Collective article record

Fact check: study shows transition makes trans people suicidal

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A 2011 Swedish study proves that trans people are more suicidal due to transition, are likely rapists and that trans women exhibit male socialization. Or does it? Perhaps you’ve heard that a Swedish study found that trans people who access medical care are more likely to commit suicide. Writing for the Wall Street Journal, former Johns Hopkins chief psychiatrist and anti-LGBT activist Dr. Paul McHugh cited a Swedish study to make the following fact assertion: A 2011 study at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden produced the most illuminating results yet regarding the transgendered , evidence that should give advocates pause. The long-term study—up to 30 years—followed 324 people who had sex-reassignment surgery. The study revealed that beginning about 10 years after having the surgery, the transgendered began to experience increasing mental difficulties. Most shockingly, their suicide mortality rose almost 20-fold above the comparable nontransgender population. This disturbing result has as

The Source Summary reproduces the first 150 words of the source article unless a Collective editor has explicitly locked a replacement.

Interpretive context

Why this article may matter

Community significance

“Fact check: study shows transition makes trans people suicidal” may matter to community readers because it preserves a first-person or testimonial account connected to science, evidence, and expertise, while also engaging transgender identity and history. Such accounts can document how an issue was understood and experienced from within the period or community being discussed.

Historical significance

As a publication record from 2015 at Transadvocate.com, “Fact check: study shows transition makes trans people suicidal” provides dated evidence of how science, evidence, and expertise was being argued in relation to transgender identity and history. Comparing it with earlier and later records can reveal changes in vocabulary, evidence, and emphasis.

Policy significance

The article’s strongest policy connection is housing and social services and public accommodations and facilities. It links that institutional frame to science, evidence, and expertise and transgender identity and history, making it potentially useful for tracing how an argument moves from description or history into law, regulation, administration, or public practice.

Content analysis

Ranked themes and framings

Rank 1 is the dominant inferred theme or framing. Parent labels identify broader theme families; the relationship key beneath the diagram explains the line styles used for hierarchy, same-family relationships, overlap, and separate-but-related themes.

Themes

  1. 1
    Science, evidence, and expertiseTheme family: Knowledge, history, and communication
    100%
  2. 2
    Transgender identity and historyTheme family: Identity, culture, and community
    88%
  3. 3
    Healthcare and medicineTheme family: Institutions, law, and public life
    64%
  4. 4
    Media, rhetoric, and discourseTheme family: Knowledge, history, and communication
    5%
  5. 5
    Culture, identity, and representationTheme family: Identity, culture, and community
    5%
  6. 6
    Law and civil rightsTheme family: Institutions, law, and public life
    4%

Editorial function

Relationship among the ranked article themes The central circle is the primary theme. Line styles are defined in the relationship key below the diagram. Science, evidence, and expertise to Transgender identity and history: Overlapping theme
Transgender identity and history
Science, evidence, and expertise to Healthcare and medicine: Overlapping theme
Healthcare and medicine
Science, evidence, and expertise to Media, rhetoric, and discourse: Related theme in the same family
Media, rhetoric, and discourse
Science, evidence, and expertise to Culture, identity, and representation: Separate but related
Culture, identity, and representation
Science, evidence, and expertise to Law and civil rights: Separate but related
Law and civil rights
Science, evidence, and expertiseRank 1
Relationship key
  • Overlapping themes
  • Related theme in the same family
  • Separate but related themes
The diagram distinguishes hierarchy, same-family relationships, overlap, and separate-but-related themes inferred within this article. It does not assert that all themes are mutually exclusive.

These classifications are inferred from article text and source metadata and remain directly editable. Relationship labels express corpus-analysis judgments, not immutable facts.

This article appeared 3 year(s) after the theme’s highest annual presence in the registered corpus in 2012.

Relative presence by year

Peak year indexed to 100

Values measure relative presence in the registered Collective corpus, not public search interest or public opinion.

Inbound-link and citation evidence

Documented circulation and reception

25 source-held references record early links or citations; the documented sources span 19 distinct domains; the strongest available scholarly index reports 417 citing works. The dated evidence currently spans 2012–2026. These observations describe circulation and reuse; they do not assign cultural worth or evaluate the communities, arguments, or people discussed.

