A recent study promoted by trans activists found that more than 90% of transgender Americans reported increased “life satisfaction” after transitioning. But experts who spoke to the Daily Caller News Foundation expressed concerns about the study's methodology.

U.S. Transgender in 2022 questionnaire (USTS) Released on February 7, Early Insights surveyed more than 90,000 people and “targeted binary and non-binary transgender individuals 16 years of age and older.” According to the study, 79% of respondents who had “lived at least some time as a gender other than their assigned gender at birth” said they were “very satisfied,” and 15% said they were “very satisfied.” It turned out that the respondents answered, “I'm only slightly satisfied.” I am more satisfied with my life after the transition.

But medical experts who spoke to the DCNF criticized the study's methodology, saying it is likely that individuals who no longer identify as transgender, or who are most likely dissatisfied with their gender transition, They argued that it seemed to exclude a layer. (Related: Major organizations celebrate female athletes on Capitol Hill while promoting men in women's sports)

Dr. Stella O'Malley, a psychotherapist and founder of Genspect, an international organization that advocates an “evidence-based approach” to sexual and gender medicine, told DNCF that the study included people who had returned to their former lives. He said this was because it was not included. Data cannot tell the full story of the transition experience because of different biological sexes. She added that the study's “surprisingly gratifying” results were “not in line” with her approach to patients, many of whom are in the process of detransitioning.

“If you send out a survey and only those who are still transitioning participate, it's like asking everyone at the gym, 'So, how are you doing?'” I ignored the vast majority of people who joined and never returned. They are not included in the study. We don’t have a good snapshot,” O’Malley told DCNF.

Preliminary results of the survey were touted by transgender people Activistmany of them argued that the results claimed that there would be significant regrets after the transition.others was praised The survey targeted a diverse group of respondents, including “Black, Indigenous, poor, people of color, and other marginalized identities within the trans community.”

USTS media relations manager Ash Orr told DCNF that the purpose of the study was to understand “the development of gender identity in people,” and therefore “at any stage of life, journey, or transition.” He said he was targeting. “When he was investigated, he was found to be transgender.”

According to the survey, respondents were asked several questions about their experiences over a specific time period, such as “the past 12 months” or “the past 30 days.” More than 80% of respondents who received hormone medication said their “life satisfaction” improved significantly, and 88% said the same about transgender surgery.

Jay Green, a senior researcher at anti-medical transition group Do No Harm, and Mr O'Malley said they wanted the full findings to take longer than 12 months because one year was too short. . Learn about the long-term effects of transgender medical procedures.

The survey was conducted by National Center for Transgender Equality, was founded in 2003 to promote policies that support the LGBTQ movement. USTS distributed the survey from October 19, 2022 to December 5, 2022, to 84,170 adults ages 18 and older in “all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto.” The survey targeted 92,329 anonymous respondents. Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and U.S. military bases overseas. ”

Mr Green told the DCNF that it was a “good thing” that he was “satisfied”, but that the method of the investigation and its results raised concerns.

“It's good to be satisfied with your life, but what makes sense when evaluating the effects of surgery or hormones is that the information is representative of the people receiving these interventions and that It's only when it's compared to the life satisfaction of a similar population that didn't receive these interventions,” Green said. “The new USTS report does not meet any of these conditions. It is not a representative study and does not provide a basis for comparison.”

O'Malley also noted that the USTS' emphasis on anonymous responses in both the 2022 and 2015 previous surveys weakened the data. She argued that, based on her own experience, her anonymous surveys and her self-reported surveys were unreliable.

“This was a major criticism of the 2015 study. Anecdotal reports online are often pro-trans and so intense that good research is hard to find in this world, so I decided to do an anonymous survey. I think they're revealing some really shoddy research,” O'Malley said.

Orr disputed this argument, telling DCNF that using anonymity in this type of research is “common practice.”

“Anonymity in survey research is common practice, does not affect the reliability of respondents' answers, and often provides a level of safety and comfort that produces more honest and accurate answers.” “I do,” Orr said.

Data from the USTS should be seen as “advocacy” rather than a “science project,” Green told DCNF. If the organization is “really interested in knowing about the effects” of gender reassignment, it could look at how some groups fare without medical treatment compared to those who received medical treatment. He claimed he would have conducted a “randomized controlled trial.”

Orr told the DNCF that the USTS had “no such study design” that required a “placebo effect” used in “clinical trials in which medical interventions such as pharmaceuticals are tested.” He called the plan “unacceptable.” Suitable for research. ”

“The fact that they are reluctant to subject their practice priorities to rigorous scientific evaluation should be a red flag for policymakers, health care providers, and future patients,” Green said. Stated.

Many researchers acknowledge that there aren't enough studies to clearly show the long-term effects of transgender medical procedures, but that hasn't stopped doctors from prescribing gender reassignment hormones or recommending surgery. .

Cross-sex hormones are known to cause bone damage; blood Blood clots, fertility problems, liver damageOn the other hand, gender reassignment surgery often comes with serious complications and requires additional surgery.

Multiple transitioners have publicly stated that their mental and physical health deteriorated after medical transition.

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