Media Myths v Science Facts
Gender matters to all of us. Trans and non‑binary people are often discussed through myths, not facts. This page sets the record straight in plain English, with peer‑reviewed research and UK data.
Seven common myths — and the science
❌ Myth: Being trans is a mental illness
✅ Fact: In 2019, the World Health Organization reclassified “gender incongruence” as a sexual health condition — not a mental disorder.
- WHO ICD‑11: icd.who.int; Reed GM et al. (2016) World Psychiatry — Europe PMC
❌ Myth: Children are being rushed into treatment
✅ Fact: Youth care is cautious and stepwise: social transition first; puberty blockers if indicated after assessment; hormones later. Under‑18s in the UK cannot access surgery, and blockers are tightly supervised.
- de Vries ALC et al. (2014) JAMA Psychiatry — Europe PMC
- Brik T et al. (2020) Arch Sex Behav — Europe PMC
- Endocrine Society Guideline (2017) — Europe PMC
- WPATH SOC8 (2022) — Europe PMC
❌ Myth: Regret rates are high
✅ Fact: Large cohorts and meta‑analyses show very low regret (typically <1–3%). When detransition occurs, it is often driven by external pressures, not because being trans was a mistake.
- Bustos VP et al. (2021) Plast Reconstr Surg — Europe PMC
- Wiepjes CM et al. (2018) Am J Psychiatry — Europe PMC
❌ Myth: Trans women are a threat in women’s spaces
✅ Fact: Studies of inclusive policies show no increase in safety risks. Trans and non‑binary people are, however, at higher risk of harassment when excluded from appropriate facilities.
- Hasenbush A et al. (2019) Sex Res Soc Policy — Europe PMC
❌ Myth: Biological sex is binary and fixed
✅ Fact: Human biology shows bimodal patterns with overlap, not hard boxes. Intersex people (≈60,000–1.1 million in the UK, definition‑dependent) demonstrate natural sex diversity.
- Fausto‑Sterling A. (2000) Sexing the Body; Blackless M et al. (2000) Am J Hum Biol.
❌ Myth: “Autogynephilia” explains trans women
✅ Fact: The 1990s AGP hypothesis is rejected by modern evidence and clinical guidance; gender identity is not reducible to arousal patterns.
- Moser C. (2009) J Homosex — Europe PMC; WPATH SOC8 (2022) — Europe PMC
❌ Myth: Trans prisoners are mostly sex offenders
✅ Fact: Trans people are a tiny minority (~0.3%) of the prison population. Claims are inflated by how UK law counts sex‑work‑related offences as “sexual offences.” Trans prisoners face higher risk as victims.
- HMPPS Offender Equalities Reports (2023–24) — gov.uk; MoJ FOIs on data limitations; sex‑work offence categorisation — English law summaries.