125distinct source records documented
19distinct referring domains
417best available scholarly cited-by count
0books or volumes documented
25references retained by the source publication
2012–2026observed years in dated evidence

Evidence by channel

Independent counts; bars are not additive

Coverage of the evidence search

Shows what has actually been checked
Publisher-held referencesChecked · August 31, 2026
25
Scholarly indexesChecked · August 31, 2026
417
Book and volume searchNotchecked
0
Public-web searchNotconfigured
0
Collective corpus linksIndexed · August 31, 2026
0
417 Crossref408 OpenCitations

Documented references over time

Yearly scholarly series: OpenCitations, combined with dated non-scholarly evidence
Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Transgender Woman Accused of Murdering Her Father - Assigned Media

Transgender Woman Accused of Murdering Her Father - Assigned Media · am.recarlson.dev · March 29, 2026

[…] transgender people’s equality is that trans women retain a “male pattern” of criminality. This is based on a Swedish study that followed trans people who transitioned between 1973 and 2003. The results of that one study, […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Daily Caller Misrepresents Denmark Findings on Suicide Rates - Assigned Media

Daily Caller Misrepresents Denmark Findings on Suicide Rates - Assigned Media · am.recarlson.dev · March 28, 2026

[…] misrepresentation of a Swedish study which found a similar result, and has long been used to falsely claim that transition causes suicides to increase, despite the study’s authors objecting strenuously to […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Journal Club: The Most Misused Paper in Trans Healthcare Research - Assigned Media

Journal Club: The Most Misused Paper in Trans Healthcare Research - Assigned Media · am.recarlson.dev · March 22, 2026

[…] this paper in a way that contradicts Dhejne’s actual conclusions. The website Trans Advocate found well over a dozen misrepresentations of Dhejne’s paper in various media outlets, including major ones like Fox News […]

OpenCitations scholarly citationScholarly literatureProvider-confirmed

DOI 10.4081/aiua.2025.13324

no · doi.org · February 19, 2025

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Show 88 additional documented sources
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DOI 10.1086/728080

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DOI 10.1093/ejendo/lvad170

no · doi.org · February 1, 2024

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DOI 10.3389/fsoc.2023.1226959

no · doi.org · September 14, 2023

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DOI 10.3917/jdp.406.0054

no · doi.org · August 22, 2023

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DOI 10.18863/pgy.1114987

no · doi.org · March 31, 2023

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DOI 10.1017/9781108899987.008

no · doi.org · December 8, 2022

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DOI 10.1089/trgh.2021.0045

no · doi.org · June 1, 2022

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DOI 10.1093/jmp/jhab030

no · doi.org · December 1, 2021

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DOI 10.1177/0024363921989475

no · doi.org · February 17, 2021

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DOI 10.1177/2054358120985379

no · doi.org · January 1, 2021

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DOI 10.1111/1468-5922.12641

no · doi.org · November 1, 2020

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DOI 10.1111/acps.13164

no · doi.org · March 12, 2020

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DOI 10.1089/lgbt.2019.0260

no · doi.org · March 1, 2020

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DOI 10.1111/hsc.12870

no · doi.org · October 1, 2019

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DOI 10.1177/0024363919873762

no · doi.org · September 20, 2019

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DOI 10.1177/2042018819871166

no · doi.org · January 1, 2019

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DOI 10.1177/2048004019880745

no · doi.org · January 1, 2019

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DOI 10.1089/trgh.2017.0026

no · doi.org · May 1, 2018

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DOI 10.2147/ahmt.s135432

no · doi.org · March 1, 2018

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DOI 10.1007/s10508-017-1136-9

no · doi.org · December 20, 2017

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DOI 10.1089/trgh.2017.0012

no · doi.org · December 1, 2017

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DOI 10.1111/sltb.12400

no · doi.org · September 26, 2017

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Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Let’s talk about trans suicides. – Crystal Heart

Let’s talk about trans suicides. – Crystal Heart · heartcrystalblog.wordpress.com · July 14, 2017

[…] claim that transition makes us worse. This study has been so poorly misrepresented that the actual author herself had to come out and clear this up, but it seems to no avail as people still cite this […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Chasing Paul McHugh: From junk journals to the Fourth Circuit | Gender Analysis

Chasing Paul McHugh: From junk journals to the Fourth Circuit | Gender Analysis · genderanalysis.net · June 30, 2017

[…] a study on trans people’s suicide rates so badly that its author spoke out and publicly corrected this, McHugh has been a reliable purveyor of half-baked scientif-ish statements used to prop up […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Fact check: study shows transition makes trans people suicidal | The Rancid Honeytrap

Fact check: study shows transition makes trans people suicidal | The Rancid Honeytrap · ohtarzie.wordpress.com · June 3, 2017

[…] voice from my “both sides” reblogs the last time around. I am commending my readers to this interview by Cristan Williams with Swedish researcher Cecilia Dhejne. I’ve chosen it because Dhejne […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

THE SCOTSMAN ADMIT ARTICLE BY CHURCH MINISTER MISLED READERS ABOUT TRANS- GENDER HEALTHCARE | misswonderly

THE SCOTSMAN ADMIT ARTICLE BY CHURCH MINISTER MISLED READERS ABOUT TRANS- GENDER HEALTHCARE | misswonderly · misswonderly.wordpress.com · March 17, 2017

[…] of a 2011 study undertaken at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Indeed the author of this study, Dr Cecilia Dhjene has gone on record many times to debunk such misrepresentation. “It’s very frustrating!” she […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

