In support of folks, who, like myself, read this survey ( which evaluated 13000+ individuals) and assumed it was meeting a higher standard of evaluation that @Anastasis recognizes,) consider these findings:
A recent study based on the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found that transgender adults who received pubertal blockers as adolescents had significantly lower lifetime suicidal ideation compared to those who desired but did not receive it
The first study followed 47 transgender youth and found that mean levels of suicidality significantly decreased from 1.11 before starting GAHT to .27 when assessed approximately 1 year after beginning GAHT [
[7]]. The second study of 128 transgender youth found small to moderate improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms (d = .44) [
[15]]. The third study examined 50 transgender youth at two 6-month intervals following the start of ExcEpts:
and found significant decreases in depression as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
These findings extend previous cross-sectional research conducted with transgender and nonbinary adults and provide support for a significant relationship between access to GAHT and lower depression and suicidality among transgender and nonbinary youth. Among the full sample and those under age 18, receipt of GAHT was associated with significantly lower odds of experiencing symptoms of depression in the previous 2 weeks. Although our study is not able to determine temporal patterns, it is unlikely that many transgender and nonbinary youth began GAHT subsequent to this 2-week time frame.
. High rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among transgender youth are sometimes used by antitransgender politicians and activists to erroneously suggest that transgender identity is a mental health condition that can be treated through counseling and conversion efforts [
[27]]. These individuals ignore the impacts of gender dysphoria and minority stress [
[28]] and suggest that GAHT is not necessary if transgender youth can be counseled into accepting their sex assigned at birth. The findings of this study demonstrate that GAHT could be a potential mechanism by which mental health and suicide disparities among transgender and nonbinary youth may begin to decrease. Furthermore, existing evidence suggests that regret is low for gender-affirming care interventions, with one study of 55 transgender adults who had received gender-affirming care as adolescents finding that not one experienced regret [
[29]].
Unfortunately, efforts to legally restrict gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary youth may negatively impact mental health through two separate but linked pathways. The first is by directly prohibiting medication that many of these youth rely on to reduce feelings of gender dysphoria. The second is by increasing minority stress through negative public attention and harmful rhetoric debating the rights of transgender and nonbinary youth to live their lives authentically. As such, efforts to address the mental health of transgender and nonbinary youth must also acknowledge and address the cumulative risk that antitransgender political statements and legislative efforts may have on their well-being.
Of course, our self proclaimed, and totally not narcissistically motivated, though given to demeaning rhetoric, expert is soon to explain why these medical researchers are only acceptable to dolts as trustworthy sources.
Edited to point out that the R tactic of fucking shit up and then pointing at fucked up shit to validate their claims is applicable. Just saying.