Debunking the 80% “Desistance” Myth

With Ez away sick, Bette (she/they) flies solo in the studio for the first time, digging deep into the central piece of disinformation used by anti-trans campaigners: the oft-repeated myth that over 80% of trans kids will come to identify as cisgender as they mature. Find out why this statistic is so misleading and what constituted “gender nonconformity” in the 1950s-1980s. And no, there is no “cure” for being transgender.

Timestamps and Links:

• 01:37 - Community Events: Trans Justice Magan-djin/Meanjin
• 02:10 - Community Events: Kelly Jay Keen Petition
• 03:39 - 80% “Desistance” Myth
• 06:20 - Sources: Critical Commentary Study (2018) and Gender Dysphoria in Childhood by Ristori and Steensma (2016)
• 07:08 - Dr Cal Horton - A plea for better transgender research on the perpetual myth of ‘desistance’ and the ‘harm’ of social transitioning
• 07:48 - Methodological Concerns: Broad Inclusion Criteria, Scope of Studies, and Very Early Followup.
• 10:29 - Misclassification of Participants Lost of Followup
• 11:59 - Theoretical Concerns: Division of children in “persisters and desisters” Julia Serano, Binary understanding of gender Steensma (2016), and Presumption of outcome stability
• 13:43 - Ethical Concerns: Children testing practices, Clinical biases, and Child’s autonomy of treatment.
• 17:02 - Dr Cal Horton’s Response

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