This is a great summary of the current understanding of the relation between suicide and medicalizing a gender identity (or rather, the lack of relation...). Thank you!
Some questions could also be asked about the direction of causality in any suicide-transgender link. If people are suicidal for one reason or another, a possible effect, or you might say release, is harming themselves in some way such as transgender surgery.
We have media guidelines around the reporting of suicide due to the known contagion effects of media coverage and yet there seems to be absolutely no recognition or acknowledgment that the constant representation of this in the gender issues space could be driving numbers up in a similar fashion. It is very irresponsible.
Despite an extensive search I am unable to identify a single case of suicide occuring in Australia as a result of a gender-identity issue.
It is well documented that there exists a relatively high rate of self-harm by those with 'gender issues'. It is also clear that the same cohort have a high rate of mental health issues.
Persons who self harm for any reason have a higher rate of mental health issues than do the general population,
Ergo self harm in the 'gender' cohort would not be unexpected.
This is a great summary of the current understanding of the relation between suicide and medicalizing a gender identity (or rather, the lack of relation...). Thank you!
Some questions could also be asked about the direction of causality in any suicide-transgender link. If people are suicidal for one reason or another, a possible effect, or you might say release, is harming themselves in some way such as transgender surgery.
We have media guidelines around the reporting of suicide due to the known contagion effects of media coverage and yet there seems to be absolutely no recognition or acknowledgment that the constant representation of this in the gender issues space could be driving numbers up in a similar fashion. It is very irresponsible.
Vincent Keane
Despite an extensive search I am unable to identify a single case of suicide occuring in Australia as a result of a gender-identity issue.
It is well documented that there exists a relatively high rate of self-harm by those with 'gender issues'. It is also clear that the same cohort have a high rate of mental health issues.
Persons who self harm for any reason have a higher rate of mental health issues than do the general population,
Ergo self harm in the 'gender' cohort would not be unexpected.