The Transgender Dictionary
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Detransition

(also: desistance, detrans)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Detransitioning is an extremely rare phenomenon where someone who previously identified as transgender decides to reverse zir transition. Studies have found time and time again that gender affirming surgeries have extremely high satisfaction rates. For example, approximately 98% of vaginoplasty patients are satisfied with zir results.

It is important to make the distinction that detransition is not equivalent to regret. Not everyone who detransitions does so due to regret regarding the gender affirming care that ze had previously undergone.

For more information on terms or concepts that you may be unfamiliar with, please click or tap on underlined words or phrases to be brought to an appropriate definition or relevant page. Please feel free to utilize the alphabet menu buttons at the top of this page. Feel free to click or scroll your way to view the links at the bottom of this page regarding detransition rates, as they contain numerous useful statistics relevant to the topic being discussed here.

General Information

Detransition can look differently depending on the stage of transition when it is done.

Social detransition consists of returning back to one's old name, previously used pronouns, former social identity or way of dressing, and otherwise going back to presenting as one's original gender. This form of detransition is quick and easy, however some people may feel awkward about telling others about how one changed one's mind.

Medically detransitioning consists of reversing surgeries or hormones with additional surgeries and stopping hormones (or taking different hormones, depending on what previous surgical intervention was involved). This form of detransition can be difficult, as not a lot of medical professionals are familiar with transgender people - never mind those who are attempting to reverse the process of transition.

Legal detransition consists of reversing legal documentation involving one's name and gender marker. This is tedious, and involves a lot of paperwork.

Reasons

There are various reasons why someone might detransition. Below is a list of some of the most common reasons why.

Change in Identity

One of the most common reasons for detransition is simply a change in identity. Some transgender people who first transition in a binary way (aka FTM or MTF) end up identifing as a nonbinary gender later on.

Some nonbinary people will temporarily undergo GAHT, then stop taking hormones after getting the desired permanent changes. This is sometimes considered a form of detransition, as the hormones are stopped. However, these people still typically identify as transgender, or at the very least, not cisgender.

Transphobia

Another common reason for detransition is due to the external force of transphobia. This comes in various ways such as harassment, discrimination, and a lack of community support. It can be when a family threatens to kick out a child who identifies as transgender, or when someone's religion is hostile to the concept to a follower being transgender. This sort of detransition stems not from no longer identifying as transgender, but from some combination of societal pressure, shame, and a lack of safety.

Some people will detransition for the benefit of unaccepting family members. For some transgender people, they would rather live a lie so that they can continue interacting with family members who would otherwise reject them if they were openly transgender.

Some transgender people will delay transition due to discrimination in employment or housing. Sometimes being openly transgender can someone lead to being harassed, bullied, fired, or kicked out of one's home. For these reasons, transitioning can be a concern for one's personal safety from others.

Logistical

Some people detransition due to financial reasons. Hormonal treatments are not always covered by insurance, and sometimes they can get expensive to continue paying for. Being unable to afford this treatment leads some people to detransition against their will.

Sometimes local laws will change to disallow someone from having the right to continue treatment. This is due to facist efforts to eradicate transgender people from existence.

Health

Some people detransition due to health issues. While its not common. Some disorders are incompatible with hormonal treatments. This can make some transgender people discouraged from continuing to transition even socially when they are unable to undergo gender affirming medical treatments.

Not Being Trans

The most uncommon form of detransition comes from those who realize that they were, in fact, not actually transgender. They made a mistake, and that's ok. This typically occurs during the "social transition" stage, though occasionally it occurs after surgical and hormonal treatment.

Detrans Flag

The detransition flag was created by tumblr user "detransisbeautiful" in 2022. The flag has eight horizontal stripes, and is asymmetrical.

The dark purple stripes represent detransition.

The white stripes represent transition.

The purple stripe represents nonbinary, gnc, and trans detransitioners.

The pink stripe represents those who were formerly transmac.

The blue stripe represents those who were formerly transfem.

Detrans Grifters

The smallest group of detransitioners is, unfortunately, also the loudest. This group of people primarly consists of those who had surgeries that they later regretted. These are people who realized that they were not transgender, but instead of doing some self-refelection and realizing that they made a personal mistake, they instead blame the entirety of the transgender community. Somehow their unhappiness is the fault of every happy trans person instead of their own.

This vocal opposition is often the result of radicalization performed by right-wing conservatives, a group that is already typically considered to be transphobic. With the help of the internet, it is easy to convince those who are confused about their identities - and reluctant to admit to having made a mistake - to blame the entirety of the transgender community. It is not uncommon for those who genuinely regret their transitions to be propped up like puppets, often bribed with lucrative book deals, tv appearances, and manipulated via a trip down the gender critical pipeline.

The profitable endeavor of parading detransitioners around often leads to surreal claims such as the idea that transgender people do not even exist. This is a claim that is exactly as rational as denying the existence of electricians because you had your overconfident friend try to fix your breaker and your house burned down instead. Studies have found time and time again that barely a percent (often less, depending on the sample size) of people who undergo gender affirming care later end up regretting it. Regardless, this has not stopped legislation from being presented in efforts to heavily restrict or outright ban gender affirming care.

One of the primary arguments presented by these hate groups is that people are somehow "tricked" or "forced" into taking hormones or undergoing surgery. There is also the comically fictional concept of teenagers seeking out hormones or other transitional care in an effort to "fit in" or be popular. There may be more acceptance of transgender people, but no teenager "decides" to be transgender to "fit in" and its a joke to try and argue that.

No one is being forced to undergo surgeries or take hormones. Even the most lenient of informed consent still requires that you read a detailed stack of documents which explain everything that will occur, and initial next to every change and symptom to confirm that you read it. Surgeries require multiple consulations ahead of time. Seeing a gender therapist to discuss your feelings prior to transition is heavily encouraged for anyone questioning their identity. For many surgeries, it is mandatory to see multiple gender therapists prior to surgery, even for those without a doubt regarding their desires.

There have been cases where detransitioners lied about the effects of hormonal treatments to contribute to the fearmongering around gender affirming care. There are cases where they have lied about the process to get on hormones. There are cases where detransitioners have even lied to doctors in an effort to speed up the process of getting treatment. This is no one's fault but themselves.

I respect the right for detransitioners to discuss their experiences. I have nothing but sympathy for anyone who undergoes care that they did not want and later regret. However, the vocal minority of those who regret do enough harm that I cannot openly respect them.

I have no respect for any detransition who uses their own experiences, whether of their own accord or spurred on by hate groups, to try and advocate for the banning of care. There is no reason to even suggest that transition care should be banned, especially for minors.

I have no respect for those detransitioners who target and harass transgender people who are happy with their own transitions. Your regret is not my problem.

The links below are provided for context, entertainment, and for the viewer to do further reading from a variety of sources to draw zir own conclusions. The opinions, views, and beliefs expressed in the articles, videos, or other internet-based media sources below do not necessarily reflect those of The Transgender Dictionary. None of these links are sponsored, nor endorsed (unless otherwise specified).