Detransition / “Desistance”
(verb, -s, -ed, -ing)
Detransition, sometimes called “desistance,” is the process of identifying as cisgender after having already come out as transgender. While detransition/desistance does happen, the rates of it are incredibly low compared to the many trans people who transition and feel confident in their choices. Many folks who are called “detransitioners” are actually going birth stealth due to stigma and not due to an actual desistance of their trans identity.
e.g. Thea told everyone she was detransitioning, but in reality, she needed to go birth stealth for work as she was having incredibly difficulty getting hired as an out transgender woman.
Further reading to gain expanded context:
Reframing “Transgender Desistance” Debates | Julia Serano
I Detransitioned. But Not Because I Wasn’t Trans. | Robyn Kanner
The Trans People Who Are Detransitioning To Stay Safe In Trump’s America | The Establishment
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