Certainly, the number of transgender people is rising, and a recent investigation led by UCL experts supports this. Even though the numbers don’t appear to be large, they are significant nonetheless.
The researchers scanned anonymous data from seven million people between the ages of 10 and 99 between 2000 and 2018 to conduct the first extensive research in Britain to estimate the number of people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth (gender dysphoria).
Although the numbers are very small, they collected code indicating that patients had discussed gender dysphoria with their GP. They discovered that over the past 20 years, there has been an increase in all age groups, from roughly one in 15,000 in 2000 to just over 1,500 in 2018.
However, the rates were highest among those between the ages of 16 and 29.
One in every 2,500 trans people were counted in 2018 between the ages of 16 and 29. This might be due to the fact that more transgender people are coming forth to seek medical attention.
Concerningly, people who identified as trans were more likely to reside in high-deprivation areas where rates were roughly 2.5 times higher than in the least deprived areas.
“We don’t know why there are more transgender people in those areas, or if they are just more likely to be identified as such in the NHS GP records,” according to lead author Dr. Doug McKechnie of UCL. Transgender people are subject to prejudice and discrimination in society, which may make them less likely to find work, training, or family support and increase their likelihood of relocating to underprivileged areas.
Additionally, some locations may be “trans friendly” than others.
The study’s most current information came from 2018. As a result, researchers predict that in the years since then, rates of transgender identity in public practice will have changed and likely increased.
There are probably more transgender persons than the research suggests. This is partially due to the fact that the rules require the person to contact their GP in the first instance, whereas many do not. Additionally, the data partially reflects the diversity of female names, including non-binary and genderqueer names.
Additionally, the data includes a number of out-of-date or misused terms.
One thing is clear: we need to create strategies that meet the needs of trans individuals. And then.
