Of Left-Handedness and Gender Dysphoria

The most significant cultural trend today is the increase of youths who are identifying as “trans” - born into the body of the wrong sex, a condition also known as “gender dysphoria”.  Between 2017 and 2021 the number of kids being diagnosed with gender dysphoria rose by 300%. Many have gone on to receive permanent, life altering surgeries to treat this psychological condition.

Two Theories:

While everyone can agree on the increased numbers of kids claiming to have this condition, there are different theories about what is happening.  Here are two:  

Theory A:  We are looking at an unnatural, disastrous social contagion.  That is, there’s nothing actually wrong with these kids, but a mixture of peer pressure and other triggers have induced their dysphoria.  In this case, it is much like other social contagions like suicide, the pseudo-Tourette's illness known as FMD, and bulimia.  

Theory B: This phenomenon is much like left-handedness. There was once a time when being left-handed was strongly discouraged.  As society moved away from this superstition, the number of left-handed people gradually increased until it leveled out around 10%.  In this case, the increase was only a realization of something natural which was there all along.  Activists for gender ideology insist that the rapid increase in trans-identification is the same sort of thing.  It is merely an uncovering of something natural which has always been with us but was repressed by society.  

So who is right?  

The Missing Renaissance:

Well, consider this;  Trans activists also say that living outwardly as “trans” and being affirmed in that identity is a life-and-death matter of mental health.  That is to say, without being able to publicly identify as trans, live as a member of the opposite sex, and be affirmed by others in that identity - depression and suicide are practically inevitable.

This presents us with a measurable difference between the two theories.  

If this condition was there all along and suppressed, we would expect the newfound increase in trans-identification and affirmation to be coupled with a corresponding decline in rates of depression and suicide among the youth.  It would be the solution to a long and dreadful mystery about why young people are so depressed and suicidal.

So... have the past half-decade been a renaissance in mental health improvement among minors?

Ummm.... no.  The increase in trans-identification has occurred alongside a rapid increase in mental health issues among the youth. Says the AAP:  

"Rates of childhood mental health concerns and suicide rose steadily between 2010 and 2020 and by 2018 suicide was the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24."

This would seem to disconfirm the theory that widespread gender dysphoria is natural and has been with us all along.  It points strongly to Theory A:  This is a social contagion which spreads among groups of emotionally troubled minors.