CDC Data Shows Decline in LGB Identification Among U.S. Teens

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New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates a notable decline in the number of U.S. high school students identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB). According to a breakdown of the findings by San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge, the decline is largely driven by young women, with 9th graders experiencing the most significant drop in LGB identification.

Decline in LGB Identification Across Grades

Seniors, aged 17 to 18, had the highest rate of LGB identification among the four grades measured, with 16 percent identifying as LGB. However, this rate was still two percentage points lower than the 2023 survey. Each grade had a lower rate of LGB identification in 2025 compared to 2023, with younger grades showing the most significant decline. The 9th graders, aged 14 and 15, had the lowest rate of LGB identification, dropping from 17 percent in 2023 to 11 percent in 2025.

Gender Disparity in Decline

Twenge noted that the decline in LGB identification appears to be driven almost entirely by girls. In 2023, 27 percent of women surveyed identified as LGB, compared to 9 percent of men. By 2025, the percentage of females identifying as LGB dropped to 22 percent, while the percentage of men dropped to 7 percent. Between 2015 and 2021, the number of high school-aged girls identifying as LGB increased by 128 percent, while the self-identification of boys as LGB increased by nearly double, to 99 percent.

Shift in Bisexual Identification

The shift was largely due to girls’ decline in identifying as bisexual, with 9th graders showing the largest change. Despite 26 percent of 9th grade girls identifying as bisexual in 2021, only 13 percent did so in 2025. Senior girls had a much smaller drop, going from a high of 28 percent in 2023 to 25 percent in 2025.

Same-Sex Partner Rates

Twenge also highlighted the rate at which a small portion of sexually active teens choose partners of the same sex. While boys are seeing a slow but steady increase in having same-sex partners, passing just over 10 percent, girls are seeing double the rate at over 20 percent, as well as nearly a 10 percent drop in same-sex partners since 2021.

Source: Daily Caller

Written by

Ryan Wilson