A critical commentary on follow-up studies and “desistance” theories about transgender and gender non-conforming children

Background: It has been widely suggested that over 80% of transgender children will come to identify as cisgender (i.e. desist) as they mature, with the assumption that for this 80%, the trans identity was a temporary “phase.” This statistic is used as the scientific rationale for discouraging social transition for pre-pubertal children. This article is a critical commentary on the limitations of this research and a caution against using these studies to develop care recommendations for gender non-conforming children. Methods: A critical review methodology is employed to systematically interpret four frequentlycited studies that sought to document identity outcomes for gender non-conforming children (often referred to as “desistance” research). Results: Methodological, theoretical, ethical, and interpretive concerns regarding four “desistance” studies are presented. The authors clarify the historical and clinical contexts within which these studies were conducted to deconstruct assumptions in interpretations of the results. The discussion makes distinctions between the specific evidence provided by these studies versus the assumptions that have shaped recommendations for care. The affirmative model is presented as a way to move away from the question of, “How should children’s gender identities develop over time?” toward a more useful question: “How should children best be supported as their gender identity develops?” Conclusion: The tethering of childhood gender diversity to the framework of “desistance” or “persistence” has stifled advancements in our understanding of children’s gender in all its complexity. These follow-up studies fall short in helping us understand what children need. As work begins on the 8th version of the Standards of Care by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, we call for a more inclusive conceptual framework that takes children’s voices seriously. Listening to children’s experiences will enable a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of gender non-conforming children and provide guidance to scientific and lay communities

Suicidality among trans people in Ontario: Implications for social work and social justice

While transgender and transsexual (trans) communities have been documented to experience high rates of suicidality, little attention has been paid to how this may vary based on experiences of social injustice. Using survey data from the Trans PULSE Project (n=433), we estimated that suicidal thoughts were experienced by 36% of trans Ontarians over the past year, and that 10% attempted suicide during that time. Moreover, we documented that youth and those experiencing transphobia and lack of support are at heightened risk. Suicidality varied greatly by medical transition status, with those who were planning to transition sex, but who had not yet begun, being most vulnerable. Recommendations are made for improving wellbeing in trans communities, through policy advocacy, service provision, access to transition care, and fostering accepting families and communities.Bien qu’on ait déjà établi que les membres des communautés transgenre et transsexuels (trans) connaissaient des taux de suicidabilité élevés, on n’a que très peu porté attention jusqu’ici à la façon dont ces taux pouvaient varier en fonction d’expériences d’injustice sociale. À partir des données d’un sondage du projet « trans PULSE » (n = 433), on estime à 36 % la part des Ontariens trans qui ont eu des idées suicidaires dans la dernière année et à 10 % ceux qui ont fait une tentative de suicide durant la même période. La documentation recueillie permet d’établir que les jeunes et ceux qui ont subi des manifestations de transphobie ou qui ont manqué de soutien sont encore plus à risque. La suicidabilité varie beaucoup en fonction du statut médical de transition, les plus vulnérables étant ceux qui souhaitent changer de sexe sans avoir encore amorcé le processus de transition. Les auteurs formulent des recommandations pour améliorer le bien-être des communautés trans par des modifications des politiques à leur égard, par la prestation de services, par l’accès à des soins de transition et par la constitution de familles et de communautés d’accueil

Worry about professional education: Emotions and affect in the context of neoliberal change in postsecondary education

Highlights • The emotional/affective landscape of professors within the neoliberal university. • Development of worry as both an affect and an emotion. • The bind of professional schools in the context of neoliberal change. • Resistance to decontextualized understanding of caring

Atomic Force Microscopy with Nanoscale Cantilevers Resolves Different Structural Conformations of the DNA Double Helix

Structural variability and flexibility are crucial factors for biomolecular function. Here we have reduced the invasiness and enhanced the spatial resolution of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to visualize, for the first time, different structural conformations of the two polynucleotide strands in the DNA double helix, for single molecules under near-physiological conditions. This is achieved by identifying and tracking the anomalous resonance behavior of nanoscale AFM cantilevers in the immediate vicinity of the sample