Increasing normality–persisting barriers: Current socio-demographic characteristics of 350 individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria

Abstract

Introduction: The number of individuals requesting medical treatment for gender dysphoria has increased significantly within the past years. Our purpose was to examine current biographic and socio-demographic characteristics and aspects of legal gender reassignment. Design: Medical files from n = 350 individuals of a German Endocrine outpatient clinic were collected from 2009 to 2017 and analysed retrospectively. Results: Ratio of transwomen to transmen equates to 1:1.89 with a remarkable increase of transmen by the year 2013, showing a reversal of gender distribution compared with previous studies for the first time. Use of illegal substances or self-initiated hormone therapy was rare (4.6 and 2.1%). Satisfaction with gender-affirming hormone therapy was significantly higher in transmen than in transwomen (100% vs 96.2%, P =.005). Use of antidepressants declined significantly after onset of hormone treatment in transmen (13% vs 7%; P =.007). The number of individuals with a graduation diploma was only about half as high as in the general population (14.3% vs 27.3%), whereas unemployment rate was more than twice as high (14% vs 6.9%). Median latency between application for legal gender reassignment and definitive court decision was 9 months. Conclusions: Our data provide possible indications for a decline of psychosocial burden in individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria over the last years. However, affected individuals are still limited in their occupational and financial opportunities as well as by a complex and expensive procedure of legal gender reassignment in Germany.