Navigating Eating Disorders as a Trans Person: Affirmation, Resources, and Recovery

If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or supporting a loved one who's struggling, please know this: you are not alone. We see you, and we recognize how challenging this journey can be. No matter where you are in your relationship with food, body image, or recovery, we hope this space offers you understanding, validation, and hope.

Eating disorders (EDs) are among the most misunderstood and overlooked mental health challenges. They can affect anyone, but as transgender people, we face an especially high risk. A 2018 survey from The Trevor Project found that more than half of LGBTQ+ participants had been diagnosed with an eating disorder. That number skyrocketed to 71% for trans and gender-diverse participants who identified as straight.

Eating disorders in our community are deeply complex. They’re often tied to gender dysphoria, unrealistic beauty standards, and the daily challenges of navigating a world that doesn’t always feel safe or affirming for us. For many trans people, struggles with food and body image are just one part of a bigger journey toward feeling at home in our bodies.

In this blog, we’ll explore these complexities and share insights, resources, and encouragement—whether you’re struggling yourself or supporting someone you care about. You are worthy of care, and recovery is possible.

How common are eating disorders in the trans community?

When it comes to eating disorders in our community, the numbers tell a powerful story:

• A 2015 study in The Journal of Adolescent Health found that 18% of transgender college students reported struggling with an eating disorder in the past year—significantly higher than their cisgender classmates.
• A 2017 study of 923 transgender youth found that nearly half of participants aged 14–18 engaged in disordered behaviors like binge eating, fasting, or purging.
• A 2020 study in Current Opinions in Psychiatry revealed that 10.5% of transgender men and 8.1% of transgender women had experienced disordered eating at some point in their lives.

These statistics don’t just highlight a problem—they underscore a crisis. Behind every number is a person struggling with real challenges. If you see yourself in these numbers, please know this: you are not a statistic. You are a whole person who deserves care, support, and healing.

Why are eating disorders so common among transgender people?

Eating disorders don’t appear out of nowhere. They’re often rooted in deeper struggles—especially for trans people.

• Gender dysphoria: For many of us, eating disorders can feel like a way to take control over our bodies when dysphoria becomes overwhelming. Restricting food, over-exercising, or engaging in other disordered behaviors might seem like a way to cope—but in reality, they often deepen the pain.
• Societal pressures: Beauty standards rarely include trans bodies, and that exclusion hurts. When the world constantly tells us how we “should” look, it can fuel feelings of self-doubt, shame, and disordered eating.
• Systemic marginalization: Many of us face high rates of poverty, discrimination, and social isolation—factors that directly impact mental health. When you’re constantly fighting for dignity and safety, an eating disorder can sometimes feel like the only thing you have control over.
• BMI restrictions on gender-affirming healthcare: Too many of us have been told our access to life-changing surgery depends on a number on a scale. Some surgeons impose BMI limits, leading people to resort to extreme dieting or other unhealthy behaviors just to meet these arbitrary requirements.

These struggles are not your fault. If any of this resonates with you, we want you to know: you are not alone, and you do not have to navigate this alone.

Barriers to treatment

Even when we recognize that we need help, many of us face serious challenges in getting the care we deserve.

• Healthcare providers aren’t always prepared. Too often, healthcare professionals lack the training to understand our needs. 
• Stigma and discrimination. Mental health stigma is tough enough. When you add in the stigma surrounding trans identities, it creates an even bigger barrier. Many of us hesitate to seek help for fear of being judged, dismissed, or misunderstood.
• The high cost of treatment. Eating disorder treatment is expensive. Whether it’s therapy, inpatient care, or working with a specialist, the financial burden can feel impossible—especially when so many of us are living with extremely limited financial means.
• A distrust of healthcare providers. If you’ve ever been dismissed, invalidated, or made to feel like your transness is a “problem” in medical settings, it makes sense that you’d hesitate to seek help. Unfortunately, many of us have had that experience. But you deserve care. You deserve providers who affirm you, respect you, and see you as a whole person.
  

If you’re struggling

Your pain is real, and it deserves to be acknowledged with care and compassion. You deserve healing, not shame.

