“Trender” is short for “transtrender,” a term used to identify people that claim to be transgender without suffering from bodily dysphoria. It used to be much more popular around a decade ago, back when more people were willing to defend “genuine cases,” and simply hoped to call out what they perceived as the bad apples doing it for social clout—hence, “trenders.”To get somewhat editorial, when I see someone use it now, it comes off as naïve. The “genuine cases” are a vanishingly small percentage, the narcissists, predators, and/or social-contagioned autists are the overwhelming majority, and most importantly, none of them should be defended or humored or indulged. They’re all nuts, just in varying ways that may matter for treatment, but not for whether we should accept their delusions.

“Trender” is short for “transtrender,” a term used to identify people that claim to be transgender without suffering from bodily dysphoria. It used to be much more popular around a decade ago, back when more people were willing to defend “genuine cases,” and simply hoped to call out what they perceived as the bad apples doing it for social clout—hence, “trenders.”To get somewhat editorial, when I see someone use it now, it comes off as naïve. The “genuine cases” are a vanishingly small percentage, the narcissists, predators, and/or or social-contagioned autists are the overwhelming majority, and most importantly, none of them should be defended or humored or indulged. They’re all nuts, just in varying ways that may matter for treatment, but not for whether we should accept their delusions.