A new Australian study has revealed that the mental health of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) Australians is worse today than it was in 2010, highlighting a widening disparity between trans and cisgender people.
Published in BMJ Mental Health, the study analysed data from the 2001–2022 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. Researchers found that trans and gender-diverse Australians consistently reported poorer mental health than their cisgender counterparts across the 22-year period. However, from 2010 onwards, this mental health gap widened significantly, particularly among younger people.
“Our results demonstrate that there are significant TGD-related mental health inequalities in Australia, and they have widened since 2010.”
The findings suggest that increasing stigma, social discrimination, and policy decisions restricting access to gender-affirming care are contributing to this deterioration in mental health. Researchers called for urgent social and legal reform to address these inequalities and emphasised the need for better data collection to guide effective public health responses.
Queensland’s Gender-Affirming Care Ban Sparks Concern
The study’s release comes amid controversy in Queensland, where the state government recently froze access to gender-affirming care for new patients under 18. The move has been widely criticised by health professionals, with many warning that it will further endanger the mental health of trans and gender-diverse youth.
Dr Elizabeth Moore, President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), said the study confirms the systemic barriers and challenges faced by trans Australians over the past two decades.
“Trans and gender-diverse people experience higher rates of mental illness due to stigma, discrimination, trauma, and social exclusion.”
“It is extremely worrying that we are moving backwards in how we care for trans and gender-diverse Australians. Blanket bans on evidence-informed treatments, like the one imposed in Queensland, only cause more harm.”
Dr Moore emphasised that restricting gender-affirming care contradicts clinical best practices and will increase distress among an already vulnerable population.
Calls for Policy Change and Expanded Healthcare Access
The RANZCP and other health organisations have urged the Queensland Government to delay its decision until the independent review into puberty blockers is completed. While supporting further research, Dr Moore warned against allowing political debates to further stigmatise trans and gender-diverse people.
“We cannot allow the debate to fuel further stigma and marginalise those directly affected. Trans and gender-diverse people deserve to be treated with care, respect and dignity at all times, under all circumstances, and by all medical services.”
She reaffirmed that governments should be expanding, not restricting, access to ethical, evidence-based, and patient-centred care.
“At a time when mental health disparities are worsening, governments must prioritise expanding—not restricting—access to care for trans and gender-diverse people that is safe, ethical, consensual, and grounded in clinical expertise.”
The Urgent Need for Action
The findings of this study highlight an alarming public health issue. As mental health disparities widen, policymakers must consider the real-world impact of restricting access to gender-affirming care. Experts agree that social support, access to inclusive healthcare, and legal protections are key to reversing the declining mental health of trans and gender-diverse Australians.
With trans communities facing mounting challenges, advocates stress the urgency of legislative and social reforms to create a safer, more supportive Australia for all.