Steps to begin your recovery

• Reach out to someone you trust. You don’t have to go through this alone. Talking to people who make you feel safe—whether it’s a friend, a chosen or blood family member, or even an anonymous online support group—can be a powerful first step.
• Find professionals who "get it." Not all providers are affirming, and that’s frustrating. But trans-competent eating disorder specialists do exist. Finding the right support can make a world of difference. Down below, we'll list some resources that can help you find those providers.
• Curate your online spaces. If your social media feed is full of triggering content, it’s okay to unfollow, mute, or block. Instead, seek out accounts that affirm diverse bodies and promote self-love. (Hijacking the algorithm to foster trans joy is one of our 2025 priorities.)
• Be gentle with yourself. Recovery isn’t linear, and that’s okay. Every step forward—no matter how small—is worth celebrating. You deserve patience, care, and kindness, especially from yourself. One easy way to start this is by saying a daily affirmation as a way to honor your progress and remind yourself that you are awesome.

If you’re supporting a loved one

Watching someone struggle with an eating disorder can be hard. While you can’t "fix" it, your support can make a huge difference.

How to help

• Start by listening: Let them share their feelings without interrupting or offering advice. If you don't know what to say, simple affirmations like “I’m here for you” can go a long way.
• Affirm their gender identity: Always use their correct name and pronouns. Support them in ways that affirm their gender.
• Learn more about EDs and trans experiences: Educate yourself on how eating disorders impact trans people. Understanding their challenges helps you show up with empathy. Down below, we've listed some resources and books that can help!
• Encourage professional help: Offer to help them find a trans-affirming provider. If they’re open to it, you can assist with research or even accompany them to an appointment.
• Create a safe, affirming environment: Avoid conversations about weight, diets, or appearance that could be triggering. Focus on celebrating their strengths instead.
• Respect their autonomy: Recovery is a personal journey, and it’s important to honor their choices and timeline, even if it doesn’t align with what you might hope for. Recovery can be a bumpy road. Your steady presence, patience, and understanding can provide a sense of stability.
• Take care of yourself, too: Supporting someone else can be emotionally taxing. It’s okay to seek help for yourself, whether through a counselor, support group, or trusted friend.

Your love, patience, and consistency matter. You don’t have to have all the answers—just showing up makes a difference.

Final takeaways & resources

No one should have to face this journey alone. There’s a growing network of resources and communities ready to provide support and guidance. Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or a loved one, know this: you are worthy of care, and there is hope. 

Recovery is hard, but so is staying stuck. Choose the hard that leads to freedom. You’ve got this.

Organizations & support services

• Project HEAL: Provides financial assistance for individuals seeking eating disorder treatment, working to remove financial and systemic barriers to care.
• National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): Offers a confidential helpline, online chat, and a wealth of treatment resources, including guidance on recognizing the signs of eating disorders and finding professional help.
• Trans Lifeline: A peer-support hotline run by and for trans individuals, providing emotional support, crisis intervention, and guidance.
• Inclusive Therapists: A comprehensive directory of culturally competent and affirming therapists.
• FEDUP Collective: Advocates for fat liberation and inclusive eating disorder recovery, offering valuable insights and resources for individuals and supporters navigating recovery.
• GLMA LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory: Connects users with LGBTQ+ affirming healthcare providers across various specialties, including mental health and eating disorder care.
• FEDUP Collective’s Gender-Affirming Surgeon Guide: A valuable resource for navigating BMI restrictions and finding size-inclusive, gender-affirming surgical care.

Books & reading

• Skills-Based Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder by Janet Treasure. A practical guide for families and friends supporting someone through recovery.
• Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community by Laura Erickson-Schroth. Covers a wide range of topics relevant to the transgender community, including mental health and eating disorders, with contributions from trans individuals and experts.
• Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, and Just Plain Fail to Understand About Weight by Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor. Challenges traditional narratives around body image and health.
• Eating Disorders Don’t Discriminate by Dr. Chukwuemeka and Bailey Spinn. Offers an inclusive approach to understanding and healing.