DEBUTTAL: Steven Crowder’s Anti-Trans Rant – Red Goner Blog

DEBUTTAL: Steven Crowder’s Anti-Trans Rant – Red Goner Blog · redgoner.wordpress.com · March 1, 2017

[…] suicide rate decreases after transition, which we know from a wide variety of sources. Like, seriously, just bucket-loads of credible sources. As do, typically, anxiety rates, […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

READ: Dea Debunks “Ben Shapiro Debunks Transgenderism” – Red Goner Blog

READ: Dea Debunks “Ben Shapiro Debunks Transgenderism” – Red Goner Blog · redgoner.wordpress.com · February 10, 2017

[…] Also, since people misinterpet Dhejne’s study too damn much, here’s her clarifying what she said: http://www.transadvocate.com/fact-check-study-shows-transition-makes-trans-people-suicidal_n_15483.htm […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Het projectje van de elitekanker… Peleus en Thetis vieren hun devianten-bruiloft in de gendertuin der lusten… – Illuminati? Dat is oubollige flipshit. De elitekanker…

Het projectje van de elitekanker… Peleus en Thetis vieren hun devianten-bruiloft in de gendertuin der lusten… – Illuminati? Dat is oubollige flipshit. De elitekanker rocks… · elitekanker.nl · January 11, 2017

[…] dat gender-dysforie in de meeste gevallen van voorbijgaande aard is, het is aangetoond dat het zelfmoordpercentage onder aangepaste transgenders er niet om […]

OpenCitations scholarly citationScholarly literatureProvider-confirmed

DOI 10.1093/jmp/jhw036

no · doi.org · December 26, 2016

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Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

#TERFLogic: Is it wrong to tolerate trans people? Yes, yes it is.

#TERFLogic: Is it wrong to tolerate trans people? Yes, yes it is. · theterfs.com · December 20, 2016

[…] And besides, trans women commit crimes (like rape and pedophiliat) at the same (or even greater!!11) rate that cis men do!!! (except that’s all a long-debunked lie) […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Transgender NatGeo - iGeek

Transgender NatGeo - iGeek · igeek.com · December 18, 2016

[…] dysphoria, that suffer into adulthood whether they transition or not. And as adults, they suffer a 41% suicide attempt rate which increases AFTER gender re-assignment to 20x the national averages, high rates of depression, […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

What About Regrets? – My Gifted Life

What About Regrets? – My Gifted Life · mygiftedlife.wordpress.com · November 14, 2016

[…] following link to the transadvocate is about how a scientific Swedish study was twisted beyond all recognition to show what opponents […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Trans Equality: What’s Next? | Cheryl's Mewsings

Trans Equality: What’s Next? | Cheryl's Mewsings · cheryl-morgan.com · September 13, 2016

[…] at best. The claim about trans women being proven to be violent is one of several claims debunked here. It is absolutely untrue that doctors are “sterilising” children. And to claim that […]

OpenCitations scholarly citationScholarly literatureProvider-confirmed

DOI 10.1037/sgd0000171

no · doi.org · September 1, 2016

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Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

A PRESUMPTION OF EVIL – Transpire

A PRESUMPTION OF EVIL – Transpire · lynneauraniastuart.wordpress.com · June 24, 2016

[…] Cristan. Fact Check: Study Shows Transtion Makes Trans P eople Suicidal. (n.d.) Web: Transadvocate. http://www.transadvocate.com/fact-check-study-shows-transition-makes-trans-people-suicidal_n_15483.htm.  Retrieved June 18, […]

Counts describe documented circulation and reception in the sources currently available to the Collective. They are not a score of quality, merit, popularity, or social value, and provider totals can overlap.

Article authors

Author profiles and related researchers

Related authors in the Collective corpus

Cristan Williams

143 publications · 714 inbound sources/citations

Connected through 2 citation links between registered publications. Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Guest

57 publications · 87 inbound sources/citations

Connected through 1 citation link between registered publications. Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Rani Baker

5 publications · 6 inbound sources/citations

Connected through 1 citation link between registered publications. Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Kelley Winters

3 publications · 2 inbound sources/citations

Connected through 1 citation link between registered publications. Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Admin

98 publications · 0 inbound sources/citations

Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Marian

7 publications · 12 inbound sources/citations

Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Related authors are calculated from co-authorship, shared themes and framings, and citation relationships in the registered corpus. This does not imply a personal or institutional association.

Contextual research path

Continue through the Collective

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Related academic framing

1986: Transgenderism ≠ Transsexualism; GID = Umbrella Term

Approaches the shared subject through a related analytical or disciplinary frame.

From The Language of Sex A to Z by Dr. Robert M. Goldenson and Kenneth N. Anderson: 1986: Transgenderism & Transsexualism Transgenderism: a gender identity disorder in which…

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