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CDC Data Shows Fewer Young Teens Identifying as Gay or Bisexual, Especially Girls

The drop is largest among ninth-grade girls, who fell from 30% identifying as lesbian or bisexual in 2021 to 17% in 2025, Twenge said.

  • Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicates fewer young teenagers identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual than a few years ago, with the decline particularly striking among ninth-grade girls, according to San Diego State University professor Jean Twenge.
  • Twenge reported on her Substack "Generation Tech" that lesbian and bisexual teenage girls aged 14 to 18 fell from 30% in 2021 to 17% in 2025, while ninth-grade boys' identification declined from 9% to 7%.
  • Conservatives interpreted the report as a "sharp decline," with writer Eric Kaufmann suggesting LGBTQ+ identity is a "fading fashion trend," though Twenge cautioned that drawing widespread conclusions from a specific age group in one gender would be unwise.
  • Critics questioned the data's reliability, citing potential ideological influence from the Trump administration; former CDC vaccine chief Demetre Daskalakis previously resigned, accusing the agency of "unskilled manipulation of data" and criticizing political appointees at HHS.
  • Advocates suggest the decline may reflect rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and legislative efforts in the United States rather than identity shifts, as Research indicates many queer youth face family rejection, societal pressure, and safety concerns affecting willingness to come out.
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The Washington Post broke the news in Washington, United States on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
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