Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Working Paper Series,
Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research

No 7/2023: The Demography of Sweden’s Transgender Population – Patterns, Changes, and Sociodemographics

Martin Kolk (), J. Lucas Tilley (), Emma von Essen (), Ylva Moberg () and Ian Burn ()
Additional contact information
Martin Kolk: Stockholm University Demography Unit (SUDA)
J. Lucas Tilley: Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, Postal: SOFI, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Emma von Essen: Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Postal: Box 624, 751 26 Uppsala, Sweden
Ylva Moberg: Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, Postal: SOFI, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Ian Burn: Department of Economics, University of Liverpool

Abstract: Our study examines the prevalence of gender transitions in Sweden over time and documents the sociodemographic characteristics of people transitioning in different periods. We use national administrative data covering the transgender population from 1973–2020 and analyze two common events in a gender transition: the earliest diagnosis of gender incongruence and the change of legal gender. We have three main findings. First, the measured prevalence of both types of events is relatively low in all periods, although it has increased substantially since the early 2010s. Second, the recent increase in transition prevalence is most pronounced among people in early adulthood; in particular, young transgender men drive an increase in overall transition rates through 2018, followed by moderate declines in 2019 and 2020. Third, transgender men and women have substantially lower socioeconomic outcomes than cisgender men and women, regardless of the age at which they transition or the historical period. They are also considerably less likely to be in a legal union or reside with children. These findings highlight the continued economic and social vulnerability of the transgender population.

Keywords: transgender; demography; prevalence; gender nonconforming; gender incongruence; Sweden; administrative data

JEL-codes: J11; J15; J16

Language: English

40 pages, May 4, 2023

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