Sharp decline in young adults identifying as transgender, non-binary, analysis finds

More data is emerging that supports the sharp decline in the number of young adults who identify as transgender or non-binary.

Last week, Fox News Digital reported Data shared by Eric Kaufmanprofessor of politics at the University of Buckingham, explains that the proportion of university students who identify as anything other than male or female has halved in just two years.

Now, Jan Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, has identified additional data that appears to confirm these findings more broadly.

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First, Twenge analyzed data from the nationally representative Household Pulse Survey, which asked people directly about their identification as transgender, she reported in an article for the magazine Generation technology.

“The Household Pulse data showed a decline in IDs for 18- to 22-year-olds in 2024, but I was cautious about drawing conclusions from it, as the decline only appeared in a limited time period (July to September 2024) — and two of the three survey administrations added a non-binary identification option that didn’t exist before,” she wrote. “Maybe this was the reason why the transgender definition was rejected.”

More data is emerging that supports the sharp decline in the number of young adults who identify as transgender or non-binary. (Istock)

Next, the professor – and him too Author of the book “Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen

The Collaborative Election Study (CES), a non-probability survey sent out each year in the fall by YouGov and administered by Tufts University, asked about transgender identification among all adults in the United States from 2021 to 2024. It also included a separate question about identifying as nonbinary.

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In 2021, 2022 and 2024, CES asked: “Do you identify as transgender?” The choices were “yes,” “no,” and “I prefer not to say.”

“I’d rather not say” responses were treated as missing data, Twenge shared with Fox News Digital.

Starting in 2021, the sex/gender question at CES: “What is your gender?” With options of “Man”, “Woman”, “Non-binary” and “Other”.

Starting in 2021, the sex/gender question at CES: “What is your gender?” With options of “Man”, “Woman”, “Non-binary” and “Other”. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

Among 18- to 22-year-olds, trans identification dropped by nearly half from 2022 to 2024 — and nonbinary identification dropped by more than half between 2023 and 2024.

“When I looked at adults of all ages in the survey… I found a significant increase in… Transgender identification From those born before 1980 (Generation

“Transgender identification then declined, especially for those born in 2005 and 2006 (who are now between the ages of 18 and 20).”

“I think the question now is not whether transgender people are in decline, but to what extent.”

There are several theories as to why this happens.

“One possibility is that there were changes in acceptance; as acceptance increased, more youth identified as transgender and/or were willing to identify as transgender in the survey,” Twenge said. “when Refusal to acceptwas denied identifying as transgender (or at least identifying as transgender in the survey).”

Among 18- to 22-year-olds, trans identification dropped by nearly half from 2022 to 2024 — and nonbinary identification dropped by more than half between 2023 and 2024. (Istock)

In previous analyzes that looked at data from another survey, Twenge found that the increase in transgender identification between 2014 and 2023 did not extend to people over 45 (Generation X and Baby Boomers).

“This makes it unlikely that the changes are due to acceptance, which should affect people of all ages,” she said. “However, it is possible that acceptance increased further among young people between 2014 and 2023 and then decreased further in 2024.”

Twenge emphasized that identifying as transgender and identifying as non-binary are two different things.

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“One of the reasons I did this analysis is because the surveys Professor Kaufman relied on did not ask about identifying as transgender — they asked about identifying as non-binary or anything other than male or female,” she noted. “I wanted to see if there was a decrease in transgender identification.”

“I also thought it was important to look at the national level,” she added Representative sample And not just for students from elite schools.”

“Once people get more comfortable [with] “Who they are, they no longer need to define themselves so strictly,” a mental health expert said. (Istock)

Kaufman praised Twenge’s new report as “the best in the field.”

“It was good to see that researchers from the mainstream academic generation are catching up,” he told Fox News Digital. “Her data greatly reinforces what I found using FIRE, Brown, and Andover Phillips data.”

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“I think the question now is not that if He added that transgender people are in decline, but to what extent will they decline – and what are the implications for the cultural progressive project, and for trends in Gender surgery And diagnosis.”

“Maybe young people will realize that they don’t have to announce or label everything about themselves to be good.”

Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in New York City, said this shift likely represents a “natural correction.”

“For a while, we taught young people to overinterpret every feeling. The treatment culture told them that every discomfort needed a label or a diagnosis,” Alpert, who was not part of the surveys mentioned, previously told Fox News Digital. “For some, this label has become ‘non-binary’ — not identifying with gender.”

Instead of denying their identity, Albert said: Youth He may simply be tired of feeling pressured to identify every emotion or difference with a new identity.

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“So, in essence, it’s performance that slows down — at least in what this study has shown,” he said. “A few years ago, identity was treated almost like a social badge. Now, perhaps young people are realizing that they don’t have to advertise or label everything about themselves to be valid.”

Albert said he sees the same pattern in himself Practice therapy.

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“Once people get more comfortable [with] Who they are, they stop having to define themselves so rigidly. “For me, this is a sign of growing self-confidence, not fanaticism.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Tufts University and the U.S. Census Bureau seeking comment.