Of those who discontinued treatment, 37.3% did so for health reasons. 32% ended treatment due to a change in gender identity. 12% were persuaded by health professionals or a partner to explore different ways of approaching their gender dysphoria.

Stopping treatment was associated with having a “non binary” identity. Both continuing and non-continuing cohorts had a mean age of 16.1 when “coming out”, but those discontinuing treatment were slightly older (22.1 vs. 20.9.) 

1. MacKinnon KR, Jeyabalan T, Strang JF, Delgado-Ron JA, Lam JSH, Gould WA, Cooper A, Salway T. Discontinuation of Gender-Affirming Medical Treatments: Prevalence and Associated Features in a Nonprobabilistic Sample of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Adolescents and Young Adults in Canada and the United States. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2024 Oct;75(4):569-577. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.05.015. Epub 2024 Jun 28. PMID: 38944803. ︎

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Samples were gathered as part of “fertility preservation surgery,” in which testicular tissue is harvested and preserved in hope that it will be able to produce sperm later. Every boy with gender dysphoria in the study had elected for this surgery due to inability or reluctance to ejaculate. This suggests the possible presence of various psychological and physical conditions that are unexplored in the research.

1. Murugesh V, Ritting M, Salem S, Aalam SMM, Garcia J, Chattha AJ, Zhao Y, Knapp DJ, Kalthur G, Granberg CF, Kannan N. Puberty Blocker and Aging Impact on Testicular Cell States and Function. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Mar 27:2024.03.23.586441. Doi: 10.1101/2024.03.23.586441. PMID: 38585884; PMCID: PMC10996503. ︎

The post Boys receiving puberty blockers for gender dysphoria experienced irreversible changes to their testes. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. https://sex-matters.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Teenagers-medication-vs-placebo.pdf ︎

The post Psychological effects of puberty blockers on young people may be worse than placebo. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

This study was conducted from 2016 to 2021 by Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy. In 2024, the New York Times reported² Dr. Olson-Kennedy saying that publication of this research had been delayed because she feared that research showing that puberty blockers did not improve patients’ mental health would be “weaponized” against the use of puberty blockers by opponents of the practice. The report appeared as a pre-print, not peer-reviewed, in May 2025.

1. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, Liyuan Wang, Carolyn F. Wong, Diane Chen, Diane Ehrensaft, Marco A. Hidalgo, Amy C. Tishelman, Yee-Ming Chan, Robert Garofalo, Asa E. Radix, Stephen M. Rosenthal, Emotional Health of Transgender Youth 24 Months After Initiating Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy, Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 77, Issue 1, 2025, Pages 41-50, ISSN 1054-139X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.11.014. ︎
2. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/science/puberty-blockers-olson-kennedy.html
   ︎

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The highest rate of deterioration (34%) was recorded at the 12 month evaluation, when the sample size was at its largest. Evaluations at 24 and 36 months were affected by significant loss to follow-up, which compromises the data.

1. McPherson, S., & Freedman, D. E. P. (2023). Psychological Outcomes of 12–15-Year-Olds with Gender Dysphoria Receiving Pubertal Suppression in the UK: Assessing Reliable and Clinically Significant Change. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 50(3), 315–325. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2023.2281986 ︎

The post More patients on puberty blockers saw their distress deteriorate than improve. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

^{Carmichael, P., Butler, G., Masic, U., Cole, T. J., De Stavola, B. L., Davidson, S., Skageberg, E., Khadr, S., Viner, R. M., & Spencer, D. (2021). Short-term outcomes of pubertal suppression in a selected cohort of 12 to 15 year old young people with persistent gender dysphoria in the UK. PLOS ONE, 16(2), Article e0243894. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243894}

The post A prospective study of 12-15-year-olds in the UK found that puberty blockers were not associated with reductions in suicidality or self-harm. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. Carmichael P, Butler G, Masic U, Cole TJ, De Stavola BL, Davidson S, Skageberg EM, Khadr S, Viner RM. Short-term outcomes of pubertal suppression in a selected cohort of 12 to 15 year old young people with persistent gender dysphoria in the UK. PLoS One. 2021 Feb 2;16(2):e0243894. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243894. PMID: 33529227; PMCID: PMC7853497. ︎

The post The height of teenagers taking puberty blockers did not increase at an age-appropriate rate. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

This study is compromised by the lack of follow-up once patients reached the age of 16, meaning there were significant effective drop-out rates at 24 and 36 months.

1. Carmichael P, Butler G, Masic U, Cole TJ, De Stavola BL, Davidson S, Skageberg EM, Khadr S, Viner RM. Short-term outcomes of pubertal suppression in a selected cohort of 12 to 15 year old young people with persistent gender dysphoria in the UK. PLoS One. 2021 Feb 2;16(2):e0243894. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243894. PMID: 33529227; PMCID: PMC7853497. ︎

The post Teenagers taking puberty blockers report more negative mood changes over time. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

This study is compromised by the lack of follow-up once patients reached the age of 16, meaning there were significant effective drop-out rates at 24 and 36 months.

1. Carmichael P, Butler G, Masic U, Cole TJ, De Stavola BL, Davidson S, Skageberg EM, Khadr S, Viner RM. Short-term outcomes of pubertal suppression in a selected cohort of 12 to 15 year old young people with persistent gender dysphoria in the UK. PLoS One. 2021 Feb 2;16(2):e0243894. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243894. PMID: 33529227; PMCID: PMC7853497. ︎

The post The bone mineral density of teenagers taking puberty blockers did not increase to age-appropriate levels appeared first on Stats for Gender.

