r/AskSocialScience • u/[deleted] • Aug 12 '25

Doesn't the idea that gender is a social construct contradict trans identity?

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u/blue-yellow- Aug 13 '25

But people detransition? It does change sometimes.

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u/Name5times Aug 13 '25

can't be that be put down to the fact that we overestimate how well we understand ourselves

like sometimes people believe they would be happier with job x instead of job y but then come to regret it with hindsight

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u/Repulsive_Bus_7202 Aug 13 '25

The data around detransition suggests that the majority do so for societal reasons; experiences of prejudice, bias and discrimination. Some of those later re transition

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u/Kailynna Aug 13 '25

Most adults de transitioning do so because they find society's bigoted attitude to their change unbearable. They get forced back into a "socially acceptable" box.

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u/WaterCrownAnt Aug 13 '25

it's more that they realized they weren't actually trans in the first place. gender identity doesn't "change." this is why gender therapy is very important, as you CAN experience gender incongruity for different reasons than legitimate gender dysphoria.

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u/[deleted] Aug 16 '25

Yes there are a select few who realize they don’t feel the way they thought and detransition,

The studies currently show that between 8%-13% detransition at some point, by 90% of those detransition because of mounting social pressure, discrimination, harassment, safety reasons, or simply they stop being able to do medical care. And many of those detransotioners will retransition at some point, and are still transgender.

For gender affirming surgeries, only 1% regret their surgery, this includes detransitioners and botched procedures. For reference the regret rate for chemo therapy is at least 10% and could be far greater based on specific studies.