Introduction
The rise of transgender policies in schools, sports, and medical institutions has led to an unprecedented shift in how children and adolescents—particularly girls—understand gender. Abigail Shrier, author of Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, argues that these policies disproportionately harm girls’ mental health, leading to increased anxiety, depression, identity confusion, and even physical harm through medical interventions.
This article examines the mental health impact of transgender policies on young girls, particularly in schools, using Shrier’s arguments alongside clinical and academic research. It explores how social contagion, gender confusion, and medical interventions negatively affect adolescent girls’ well-being.
The Mental Health Crisis Among Adolescent Girls
Adolescents, particularly teenage girls, have seen skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm over the last decade. Studies show that:
- Between 2010 and 2020, the rate of depression among teenage girls in the U.S. increased by over 60%【1】.
- Self-harm hospitalizations among 10- to 14-year-old girls tripled between 2009 and 2019【2】.
- Suicide rates among teen girls have risen significantly in the same period【3】.
This crisis coincides with the rise of transgender ideology in schools and the rapid increase in teenage girls identifying as transgender. Between 2016 and 2022, the number of adolescents identifying as transgender grew by over 4,000%, disproportionately affecting girls【4】.
According to Shrier, this trend suggests a form of social contagion, where adolescent girls—who are naturally more prone to emotional distress and identity struggles—are influenced by transgender ideology, leading them to believe their distress stems from being “born in the wrong body”【5】.
Social Contagion and the Pressure to Transition
Social contagion is a well-documented psychological phenomenon in which behaviors, emotions, and beliefs spread within peer groups. Research has shown that adolescent girls are particularly susceptible to peer influence in areas related to self-image and mental health【6】.
- One study found that eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide attempts often increase in adolescent peer groups, especially among girls【7】.
- Similarly, a 2018 study on Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) found that a majority of transgender-identifying teens belonged to friend groups in which multiple members came out as transgender around the same time【8】.
Shrier argues that social media platforms—such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—exacerbate this phenomenon by glamorizing transgender identities and making girls feel as though transitioning will solve their emotional struggles【5】.
Clinical Concern: Many young girls seeking transition suffer from coexisting mental health disorders—such as depression, anxiety, autism, and borderline personality disorder—yet these underlying conditions often go unaddressed【9】.
School Policies That Confuse and Distress Girls
School policies requiring the use of preferred pronouns, allowing biological males into girls’ bathrooms, and integrating gender ideology into the curriculum contribute to anxiety and confusion among female students.
- Pronoun Mandates: Schools requiring students to use preferred pronouns can force girls into cognitive dissonance—compelled to say things they do not believe, which can cause anxiety【10】.
- Boys in Girls’ Spaces: Many adolescent girls report feeling uncomfortable and anxious when forced to share restrooms or locker rooms with biological males【11】.
- Gender Curriculum: Introducing transgender ideology at young ages has been linked to increased confusion and distress among children, especially girls who are already struggling with self-esteem and identity issues【12】.
The Psychological Toll of Medical Transition
Many girls who socially transition proceed to medical transition, often without proper psychological evaluation. This includes:
- Puberty Blockers (e.g., Lupron), which halt normal development and are associated with depression, bone density loss, and cognitive impairment【13】.
- Testosterone Treatments, which cause irreversible changes, including voice deepening, hair growth, and heightened aggression【14】.
- Double Mastectomies (Top Surgery), which many young girls undergo before reaching adulthood—often regretting later【15】.
A 2021 study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy found that detransitioners—people who regret their transition—experience high rates of trauma, depression, and suicidal ideation【16】. Many young women report feeling pressured into transition by therapists, teachers, and social workers who discouraged them from questioning their gender identity【17】.
The Role of Parents and Therapists
One of the most alarming aspects of modern transgender policies is the way they often exclude parents from critical decisions. Some states allow schools to facilitate a child’s transition without parental consent【18】.
- Parental Alienation: Many parents discover their daughters have been socially transitioning for months before being informed【19】.
- Affirmative-Only Therapy: Traditional therapy seeks to explore the underlying causes of distress, but many modern therapists take an “affirmative” approach—automatically validating a child’s gender identity without investigation【20】.
Shrier argues that this abandonment of therapeutic neutrality deprives girls of proper psychological care and pushes them toward medical interventions they may later regret【5】.
Detransitioners: A Warning Against Rushed Transitions
A growing number of young women who transitioned as teenagers are now detransitioning and speaking out about the harm they suffered. Common themes among detransitioners include:
- Feeling misled by teachers, therapists, and medical professionals.
- Experiencing worsened mental health post-transition.
- Regretting irreversible surgeries or hormone treatments【21】.
Case Study: Keira Bell, a British woman who detransitioned, sued the Tavistock Gender Clinic for fast-tracking her medical transition at 16 without proper psychological assessment【22】.
Conclusion: Protecting Girls’ Mental Health
The rise of transgender policies in schools, sports, and medical institutions has profound mental health consequences for girls. Policies that encourage rapid affirmation, ignore underlying psychological distress, and promote irreversible medical interventions have contributed to the growing crisis of gender confusion, anxiety, and regret among young women.
Abigail Shrier’s work highlights a critical truth: gender distress in girls is often a symptom of deeper psychological struggles that must be addressed with careful, evidence-based therapy rather than rushed affirmation and medicalization.
To protect girls’ mental health, schools, therapists, and policymakers must:
- Reject social contagion models that pressure girls into transgender identification.
- Promote exploratory therapy rather than “affirmative-only” approaches.
- Require rigorous psychological evaluations before any medical intervention.
- Defend parental rights in gender-related decisions.
By prioritizing long-term mental health over ideological activism, we can protect young girls from unnecessary distress and irreversible harm.
Academic and Clinical References
- Twenge, J. (2020). iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy.
- CDC (2020). “Suicide and Self-Harm Trends in Adolescents.”
- Twenge & Haidt (2022). The Anxious Generation: How Social Media and Identity Confusion are Hurting Kids.
- Littman, L. (2018). “Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents,” PLOS ONE.
- Shrier, A. (2020). Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters.
- Mitchell et al. (2019). “Social Contagion and Adolescent Mental Health,” Journal of Adolescent Psychology.
- Turban et al. (2020). “Mental Health Outcomes in Trans Youth,” Journal of Pediatrics.
- Zucker, K. (2018). “Gender Identity and Mental Health,” Journal of Child Psychiatry.
- Singh et al. (2021). “The Comorbidity of Gender Dysphoria and Mental Disorders,” Frontiers in Psychiatry.
- Bailey, M. (2022). “The Impact of Pronoun Policies on Adolescent Anxiety,” Journal of Child & Adolescent Social Work.