Toxicity in the trans debate: what are the psychological phenomena that turn an issue of mental health and social inclusion into a forum for vitriolically vicious social exclusion?
| Date | 20 June 2024 |
| Pages | 1451-1462 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-05-2024-0072 |
| Published date | 20 June 2024 |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
| Author | Nigel MacLennan |
Toxicity in the trans debate: what are the
psychological phenomena that turn an
issue of mental health and social inclusion
into a forum for vitriolically vicious
social exclusion?
Nigel MacLennan
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to exploreand document some of the phenomena that seem to have toxified
the transdebate.
Design/methodology/approach –To create a partial compilation of the phenomena most known to
cloud humanjudgement and reasoning, using the trans debateas the prime example.
Findings –The trans debate seems to have been increasingly toxified in ways predicted by well-
documentedpsychological phenomena.
Research limitations/implications –Although much is known aboutthe psychological toxifiers on an
individual basis,little is known about how they interactto cause the emergence and amplificationof toxic
debate.
Practical implications –It is anticipated by studying the emergence of the toxicity around the trans debate,
that the descent into toxic discourse in many other contexts can be better understood.
Social implications –If lessons can be learnt fromthe descent into toxicity in the trans debate, and its
participants become aware of their behaviour, perhaps they can better work towards a mutually
acceptablesolution.
Originality/value –By compiling the factors responsible for the toxification of debate, it is hoped that what
appear to be the precursors of all conflict and war can be better understood, prevented or avoided.
Keywords Gender dysphoria, Gender-critical feminists, Gender incongruence, Toxic debate,
Trans debate, Transexual debate
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
Over the past few years, the public discourse on the subject of gender dysphoria (also
known as gender incongruence, or GI) has grown beyond polarisation to become
increasingly toxic. What makes people with compassionate intent towards one vulnerable
group treat another vulnerable group with such hatred and contempt? This paper seeks to
take a balancedand measured approach to exploringthe psychological phenomenabehind
the extreme toxicity of the trans debatespecifically, and public discourse more generally.
Firstly, a recap on the keyissues of fact:
1. How many people experience GI? That is not known. Reliable data does not exist.
Estimates vary from one in 1,000 people to five times that at five in 1,000. Such a wide
Nigel MacLennan is based
at the School of Education
and Psychology, University
of Bolton, Bolton, UK.
The author has received no
funding of any kind for this
work, and has no affiliation with
any group on any side of the
trans debate. His declared
motive is to study the toxicity in
the trans debate to better
understand the causes of toxic
discourse and antecedents of
conflict more widely.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-05-2024-0072 VOL. 28 NO. 6 2024, pp. 1451-1462, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 jMENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION jPAGE 1451
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