Identifying as transgender or queer is declining sharply among young Americans, a new report suggests.
Led by Eric Kaufmann, the Centre for Heterodox Social Science study analyzed surveys from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), Andover Phillips Academy, Brown University and other institutions.
Kaufmann found that only 3.6% of students in the 2025 FIRE survey identified as a gender other than male or female, down from 5.2% in 2024 and 6.8% in 2022–23. At Andover, the figure dropped from 9.2% in 2023 to 3% in 2025, while at Brown University it fell from 5% to 2.6% over the same period.
Kaufmann noted that younger students—who were previously more likely to identify as “BTQ” (bisexual, trans, queer, or questioning) than older students—are now less likely to do so.
The report suggests that improved mental health may be partially linked to the decline, though it does not fully explain the sudden change.
Kaufmann describes this reversal as a surprising post-progressive development that could challenge assumptions in education and media about gender and sexuality among Generation Z.
