TOOLKIT: Debunking the Myth of Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria
Ask this question: "If a young person feels safer telling strangers on the internet that they’re trans than telling their own parents, is it possible that what looks like 'rapid onset' to you is really just the moment they finally felt safe enough to speak?"
Debunking the Myth of Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria
In recent years, the term “Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria” (ROGD) has gained attention in public discourse around transgender youth. Often cited by critics of gender-affirming care, ROGD is described as a phenomenon where adolescents suddenly identify as transgender due to peer influence or social media exposure, rather than experiencing a longstanding sense of gender incongruence.
However, the concept of ROGD is not a medically recognized diagnosis. It lacks support from major medical and psychological organizations and is widely discredited in both academic and clinical communities. Understanding how this term emerged—and why it’s so problematic—is crucial for protecting the well-being of transgender youth and ensuring evidence-based approaches to care.
Origins and Flawed Foundations
ROGD was introduced in a 2018 study by Lisa Littman, which surveyed parents recruited from online forums known for their scepticism of transgender identities, such as 4thWaveNow and Transgender Trend. Crucially, the study did not include any input from the young people in question—only from their parents, many of whom already believed that their child’s gender identity was a phase or a social contagion.
This methodology drew immediate criticism. The sample was self-selecting and biased, and the conclusions drawn lacked scientific rigour. The journal that published the study issued a formal correction noting concerns about its framing and limitations. Since then, follow-up research attempting to replicate the concept has failed to validate ROGD as a real diagnostic category.
Scientific and Medical Consensus
Major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the Endocrine Society, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), do not recognize ROGD as a valid medical condition. These institutions support gender-affirming care as the best-practice model for treating gender dysphoria in both youth and adults.
Importantly, many trans people—particularly those assigned female at birth—report delaying their gender identity disclosures due to fear, stigma, or lack of language to express their feelings. What may appear to parents or observers as a "sudden" change is often the result of internal struggles that have been brewing for years.
Harmful Consequences
Framing transgender identity as a contagion or trend undermines the legitimacy of trans people's experiences and discourages supportive environments for exploration and affirmation. It can lead to harmful gatekeeping, delays in care, and increased mental health risks—including anxiety, depression, and suicidality.
Rather than fostering understanding, the ROGD narrative often weaponizes fear and misinformation. It delegitimises young people's agency and pathologises the process of self-discovery, especially during adolescence—a time when identity development and change are inherently marked.
Supporting Youth with Compassion and Evidence
Young people deserve to be heard, not dismissed. Emerging gender identity may be complex, fluid, or evolving—but that does not make it any less real. The focus should be on creating environments where young people feel safe to explore who they are, access support, and receive care grounded in the best available evidence.
Gender diversity is not new, nor is it a trend. What is new is a growing societal willingness to listen, to affirm, and to respect people for who they are. Discarding discredited ideas like ROGD is a vital step toward a world where that respect is the norm.