Decline in Nonbinary and Queer Identities Among Youth, Study Finds

According to research from Buckingham University’s Center for Heterarchy and Social Science, there may be a decreasing number of young people identifying as part of transgender or queer communities as gender ideology loses traction.

Dr. Eric Kaufman, the study’s author, utilized data from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s annual survey of over 60,000 undergraduate students, along with other institution-specific surveys involving U.S. youth.

He noted, “The decline of transgender and queer identities seems akin to the ebb and flow of fashion trends.”

For instance, a survey at Andover Phillips Academy indicated that respondents identifying as “nonbinary” decreased from just above 9% in 2023 to 3% this year. Similar downward trends were reported in other surveys: from 6.8% to 3.6% in one case, and from 5% to 2.6% in another.

Meanwhile, the percentage of self-identified homosexuals remained relatively stable at around 3-5%, but more students are identifying as straight. Data from Andover Phillips shows that the proportion identifying as straight bounced back after dropping from 80% in 2020 to 68% in 2023, now resting at around 77%. The General Social Survey suggests a similar trend—straight identification decreased from 95% in 2010 to 71% in 2022 and then increased to 81% last year.

Interestingly, data from Andover Phillips also shows a decrease in the self-identified bisexual category, which rose from 10% to 17% between 2020 and 2023 but fell to 12% recently. The “queer and other” category surged from 7% in 2020 to 17% in 2023 and has since dipped to 12%.

Kaufman mentioned that terms like “transgender” and “queer” seem to be losing relevance, particularly among younger cohorts, speculating that incoming freshmen in 2028 are “less likely to identify as BTQ+ than upperclassmen in 2025.” This suggests that these identities may be waning with each passing generation.

He also posited that this decline isn’t merely a reaction to a shift in political viewpoints or cultural movements but rather a sign of improving mental health among youth. In social discourse, this growing skepticism towards gender transition systems seems to resonate with many Americans.

For reference, recent polling data shows that a significant majority of American adults believe individuals should list their biological sex on government documents, and a large proportion thinks cross-dressers should compete in sports aligned with their biological sex. Further, a growing number of people now support bans on sex reassignment surgeries for minors.

Additional research has indicated that opposition to “gender-affirming care” is particularly strong even among younger demographics, with many young men asserting that these medical interventions should generally be prohibited.