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The number of teenage girls identifying as lesbian or bisexual has plunged in just four years, according to new data highlighted by The Washington Post, revealing a dramatic shift in how young Americans describe their sexual orientation and leaving researchers searching for answers.
The share of ninth-grade girls identifying as lesbian or bisexual dropped from 30% in 2021 to just 17% in 2025, while those identifying as bisexual alone fell by half, from 26% to 13%, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data cited in the report.
The percentage of boys identifying as gay or bisexual has remained largely unchanged over the past decade, while the share of high school girls identifying as lesbian or bisexual surged following the COVID-19 pandemic before beginning to decline, the Post reported.
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The percentage of freshman high school girls who identified as bisexual in 2021 experienced a free fall in 2025, the Washington Post reported. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
Although those numbers have continued to fall, rates among older teenage girls have remained relatively steady and are still higher than before the pandemic, the outlet reported.
Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University who published her analysis of the 2025 data on her Substack “Generation Tech,” told The Washington Post that the downward trend began while former President Joe Biden was still in office, casting doubt on whether the shift could be attributed to a change in presidential administrations.
In a recent post on X about the development, Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project wrote, “Amazing what happens when you cut the Department of Education and USAID.”
The available data also does not explain why such a political transition would affect certain age groups differently, according to The Washington Post.
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Older teenagers’ sexual orientation has remained stable, the Post reported. (iStock)
Walt Heyer, who detransitioned 40 years ago after identifying as a woman for eight years and author of many books, including “Trans Life Survivors,” cautioned against drawing sweeping conclusions from the findings, telling Fox News Digital that more research is needed before declaring a lasting shift.
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The downward trend of teens identifying as LGBTQ began during former President Biden’s administration, according to researcher Jean Twenge. (iStock)
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“It’s premature to celebrate this one report as proof of a downward trend,” Heyer said. “Better to be skeptical and conduct more studies before we put this study in the win column.”