Gender Reassignment May Not Help—and Could Even Worsen Mental Health

According to a recent Finnish study, adolescents referred for care due to gender identity exhibited significantly higher psychiatric morbidity than controls both before referral (45.7% vs. 15.0%) and at least two years after referral (61.7% vs. 14.6%). In addition, those referred after 2010 had greater psychiatric care needs than earlier cohorts both before referral (47.9% vs. 15.3%) and at least two years after referral (61.3% vs. 14.2%).

Among adolescents who underwent medical gender reassignment, psychiatric morbidity increased markedly during follow-up—rising from 9.8% to 60.7% in feminizing gender reassignment and from 21.6% to 54.5% in masculinizing gender reassignment. After adjusting for prior psychiatric treatment, all adolescents referred for gender identity-related care had similarly elevated risks of psychiatric morbidity, with hazard ratios approximately three times higher than female controls and five times higher than male controls.

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Based on the study, the authors—Sami-Matti Ruuska and his colleagues—concluded that adolescents referred for gender identity-related care exhibit a high level of psychiatric morbidity. In addition, gender differences and mental health trajectories after medical gender reassignment remain poorly understood.

A particularly notable observation was that adolescents referred for gender identity-related care had clearly higher psychiatric morbidity than controls, and this did not change as a result of treatment. On the contrary, the need persisted and often even intensified after medical interventions, some of which appeared to have even negative effects.

The researchers therefore emphasized the need for thorough psychiatric assessment and continuous treatment throughout the process of medical gender reassignment. However, they did not go so far as to state that the entire process is—at least generally—unnecessary or, at worst, even harmful.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Sex and Gender Identity in Skiing
Javier Milei and the Great Western Opportunity
A Fair Game or Unfair Judgment?

Finland Denies Blanket Asylum for Gazans, Confirms Tighter Immigration Policies

A Finnish afternoon newspaper reported yesterday that the Finnish Immigration Service had allegedly decided that all Gazans would be entitled to asylum in Finland. The claim sparked considerable surprise, and among others, the minister responsible, Mari Rantanen (Finns Party), immediately posted on social media that she had not seen any such decision. She also stated that there are “enormous risks related to Gazans because of Hamas terrorists.”

Member of Parliament Pia Kauma (National Coalition Party) likewise said, “I do not accept that we would blindly take anyone from Gaza into Finland. The residents of the area have extensive ties to the terrorist organization Hamas, as Hamas holds significant power in Gaza.”

Today, the Immigration Service corrected the afternoon newspaper’s report, stating that it was a misinterpretation by the journalist who wrote about the matter. In reality, all asylum seekers’ ties to terrorism are investigated before they are granted asylum in Finland. This also applies to residents of Gaza.

It should also be noted that Finland has in fact recently tightened its asylum policy. As a result, both the reception allowance for refugees and the duration of international protection have been reduced to a minimum, and additional grounds have been added for denying asylum. Furthermore, switching one’s residence permit basis from asylum to work-based immigration has been prohibited, family reunification to Finland has been restricted, and the requirements for obtaining citizenship have been tightened.

In this context, it is also worth noting that, in addition to the government, the largest opposition party — the Social Democrats — is also moving toward supporting a ban on wearing face-covering veils in schools. This means that Finnish legislation and practices will in the future be shaped in such a way that immigrants will be required to abandon customs that conflict with the Western way of life and instead integrate more fully into Finnish society and its social norms.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Precedent from France Opens EU Pathway for Gaza Palestinians
NATO Sounds the Alarm on Illegal Immigration
EU Citizens Don’t Want More Migrants – But How Can the Flow of Asylum Seekers Be Slowed?