Conversion Practices in Eating Disorder Treatment: A Lived Experience Narrative.
Cody Spadaccini, Kai Schweizer
PMID 42333982WHAT IT FOUND
A trans man's account describes eating disorder inpatient care that pathologised his gender distress, withheld gender-affirming medical care, and used coercion.
He reports lasting trauma and delayed access to care. Nurses can assess gender dysphoria and protect autonomy.
Key findings
01Cody reports that clinicians treated his gender identity as a symptom of his eating disorder and told him it would resolve with weight restoration.
02He describes being placed on an involuntary treatment order and having a request for puberty-blocking medication shut down.
03He reports that testosterone therapy and chest surgery improved his mental health and quality of life.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a lived experience narrative, not a study of a patient group, so it cannot show how common these practices are or how most trans people experience eating disorder care. The account is retrospective and organised around the author's interpretation of past care. The paper says the treatment occurred in the past and that professional understanding has changed since then. The narrative was co-developed with a co-author and presented as a narrative account rather than a direct personal account. It describes experiences in a paediatric eating disorder unit and may not represent other settings.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that gender-affirming medical care prevents eating disorder relapse or that all inpatient eating disorder care harms trans patients. It is a retrospective narrative, and the paper itself says it does not represent all experiences.