Increased media coverage of “transgender and gender diverse” issues is associated with higher referral rates to pediatric gender clinics.

A 2020 study by Pang et al¹. explored the impact of media coverage on the referral rates to two specific pediatric gender clinics: the Gender Identity Development Service in the UK, and the Royal Children’s Hospital Gender Service (RCHGS) in Australia. Analyzing data from over 5,000 referrals collected over an eight-year period, the study found a strong correlation between the amount of “transgender and gender diverse” media coverage and the number of referrals to these clinics. The research highlighted that an uptick in media stories led to increased referrals, with a significant spike observed one week after coverage in the UK and two weeks later in Australia.

1. Pang, K. C., de Graaf, N. M., Chew, D., Hoq, M., Keith, D. R., Carmichael, P., & Steensma, T. D. (2020). Association of media coverage of transgender and gender diverse issues with rates of referral of transgender children and adolescents to specialist gender clinics in the UK and Australia. JAMA Network Open, 3(7), e2011161-e2011161. [Link] ↩︎