do know that it increases the likelihood of a full medical transition for the child-onset cohort.
Stella criticizes the myth that affirmation prevents suicide. She highlights a well-known, long-term Swedish study which stated that those who medically transition are actually 19x more likely to die by suicide than the general population.
Stella outlines many common co-morbidities with gender dysphoria. She encourages people to visit Genspect.org for more detailed information on all of these topics.
Jude, an Australian #ROGD parent, describes her struggles with her #ROGD teen. We will not tweet any further details out of respect for the child’s privacy. Jude holds onto hope that they will reconnect.
Jude finished her heartbreaking presentation with the statement “We are in the midst of an enormous medical scandal.” The next speaker is Dr. David Bell.
Dr. Bell, former Consultant Psychiatrist and Ex-Governor at Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust, and Former President of the BPS, UK now presents: “First Do No Harm’.
Dr. Bell explains that all psychiatric disorders are embodied within the culture. Cultural factors may be relevant, as may a peculiar form of thinking. Questions about improper medicalization are completely distinct from questions about discrimination.
Issues to do with sexuality, autogynephelia, and mental health comorbidities, are often at the root of gender dysphoria.
It is inappropriate to use the term “transgender child” because by using that term, you forclose on the child’s identity. There is often depression, ASD, loneliness and isolation- or trauma.. which is sometimes intergenerational.
Internalized homophobia is a real concern - as are psychological disturbances of girls which often occur in puberty. Some kids have very rigid, binary constructions of gender.
98 % of children progress from puberty blockers to opposite sex hormones and surgery.
“Trans” is truly exceptional in that even thinking about cause is problematized. There is also distinct form of “customership” in affirmative care.
Dr Bell outlines some perfect storm factors of ROGD, ie 1-instantaneous transformation is now a commodity 2- overwhelmed MH services that see everything through lenses of gender 3- ID politics , 4- growing misogyny in our culture affects many girls 5- influence of media
Dr Bell describes the emergence of a peculiar new form of thinking. There is now intolerance of doubt and thought. Transformation of the body is now prioritized over the examination of the struggles of the individual and their family.
Dr Bell points out that similar ethical questions exist with medical transtion as with elective limb amputation and electroshock treatment for gay men.
Dr. Lisa Littman is now presenting on the psychosocial factors of gender dysphoria.
Dr Littman’s ROGD hypothesis: social influence, maladaptive coping mechanisms, internalized homophobia, trauma, and/or metal health issues can contribute to the development of GD in some individuals.
Dr Littman compares two different approaches : Thorough evaluation and a judicious use of medical transition. VS unquestioning acceptance of people’s stated innate gender identity, with medical interventions provided on demand. They clash.
Dr Littman describes her foray into the topic of gender dysphoria. Adolescent onset GD females have only recently started coming into the literature. A study in Finland noted that this cohort has a lot of comorbidities.
Dr Littman reviews highlights of her groundbreaking ROGD study : journals.plos.org/plosone/articl…
Dr Littman’s new study on detransitioners was just released. You can read it here: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34665380/
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