This study is compromised by the lack of follow-up once patients reached the age of 16, meaning there were significant effective drop-out rates at 24 and 36 months.

1. Carmichael P, Butler G, Masic U, Cole TJ, De Stavola BL, Davidson S, Skageberg EM, Khadr S, Viner RM. Short-term outcomes of pubertal suppression in a selected cohort of 12 to 15 year old young people with persistent gender dysphoria in the UK. PLoS One. 2021 Feb 2;16(2):e0243894. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243894. PMID: 33529227; PMCID: PMC7853497. ︎

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A 2024 Finnish study by Ruuska et al. found that adolescents referred to gender identity clinics had higher rates of overall mortality and suicide than matched controls. However, after taking previous psychiatric treatment into account, these differences were no longer statistically significant. The findings suggest that pre-existing mental health difficulties, rather than gender dysphoria itself, are the primary predictors of both overall and suicide-related mortality among adolescents seeking gender-related care.

Before accounting for psychiatric history, adolescents referred to gender services had higher rates of all-cause mortality (0.81 versus 0.40 deaths per 1,000 person-years) and suicide mortality (0.51 versus 0.12 deaths per 1,000 person-years). After adjustment for psychiatric treatment history, the hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.0 and the hazard ratio for suicide mortality was 1.8, and neither difference was statistically significant.

^{Price-Feeney, M., Green, A. E., & Dorison, S. H. (2020). Understanding the mental health of transgender and nonbinary youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 66(6), 684-690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.11.314}

^{Ruuska, S. M., Tuisku, K., Holttinen, T., & Kaltiala, R. (2024). All-cause and suicide mortalities among adolescents and young adults who contacted specialised gender identity services in Finland in 1996–2019: a register study. BMJ Ment Health, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjment-2023-300940}

The post A widely cited U.S. survey of LGBTQ youth found that 82% of transgender and non-binary respondents reported depressive symptoms and 54% reported serious suicidal thoughts in the previous year. The study used a self-selected sample and measured self-reported symptoms and thoughts; it does not reflect the number of deaths by suicide. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. Kerr JA, Paine J, Thrower E, Hoq M, Mollica C, Sawyer SM, Azzopardi PS, Pang KC. Prevalence of Eating Disorder Symptoms in Transgender and Gender Diverse Adolescents Presenting for Gender-Affirming Care. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2024 Apr;74(4):850-853. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.11.396. Epub 2024 Jan 9. PMID: 38206224.
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The post “Gender questioning” adolescents may have very high rates of disordered eating. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. Kerr JA, Paine J, Thrower E, Hoq M, Mollica C, Sawyer SM, Azzopardi PS, Pang KC. Prevalence of Eating Disorder Symptoms in Transgender and Gender Diverse Adolescents Presenting for Gender-Affirming Care. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2024 Apr;74(4):850-853. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.11.396. Epub 2024 Jan 9. PMID: 38206224. ︎

The post Nearly a quarter of adolescents seeking “gender-affirming care” report symptoms of anorexia. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. Diemer EW, Grant JD, Munn-Chernoff MA, Patterson DA, Duncan AE. Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Eating-Related Pathology in a National Sample of College Students. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2015 Aug;57(2):144-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.03.003. Epub 2015 Apr 28. PMID: 25937471; PMCID: PMC4545276. ︎

The post Young people with “trans” identities are much more likely to have an eating disorder. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. Keski-Rahkonen A. Eating disorders in transgender and gender diverse people: characteristics, assessment, and management. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2023 Nov 1;36(6):412-418. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000902. Epub 2023 Aug 29. PMID: 37781981.
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The post Up to half of trans-identified children show disordered eating. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. Elizaveta Ignatova, Priyadharshini Balasubramanian, Julia H. Raney, Kyle T. Ganson, Alexander Testa, Jinbo He, Fiona C. Baker, Jason M. Nagata,
   Transgender Identity and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms: Findings From the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, Journal of Adolescent Health,
   Volume 76, Issue 3, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.10.015. ︎

The post ADHD symptoms are more common in children with trans identities. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. A comparison of gender diversity in transgender young people with and without autistic traits from the Trans 20 cohort study
   Tollit, Michelle A. et al.
   The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, Volume 47, 101084 ︎

The post Autistic traits are more common in trans-identified girls than trans-identified boys. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. A comparison of gender diversity in transgender young people with and without autistic traits from the Trans 20 cohort study
   Tollit, Michelle A. et al.
   The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, Volume 47, 101084
   ︎

The post Autistic children with gender dysphoria were also more likely to be dissatisfied with other parts of their bodies. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. A comparison of gender diversity in transgender young people with and without autistic traits from the Trans 20 cohort study
   Tollit, Michelle A. et al.
   The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, Volume 47, 101084 ︎

The post Autistic young people are more likely to socially transition than those without autistic traits. appeared first on Stats for Gender.

1. Wright JD, Chen L, Suzuki Y, Matsuo K, Hershman DL. National Estimates of Gender-Affirming Surgery in the US. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(8):e2330348. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30348 ︎

The post Rates of gender-affirming surgeries in the US tripled from 2016-2019. appeared first on Stats for Gender.