The Disturbing History of Research into Transgender Identity

This piece by Jack Turban in Scientific American does a wonderful job of speaking to how the research community must evolve in developing and fielding scientifically sound research – free from inherent biases – into the origins of gender identity.

For far too long transgender adults and children have been seen as needing to be “fixed” in some way so that we can become contributing members of society. Fifteen years ago, before I could have my gender reassignment surgery, I had to be clinically diagnosed as suffering from gender identity disorder. I am many things, but disordered is most definitely not one of them.

The reality is, my trans brothers and sisters and I are already a bold and beautiful part of society, we do not need one-sided or prejudicial research to conclude something to the contrary. As the author points out, “What good science shows us is that when we accept transgender people, they thrive. . . It’s time to celebrate that and move on.” And to that, I say, Amen…read more