Genspect's Submission to the OED
Read our submission to the OED as compiled by Corin Hannison
February 22, 2025
Dear Editors of the Oxford English Dictionary,
The verb "detransition" has already earned its place in the OED, but the noun "detransitioner" has become increasingly common, as well. Please consider its inclusion.
detransitioner
/diːtrænˈzɪʃ(ə)nə(r)/ n.
Definition:
"Generally understood to be an individual who previously identified as transgender and pursued some form of gender transition—whether social, medical, or both—but has since ceased or reversed that process, often re-identifying with their birth sex." —Genspect
Etymology:
From detransition (de- "reverse" + transition "change across") + -er (suffix denoting a person performing an action). The term "transition" in a gender context emerged in mid-20th-century medical discourse, with "detransition" appearing later, likely in online communities by the early 2000s, and "detransitioner" following as a derivative, evidenced in use by at least the mid-2010s.
Related Words:
detransition (n.), detransitioned (adj.)
By including "detransitioner" in the OED, you would be acknowledging a significant part of the gender discourse, offering clarity and recognition to those whose stories are essential for a complete understanding of gender identity. This acknowledgment would not only reflect current usage but also encourage more nuanced conversations around gender, transitioning, and detransitioning.
The Google Ngram Viewer shows the beginnings of a significant increase in usage around 2015, however, there are online discussions making reference to its use as early as the mid-1990s.
People who call themselves detransitioners are on the rise. Subreddit r/detrans was started in 2017 and has 56,000 members (the earliest reference we could find). An article by two gender clinicians makes reference to “the rising number of detransitioners.” Groups like Detrans Canada, GCCAN, and Detrans Voices wield it as an identity and rallying cry. Detransitioners increasingly have more resources available to them. The “Detransition” Wikipedia page was started in 2017 and the word “detransitioner” began to appear in edits sometime in 2018 or 2019.
There are numerous examples of its use in books, newspapers, magazines, podcasts, YouTube videos,, and TV captions, and academic papers. The word is often not merely in the text but in the title.
Detransitioners have increasingly become the subject of lawsuits and legislation as their legal causes for justice and adequate healthcare is taken up more and more often.
Detransitioner: A word whose day has come.
Thank you!
Genspect
In honor of Detrans Awareness Day 2025
Well done, GENSPECT!