Surge in Youth Gender Diagnoses

An insurance‑claims analysis (2017–2023) found at least 15,437 Washington minors with a transgender‑related diagnosis and a 2022 prevalence of 1.73% among teen girls (ages 12–17). The scale and age/sex pattern (much higher among teen girls) far exceed historical DSM estimates and raises empirical questions about diagnostic drift, data coverage, and the policy choices that follow from diagnoses (puberty blockers, hormones, surgeries). — Accurate measurement of rapid diagnostic rises matters because diagnoses enable medical interventions and regulatory choices affecting minors’ long‑term health, legal protections, and school/health system practice.