CDC data shows ninth-grade girls saw sharpest decline, while boys’ rates remained largely unchanged over past decade
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.