Contact Us

(De)trans Discourses

On this page you'll find all the publications, conference replays and information relating to the (de)trans discourses project.

(De)trans Discourses:

FOR A TRANS-AFFIRMATIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHENOMENA OF DISCONTINUOUS GENDER TRANSITIONS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE WITH TRANS AND NON-BINARY GENDER BACKGROUNDS.

Researchers : Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (UdeM), Denise Médico (UQAM), Alexandre Baril (UOttawa), Mélanie Millette (UQAM), Olivier Turbide (UQAM). Coordonator : Morgane Gelly (UdeM). Employees : Tommly Planchat (UdeM), Edith Paré-Roy (UQAM), Élio Gravel (UdeM), Elya Chartrand-Deschamps (UQAM), Sidonie Atgé-Delbays (UdeM), Marielle Aithamon (UdeM). Collaborators : Françoise Susset (Meraki Health Center), August Paradis (Consultant), Gender Creative Kids Organization. Funded by SSHRC.

Over the past decade, we've heard more and more about young people who self-identify as trans (whose gender does not correspond to the one assigned at birth). In order to live in accordance with their gender identity, some young people make a legal, social or medical transition. While most young people seem to be continuing with these transitions, a small proportion say they have or want to "de-transition" or discontinue the transitions they have begun. This phenomenon, although poorly documented in scientific research, is widely reported in social media, blogs and press articles. Rooted in a fluid and intersectional trans-affirmative approach, the study offers a fresh look at the notion of detransition, taking into account the dynamic and fluid aspect of the gender affirmation process, as well as the multiple factors of oppression that can interweave and interact with the experience of young trans people.

Articles

La mise en discours de la détransition sur Twitter (2017–2020).

Millette, M., Turbide, O., Paré-Roy, E., Chartrand-Deschamps, E., & Pullen Sansfaçon, A. (2024).

Download PDF

Gender-related medical experiences of youth who have detranstioned.

Gelly, M. A., Atgé-Delbays, S., Gravel, É., &  Pullen Sansfaçon, A. (2024)

Download PDF

Exploring the practice principles and beliefs of trans-care providers working with trans and detrans youth.

Pullen Sansfaçon, A., Lapierre, M., Millette, M., Planchat, T., Gelly, M. A., & Médico, D. (2024).

Download PDF

A retrospective analysis of the gender trajectories of youth who have discontinued a transition. 

Pullen Sansfaçon, A., Gravel, É., Gelly, M., Planchat, T., Paradis, A., & Medico, D. (2024).

Download PDF

Dealing With Scam in Online Qualitative Research : Strategies and Ethical Considerations.

Pullen Sansfaçon, A., Gravel, E., & Gelly, M. A. (2024). 

Download PDF

Understanding the experiences of youth who have discontinued a gender transition : Provider perspectives.

Pullen Sansfaçon, A., Planchat, T., Gelly, M. A., Baril, A., Susset, F., & Millette, M. (2023).

Download PDF

A nuanced look into youth journeys of gender transition and detransition.

Pullen Sansfaçon, A., Gelly, M. A., Gravel, R., Medico, D., Baril, A., Susset, F., & Paradis, A. (2023).

Download PDF

Book chapters

Les jeunes qui discontinuent leur transition.

Pullen Sansfaçon, A., Gelly, M.A. Planchat, T. Medico, D. Susset, F. Millette, M. Baril, A. et Turbide O. (2024).

Pratiques psychoéducatives auprès des jeunes trans et non-binaires : Enjeux contemporains et approches innovantes (Cotton, J.C, Pullen Sansfaçon, A et Courcy, N.)

Book linkReplay of the launch

Rebroadcast of conferences

Understanding discourses on detransitioning in light of the concept of epistemic injustice (Gelly et al., 2025)









Summary

In recent years, a highly publicised discourse has emerged on detransitioning experiences, portraying a growing phenomenon and spreading the idea that trans and non-binary youth (TNB) are transitioning too quickly and regretting it later. This narrative is used to justify measures restricting access to gender-affirming care for TNB youth and is already having an impact in many countries, states and provinces, which are now adopting restrictive policies on gender affirmation. This presentation aims to understand how discourses on detransitioning constitute forms of epistemic injustice (Fricker, 2007).We will cross-reference data from two parts of a study examining discourse on detransitioning: an analysis of media discourse based on a corpus of 192 press articles and 2,396 tweets published between 2017 and 2020, and an analysis of 25 interviews conducted between 2020 and 2022 with young detransitioners aged 16 to 25. The data show that detransitioning experiences are portrayed in a homogeneous and negative light, limiting their social intelligibility and the ability of detransitioners to make sense of their experiences (hermeneutic injustice). The analysis also reveals a political instrumentalisation of these experiences, reinforcing stereotypes and reducing detransitioners to mere sources of information rather than informants, which leads to epistemic objectification and a deflection of their credibility (testimonial injustice). We will begin a reflection on regaining power in the face of these epistemic injustices.


