US CDC reports decline in LGBT+ identification among teens

The 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a decline in the number of American high school students identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. This follows years of significant growth in these reported identities, particularly among girls and younger students.

Psychologist Jean Twenge, a professor at San Diego State University, compared the 2025 figures to 2023 data in a late-September analysis. She reported that the proportion of girls identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual fell by five percentage points to 22%, while the figure for boys decreased by two points to 7%.

Among ninth-graders, the share of those identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual dropped from 17% to 11%. For twelfth-graders, the figure fell from 18% to 16%. Twenge excluded respondents who were unsure of their answer, did not understand the question, or described their sexual orientation in another way. The survey did not specifically examine transgender identification.

Researchers noted that the reasons for this shift remain unclear. Analysts disagree on whether the data reflects political pressures, changing cultural influences, or the natural process of growing up.