Summary
Researchers from gender clinics in Toronto and Amsterdam checked whether the mix of boys and girls referred for gender dysphoria in their teens had changed. Across 748 referrals, both clinics showed the same pattern. Before about 2006 more teens born male were referred. From 2006 to 2013 teens born female clearly outnumbered them. Among Toronto teens referred for other mental health problems, the balance of boys and girls hardly moved, suggesting something specific to gender referrals. Referral numbers also rose steadily. This was one of the first published reports of the shift later seen around the world. It reliably shows a change in who was referred to two clinics, but cannot say why. The authors suggested social and cultural reasons, but did not test them.
Key findings
- Studiul a analizat 748 de adolescenți trimiși pentru disforie de gen la clinici din Toronto (328 de adolescenți, 1976–2013) și Amsterdam (420 de adolescenți, 1989–2013).
- La Toronto, în 1999–2005 au fost trimiși aproximativ 2 băieți la fiecare fată (36 de băieți, 17 fete). În 2006–2013 raportul s-a inversat la aproximativ 1,8 fete la fiecare băiat (73 de băieți, 129 de fete).
- La Amsterdam, în 1989–2005 au fost 1,4 băieți la fiecare fată (109 băieți, 77 de fete). În 2006–2013 s-a inversat la 1,7 fete la fiecare băiat (86 de băieți, 148 de fete).
- Printre adolescenții din Toronto trimiși pentru alte probleme, echilibrul aproape că nu s-a schimbat (aproximativ 2,2 băieți la o fată, apoi 2 băieți la o fată), deci schimbarea a fost specifică trimiterilor pentru gen.
- Numărul trimiterilor la Toronto a crescut puternic de la an la an între 1976 și 2013.
- La Toronto, ponderea adolescenților născuți de sex feminin care nu erau atrași doar de femei a crescut de la 11,4% înainte de 2006 la 36,0% în 2006–2013.
- Autorii au sugerat motive sociale și culturale pentru inversare, dar nu le-au testat.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The number of adolescents referred to specialized gender identity clinics for gender dysphoria appears to be increasing and there also appears to be a corresponding shift in the sex ratio, from one favoring natal males to one favoring natal females. AIM: We conducted two quantitative studies to ascertain whether there has been a recent inversion of the sex ratio of adolescents referred for gender dysphoria. METHODS: The sex ratio of adolescents from two specialized gender identity clinics was examined as a function of two cohort periods (2006-2013 vs. prior years). Study 1 was conducted on patients from a clinic in Toronto, and Study 2 was conducted on patients from a clinic in Amsterdam. RESULTS: Across both clinics, the total sample size was 748. In both clinics, there was a significant change in the sex ratio of referred adolescents between the two cohort periods: between 2006 and 2013, the sex ratio favored natal females, but in the prior years, the sex ratio favored natal males. In Study 1 from Toronto, there was no corresponding change in the sex ratio of 6,592 adolescents referred for other clinical problems. CONCLUSIONS: Sociological and sociocultural explanations are offered to account for this recent inversion in the sex ratio of adolescents with gender dysphoria.
Conclusion
In both the Toronto and Amsterdam clinics the sex ratio of adolescents referred for gender dysphoria inverted from favouring natal males before 2006 to favouring natal females in 2006–2013, with no matching change among adolescents referred to the Toronto service for other clinical problems. The authors offer sociological and sociocultural explanations for this recent inversion.