1. “Evidence” that isn’t there
Several people who later stopped hormones or surgery say they went looking for solid, long-term studies on medical transition and found almost nothing.
"I would try my best as a teenager to research the studies behind HRT but what chance did I have when they didn’t exist. I had no idea the standard of care was completely made up." – tyxxxty source [citation:7fa2f424-6219-4938-9a3a-2cce2c560f41]
They describe being told the treatments were “life-saving,” yet discovering later that large, controlled comparisons with non-medical support had never been done. This absence of data left them feeling they had taken part in an experiment rather than a proven therapy.

2. Guidelines built on stories, not science
Detransitioners repeatedly say the WPATH rule-book feels like a collection of personal anecdotes repackaged as medical advice.
"Their standards of care are not based on research. It’s based on anecdote and theory about the experience of identifying as trans... They are accepting anecdote as evidence and it’s not backed by research." – [deleted] source [citation:0c2e15e1-6705-4e72-b1f4-6eb177496263]
Because the guidelines treat every statement of “I feel like a boy/girl/non-binary person” as confirmation of an inner gender identity, critics argue the whole system simply reinforces the belief that stereotypes equal identity instead of asking why we link clothes, mannerisms, or hobbies to “being a man” or “being a woman” in the first place.

3. Little follow-up, high complication rates
People who regret medical steps say they were never shown long-term complication data.
"Read anything from any actual doctors that have raised concerns about how experimentally treatment is doled out, how little evidence there is, how little follow-up there is in studies that have to do with satisfaction, how high the complication rate is with bottom surgeries specifically." – neitherdreams source [citation:401ec1b0-61b5-4386-b367-00a703ae4b8c]
Without systematic tracking of pain, lost sexual function, or the need for further surgeries, they conclude the “standards” are closer to wishful thinking than to the careful monitoring expected for any other elective procedure.

4. A path back to self through non-conformity
Many detransitioners eventually realize their distress came from rigid social roles, not from a mismatch between body and soul.
"Hormones, puberty blockers, and surgeries aren’t evidence-based treatments for gender dysphoria... They don’t have enough controlled, longitudinal studies comparing them to alternative treatment pathways." – L82Desist source [citation:e7ac7c3b-56de-49d0-9bc3-a4130e8ceb4a]
Finding a therapist who treated dysphoria as a mental-health and social issue—helping them wear what they liked, process trauma, and live as a gender-non-conforming woman or man—let them escape the box of stereotypes without lifelong medical consequences.

Conclusion
The personal accounts above paint a consistent picture: the current medical guidelines lean heavily on personal stories, lack solid long-term data, and often skip the option of simple, non-medical gender non-conformity. If you are questioning your identity, know that exploring your personality, style, and feelings without drugs or surgery is a valid, evidence-light, and body-safe route to authenticity. You can break the rules of gender without breaking your body—and many who once believed otherwise are now cheering you on.