Biography

Morgane studied sociology and anthropology. Since 2019, Morgane has worked with Annie Pullen Sansfaçon as a research coordinator at the Canada Research Chair on Transgender Children and Their Families, notably on the Discours (De)trans project. In 2023, they took on the role of senior research advisor for the new ReParE chair.
→↑
Experiences, challenges and needs of youth who have undergone social detransitioning (Lambert et al., 2025)









Summary

After undergoing gender transition, some younth interrupt it, either temporarily or permanently. This phenomenon of detransitioning is often viewed negatively and used to justify restrictions in gender affirmation policies. However, few studies have examined the experiences of youth who have detransitioned after a social transition only (YDS). This presentation explores the detransition experiences of YDS and their feelings after discontinuing their transition. We draw on international qualitative research, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 25 youth aged 16 to 25 who have discontinued their transition. A sub-sample of 8 YDS was formed. Regarding their relationship with themselves, some YDS continue to experience bodily discomfort and identity doubts, while others experience a sense of fulfilment and liberation. As for their social relationships, YDSA report conditional or unconditional support, but also misunderstanding from their loved ones. Others prefer to live their detransition in secret. These results illustrate the diversity of social detransition experiences. It is essential to provide appropriate psychological support and to strengthen education about detransitions in society.


Biography

Noémie Lambert (she/her) is a master's student in psychology at the University of Montreal, under the supervision of Annie Pullen Sansfaçon. She completed a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Montreal in 2023. She has been involved with various organisations, particularly with young people and families at a youth centre in recent years. As part of her master's degree, Noémie is working on the Discours (De)trans project. She is particularly interested in the school experiences of young people who have undergone a transition and then a detransition.
→↑
Intervening without leaving anyone behind: social work with gender-diverse youth in a context of misinformation (Pullen Sansfaçon, 2024)
Closing conference of the 2024 Humanities Congress (The role of social work in transforming the present for a sustainable future) as part of the Conference of the Association of Schools of Social Work.
→↑
Discourses on «detransition»: how young people perceive it (Gelly and Atgé-Delbays, 2024)
Morgane Gelly (she/they) is Senior Research Advisor for the ReParE Chair.

Sidonie Atgé-Delbays (she) is a doctoral candidate in applied human sciences at the Université de Montréal under the supervision of Professor Annie Pullen-Sansfaçon. She is also a research assistant at the CRC ReParE on partnership research and the empowerment of vulnerable young people. She joined the Discours (De)trans project in September 2023.
→↑
What do we know about detransition : Two perspectives to better understand discontinued gender transition among youth (Pullen Sansfaçon et Paradis, 2024)
Presentation of preliminary data from the Discourse Detrans symposium, November 2022, York University
→↑
Perspectives of young “detrans” on discourses about detransitioning (Pullen Sansfaçon and Gelly, 2024)
Presentation by Annie Pullen Sansfaçon and Morgane A. Gelly for the summer school - Feminist University 2024, Laval University
→↑
Young people who detransition: the contribution of ambiguous loss theory to professional support during transition and detransition (Gravel, Gelly et al., 2023)
Élio Gravel (UdeM – Université de Montréal), Morgane Gelly (UdeM – Université de Montréal), Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (UdeM – Université de Montréal)
→↑
Discontinuation of transition: experience(s) and perception(s) of professionals working with trans and non-binary young people (Planchat et al., 2023)
Tommly Planchat (UdeM – Université de Montréal), Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (UdeM – Université de Montréal), Denise Medico (UQAM – Université du Québec à Montréal)
→↑
A look at the difficulties experienced by young people who have "detransitioned" during the transition period (Savard et al., 2022)

Marie-Christine (佩雨) Savard (UdeM - Université de Montréal), Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (UdeM - Université de Montréal), Morgane Gelly (UdeM - Université de Montréal)
→↑
De*transitions: dialogues on the paths of young people who discontinue a gender transition (Gelly, Paré-Roy, Planchat et al., 2022)


