Reacción a "Reactions: Hormone therapy improves mental health in transgender and non-binary young people"

The study robustly shows the psychosocial benefit of using gender affirming hormones in young trans and non-binary populations. 

Some populations may be under-represented in the sample: there is a large majority of non-racialised participants and under-representation of the extreme ages of the study (12 and 20 years). In addition, the vast majority had advanced pubertal development. 

Despite these apparent limitations, the study benefits from this representation of age and advanced puberty, as it depicts that sector of the young trans population most affected: people whose puberty towards a particular appearance may cause them social discomfort and vulnerability. 

The study adds, to previous evidence, a larger volume of patients and a longitudinal follow-up that other studies did not present. This adds to the robustness of the evidence for hormone use by better assessing changes in appearance and how they positively affect the health of trans and non-binary youth. 

Another point in favour of the article is that, in contrast to previous recent publications, it does not approach dysphoria as a disease to be treated or as a diagnostic coding, but avoids assuming that it is a patent reality in all trans people and approaches it from the perspective of the discomfort and vulnerability that body appearance produces in some people.  

Therefore, the study helps to shed light on the important benefit of being able to offer trans and non-binary children and young people hormonal support for their transition. This kind of evidence is particularly relevant at a time when some voices are persecuting trans children and their experiences.