Teen LGBTQ identification drops sharply in CDC data, puzzling researchers

Analysis of 2025 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data by San Diego State University professor Jean Twenge shows a sharp drop in young teenagers identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, with ninth-grade girls identifying as lesbian or bisexual plunging from 30% in 2021 to 17% in 2025. While conservative activists like Terry Schilling link the trend to federal policy and funding cuts, Twenge notes the decline began under President Joe Biden and affects younger teens far more than older age groups, leaving the precise causes uncertain.

Overview of Jean Twenge's analysis

• ▪San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge published an analysis of 2025 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data on her Substack "Generation Tech", describing the drop in teen LGB identification as a free fall
• ▪An analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data by San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge shows that the percentage of young teenagers identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual dropped sharply between 2021 and 2025.

Expert cautions on interpreting the data

• ▪Walt Heyer, an author who detransitioned 40 years ago, stated that it is premature to view the CDC data report as proof of a lasting downward trend without conducting further studies.
• ▪Jody Herman, a senior scholar at the Williams Institute at UCLA, stated that Jean Twenge's analysis does not provide confidence intervals to determine whether the reported decline in youth LGBT identification is statistically significant.

Drop in ninth-grade girls' LGB identification

• ▪CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data analyzed by Jean Twenge showed that the proportion of ninth-grade girls identifying as lesbian or bisexual fell from 30% in 2021 to 17% in 2025.
• ▪The share of ninth-grade girls identifying specifically as bisexual dropped by half, from 26% in 2021 to 13% in 2025, according to CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data.

Political perspectives on the decline

• ▪Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, attributed the drop in teen LGBTQ identification to cuts to the Department of Education and USAID.
• ▪San Diego State University professor Jean Twenge stated that the downward trend in teen LGB identification began during President Joe Biden's administration, questioning whether political changes explain differences across age groups.

CDC survey release and response rate

• ▪The 2025 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey gathered 10,710 usable questionnaires from 108 participating schools, achieving an overall weighted response rate of 30.6%.
• ▪The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey report and accompanying data, covering biennial trends from 2015 through 2025

Jean Twenge's teen LGB identification research

• ▪Jean Twenge stated that she plans to examine the COVID-19 pandemic, politics, and social media to investigate the change in teen LGB identification.
• ▪Jean Twenge's analysis of the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey excluded students who selected another identity, were unsure, or did not understand the question, limiting comparisons to respondents identifying as heterosexual, lesbian, gay, or bisexual.