Morgane Gelly (UdeM - Université de Montréal), Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (UdeM - Université de Montréal), Denise Medico (UQAM - Université du Québec à Montréal), Mélanie Millette (UQAM), Olivier Turbide (UQAM - Université du Québec à Montréal), Alexandre Baril (Université d’Ottawa), Françoise Susset (Centre de santé Meraki), Morgane Gelly (UdeM - Université de Montréal), Tommly Planchat (UdeM), Edith Paré-Roy (UQAM - Université du Québec à Montréal), Rosalie Gravel (UdeM), August Paradis (UdeM)

→↑
"Detransition", "desistance" or "discontinuation": contextualisation and a critical look at an emerging phenomenon (Pullen Sansfaçon, 2022)
Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (UdeM - Université de Montréal)



→↑
Detransitions : a look at the gender journeys of youth who have discontinued a gender transition (Pullen Sansfaçon, Gravel, Planchat, Gelly, Baril, Medico, 2022)
September 18, 2022

Oral presentation by Annie Pullen Sansfaçon and Rosalie Gravel, about their research that also include Tommly Planchat, Morgane Gelly, Alexandre Baril, Denise Medico.

Originally presented during WPATH conference.
→↑
Preliminary analyses of coverage of ‘detransitioning’ in the international press (2017–2020) (Millette, Turbide, Paré-Roy, 2022)
Detransitioning, i.e. the discontinuation of a social, medical and/or legal gender transition, has been the subject of increased media attention in recent years. This study examines the meanings conveyed in the print media's discourse on this phenomenon. From a critical perspective, this study aims to map the definitions, characterisations and representations of detransitioning that circulate in the international print media. To this end, a thematic analysis of media framing was carried out on a corpus of 192 journalistic articles dealing with detransitioning, published between 1 June 2017 and 31 December 2020. These articles, in French or English, come mainly from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and France. Three major news events influenced media coverage of detransitioning: the trial of Keira Bell, a detransitioned woman who sued the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust clinic in the United Kingdom for prescribing her hormone blockers at the age of 16; transphobic tweets by J.K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter, who invoked detransitioning to invalidate transitioning; and Keira Bell's legal victory. More than just the dominance of a framing that equates transitioning with a mistake, the preliminary results reveal the presence of a typical rhetorical structure that implicitly tends to condemn any fluid approach to gender identity.


→↑
Understanding youth who have detransitioned: how should we view their journey? (Gelly and Pullen Sansfaçon 2021)
In recent years, a growing number of young people have identified as ‘detransitioners’ or ‘detransitioning,’ highlighting their experiences of stopping gender transition. In the mainstream media, their experiences are often presented as being characterised by regret. This exploratory article presents how young people who have interrupted their gender transition feel about their journey.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in autumn 2020 via video calls with 20 young people who had ended their gender transition, recruited through an invitation to participate posted on various social media platforms. Participants were aged 16 to 25 and lived in different countries around the world. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results: In the sample, some young people expressed regret, while others stated that their detransitioning journey was part of a process of becoming who they are today. At the time of the interviews, many participants did not identify with a cisgender identity.
→↑
"Detrans" or the phenomenon of discontinuation of gender affirmation process in young people : some preliminary results (Pullen Sansfaçon, Medico, Baril, Millette, Turbide, Gelly, Planchat, 2021)

Symposia Presentation à la 25th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health "Detrans" or the phenomenon of discontinuation of gender affirmation process in young people : some preliminary results par:

Professor Annie Pullen Sansfaçon
Professor Denise Medico
Professor Alexandre Baril
Professor Melanie Millette
Professor Olivier Turbide
Morgane Gelly
Tommly Planchat

9-12 September 2021
→↑

Tools & resources

Website: Detrans Support

This resource aims to provide up-to-date, data-driven information about detransition/retransition. This information was designed to educate the general public, support people who are detransitioning, and to provide a resource for care providers, family, and loved ones of those who are detransitioning. Information provided on this website was developed through on-going consultation with detrans, transgender, and nonbinary people, their care providers, and by compiling the results from two research studies—The Detrans Discourses study and The Re/DeTrans Canada study. Both of these studies were funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and were designed to qualitatively explore experiences of detransition/retransition.
https://detransinfo.com/
© 2023 CRC-ReParE, All rights reserved.
EN
EN FR
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram