Confronting Anti-Trans Pseudoscience

A number of "Junk Science" Sources have sprung up in recent years with the purpose of legitimizing anti-trans legal action.  The SPLC did a great job outlining that effort. 

Project CAPTAIN
CAAPS Position Statement on Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD)
Erin Reed's Factcheck of 2025 HHS Report

The Misleading "Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria " Report. May 1 2025

Under Robert F Kennedy Jr. and the Trump regime, the US HHS released a political document disguised as a report on best practices. Here are a number of responses. 

Erin Reed's Factcheck of 2025 HHS Report
"The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the US Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH) are deeply concerned about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report "

"Following the release of the HHS Review of Medical Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria on May 1, 2025, APA issued the following statement: 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is deeply alarmed by the report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today

Transition as Medically Necessary Care

• American Psychological Association Resolution: APA recognizes the efficacy, benefit and medical necessity of gender transition treatments for appropriately evaluated individuals and calls upon public and private insurers to cover these medically necessary treatments.

• American Psychological Association: More information on the APA's stance on gender transition.

• American Medical Association Resolution: AMA resolves that transition is effective treatment for gender dysphoria and calls for an end to insurance companies categorically excluding transition-related care from coverage.

• American College of Physicians Policy Statement: A policy statement from the American College of Physicians supporting gender transition.

• American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines: AAP provides guidelines on gender transition.

• American Academy of Family Physicians Resolution: A resolution from the AAFP supporting gender transition.

• National Association of Social Workers Resolution: NASW's resolution in support of gender transition.

• Royal College of Psychiatrists Resolution: RCP's resolution on gender transition.

• French Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology : 2024 recommendations

Condemnation of "Conversion Therapy" or "Gender Exploration Treatment"

• American Psychological Association: APA condemns "Gender Identity Change Efforts," also known as "conversion therapy."

• American Psychological Association: More detailed condemnation of "Gender Identity Change Efforts" for trans youth or adults.

• American College of Physicians: ACP condemns "conversion therapy".

• American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines: AAP guidelines discuss "conversion therapy" and its harms (see coverage on this "therapy" starting p.12).

• American Psychoanalytic Association: The American Psychoanalytic Association's stance against "conversion therapy".

• Association for Behavioral Analysis International: ABAI's condemnation of "conversion therapy".

• Joint Statement: A joint statement from multiple UK organizations condemning "conversion therapy".

Transition's Impact on Mental Health

• Turban et al. (2020): Study on pubertal suppression for transgender youth and reduced suicidal ideation.

• Almazan et al. (2021): Study showing gender-affirming surgeries are associated with better mental health outcomes.

• Connolly et al. (2016): Gender-affirming care improves psychological functioning in gender-variant children and adolescents.

• Russell et al. (2018): Chosen name use is linked to reduced depression, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior among transgender youth.

• Watson et al. (2019): Gender-affirming hormones are associated with increased well-being and decreased suicidality.

• Gibson et al. (2021): Socially transitioned transgender youth have similar anxiety and depression levels as cisgender peers.

• Bauer et al. (2015): Studies showing transition and social acceptance reduce suicide risk among trans people.

• Study on Young Adult Psychological Outcome After Puberty Suppression and Gender Reassignment: Transition allows trans youth to develop into well-functioning young adults with improved psychological health.

• Turban et al. (2022): Access to gender-affirming hormones during adolescence is associated with favorable mental health outcomes and lower suicidal ideation.

• Studies on Mental Health Disorders: Disorders more common in trans people are mainly linked to abuse and discrimination.

• Meta-analysis (2010): Meta-analysis of 28 studies confirms transition improves mental health and quality of life.

Safety and Efficacy of Puberty Delaying Treatment

•  Puberty Blockers: There is extensive research about long term use of puberty blockers, and this treatment has been the standard treatment for kids with precocious puberty for decades, with lots of studies on its efficacy and safety.

• American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines: AAP guidelines on gender transition in children and adolescents, including the use of puberty-suppressing medication (p.10).

"Detransition" and "Transition Regret"

• AAP Gender Identity 5 Years After Social Transition 

• Statistics on Detransition: Regarding transition as a whole, of everyone who starts even the preliminary steps, only about 0.4% eventually realize they aren't trans.

• 2015 Transgender Survey: Source for statistics on detransition (see p.108-111).

• Care of the Patient Undergoing Sex Reassignment Surgery (2006): Meta-review on persistent regret following SRS.

• Sex reassignment: outcomes and predictors of treatment for adolescent and adult transsexuals (2005): Study on regret rate of 0.6%.

• An analysis of all applications for sex reassignment surgery in Sweden, 1960-2010: prevalence, incidence, and regrets (2014): Study on regret rate of 2.2%.

• A Survey Study of Surgeons’ Experience with Regret and/or Reversal of Gender-Confirmation Surgeries (2018): Study concluding regret after gender-affirming surgery is an exceedingly rare event.

• Regret after Gender-affirmation Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prevalence (2021): Meta-analysis on prevalence of regret after GAS.

• Long-Term Regret and Satisfaction With Decision Following Gender-Affirming Mastectomy (2023): Study on satisfaction and regret following top surgery.

• Comparison of Regret Rates: Regret rates for gender-affirming surgery are lower than those for other common surgeries.

• Regret rates for bariatric weight-loss surgery: Statistics on regret rates for gastric bypass and gastric band surgeries.

• LASIK satisfaction rate: Satisfaction rate for LASIK patients.

• Cleft palate repair satisfaction: Satisfaction rates for cleft palate repair.

• Regret in Surgical Decision Making: A Systematic Review of Patient and Physician Perspectives: Study on regret in various surgical decisions, including prostatectomy and oncology patients.

• Chemo regret: 13% of chemo patients express regret

This list is evolving and links break over time.  There is also an effort by the US HHS to purge much of this data from public record.  If you see any errors in this please contact us and we will update it. 

mayak@tricityqueer.org