Additional Factors that Might Contribute to Gender Dysphoria
I am a mother with two adolescent sons whose identities and sexuality are developing, so I understand the pain of other mothers. I read the posts on websites and find them very moving. I think articles offering research and lifestyle advice on how to improve the mental health of trans-identifying children without resorting to drugs, would help the parents. The overall feeling the site gives is one of despair, but there is much the parents can do. I have a degree in clinical psychology and have done extensive personal research in the area of sexual orientation, mental health, diet, sleep, pollution, and drug use.
In her book, "Irreversible Damage" Abigail Shrier argues that the transgender craze among young women and girls is due to contagion. Researcher Lisa Littman also argues that girls are experiencing ROGD (rapid onset gender dysphoria) due to contagion. I’ve read the arguments and agree that yes, contagion is an important contributing factor but think less so than it seems. There are other factors that also contribute to gender dysphoria in general, and some factors that increase it especially, in girls.
Irreversible Damage posits that adolescents spend too much time online and it is indoctrinating them. Indeed, transgender youths spend a lot of time online: 4.5 hours more screen time than their peers. This means that they also sleep less, have less physical activity, more obesity (hence more endocrine problems), are more mentally exhausted and develop fewer social skills. All these feed into gender dysphoria.
For many FtMs, gender dysphoria begins in adolescence, but this is not necessarily because of online socialization. It is also because, when the gonads jumpstart the production of sexual hormones, their function is not smooth until fully developed. Until then, hormone levels fluctuate, especially in children with obesity or an inflammatory diet and lifestyle. The ovaries of adolescent girls have more cysts and produce more testosterone. Adolescent boys have more gynecomastia because they may experience an increase in temporary female hormones. Many adolescent girls suffer from depression due to the hormonal changes and inflammation. Any possible masculinization or underdevelopment in the brain areas responsible for reproduction that has happened starting from the fetus stage will become evident once the ovaries begin to function under the signals from the brain. If the signals are faulty, the ovaries also will have disturbed hormonal production and this will be reflected in the behavior and appearance of the girls.
Statistics point to a strong increase in female bisexuals compared to lesbians, gay and bisexual men. Bisexual women also have much higher rates of gender dysphoria than heterosexual women. Sexual attractions are less vulnerable to contagion than gender identity, being instinctual in nature, so what's behind this increase in bisexuality in females?
There is less selective pressure for feminine females. Before the development of modern medicine, women with reproductive problems who were less feminine could not have children or their children died due to malnutrition. Today these women have children and pass their genes on to their daughters.
The effect of endocrine disruptors, inflammatory diet, sleep deprivation, lack of beneficial pathogens etc. is piling up from generation to generation. The experiments on animals show this additive effect through several generations.
Contagion should be more of a factor for the behavioral aspect of the gender dysphoria. What the person with gender dysphoria does to feel less stressed is a conscious decision that is influenced by a lot of factors including peer pressure.
We have only scratched the surface of exploring the root causes of these problems. Social contagion is surely one factor but agree that diet, overall health, screen time, and specific media and institutional influences are also at play. That said, after being in this for five years, I have come to doubt that GD as a diagnosis is valid for 95% of these kids. It’s a lazy diagnosis that allows providers to take an easy treatment route involving pharmaceuticals and surgeries rather than exploratory therapy and other options (like diet and exercise modifications) that are certainly less invasive and might work better.
We are definitely not talking enough about the impact of diet on the mental health of teenagers, especially girls. The gut-brain axis is hugely important. The gut is like a second brain. Gut health has a massive affect on mood. Plus girls do have a much more sensitive endocrine system due to a more complex array of hormones. We eat pretty well in my house but still we could be better, and my daughter developed some pretty unhealthy habits for awhile. Many teenagers suffering from anxiety (often co-occurring with dysphoria) have awful diets. You’re correct that this part of the equation needs much MUCH more attention.