reference: the modern transphobe’s favorite research article
and why it shouldn’t be!
if you get into online shit with a transphobe, especially a TERF, chances are they will cite this study by cecilia dhejne (et al). the 2011 swedish study, colloquially known as The Swedish Study, is often (mis)used in arguments to condemn medical transition as well as trans people ourselves, contrary to the findings of the study, the beliefs of the author, and also our scientific understanding of gender dysphoria and transition (generally we see that gender affirmation care improves gender dysphoria and trans quality of life).
the study: population-based matched cohort study (1973-2003) with the objective of estimating mortality, morbidity, and criminality rates of transsexual people after SRS (gender affirmation surgery).
the appeal to transphobes: without the full context of the study as well as social conditions and other influential variables, the study is often misinterpreted to conclude that SRS will increase mortality and morbidity rates, and that trans women retain “male pattern” rates of criminality.
the reality: these interpretations are a fucking lie.
doctor dhejne has been eager to address the false conclusions that have been drawn from her study that have often been used to demonize and further pathologize trans people. in this interview with transadvocate, which i will discuss below, she explains what many of the people citing her study fail to understand: correlation is not causation. you know, base level stuff.
addressing the key misconceptions:
MYTH: “transition increases the risk of suicide and mental illness”
REALITY: dhejne firmly believes that the increased mortality rates of medically transitioned people is not correlation, but instead a flaw of gender affirming treatment. she suggests that “treatment models which ignore the effect of cultural oppression and outright hate aren’t enough.” that increased mortality and morbidity are not consequences of medical transition, but rather consequences of a hostile society. this conclusion is strongly supported by most trans research. there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that both medical gender affirmation and increased cultural acceptance beneficially impact trans health. the study only observes trans behavior after SRS; it does not account for several influential variables. what we do see over the course of this long-term study is a drop in trans mortality and morbidity as social acceptance increases and gender affirming care expands.
MYTH: “trans women retain a male pattern of criminality”
REALITY: the study observed a population from 1973 to 2003, and findings can be split into two groups according to trends; from 1973-1988, and from 1989-2003. in the latter group, “differences in mortality, suicide attempts, and crime disappear... we did not find a male pattern of criminality.” this study is often misused to characterize trans women as sexual predators in order to uphold discriminatory bathroom and prison laws. but there is no correlation between the criminality of cis men and trans women. the correlation that existed in the 1973 group was based on conviction rates, not types of crime. it is worth noting that trans people have increased and disproportionate rates of conviction—largely due to profiling and the consequences of marginalization (poverty, substance abuse, self-defense convictions). there is nothing to suggest that trans women are committing the same kinds of crimes as cis men, and in the 1989 group, even the rates of conviction become dissimilar to those of cis men.
overall, the study repeats what we have seen over and over again—gender affirmation and social acceptance improve trans quality of life. as trans quality of life improves, rates of mortality, morbidity, and conviction decrease. in other words, if a transphobe cites this article for their argument, they simply don’t know how the fuck to read for comprehension. take this info and put that motherfucker to rest.
here is a reddit AMA where dhejne answers further questions!
here is a huffpost article debunking other commonly misused conclusions on the topic of transition!
