In my opinion, this same scenario of a lonely person looking to belong by whatever means can be seen today in a few cases of children suddenly becoming Transgender.
Other times, ‘sudden’ Transgenderism may be a parent making that decision about their child early in the child’s life. Often the decision maker is a single mother, or mom with a very submissive father figure. A sort of Munchausen Syndrome develops, where the parent wants the child to be sick and stay that way, because of all the attention it brings the family. Sad and selfish, but it does happen.
Ugh, can’t turn on the tv (yeah, I know, don’t) without seeing another commercial for a new season of Jazzy, that transgender teen.