New CDC youth survey data point to a notable fall in the number of American high-school girls identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual, with the sharpest change among younger pupils. The figures matter because they offer a fresh snapshot of teenage identity, while also raising questions about survey methods, social pressures and how quickly self-description can shift.

Essential Takeaways

  • A marked change among ninth-graders: The share identifying as bisexual reportedly fell from 26% in 2021 to 13% in 2025.
  • LGB identification also declined: Among ninth-grade girls, the broader figure dropped from 30% to 17% over the same period.
  • The wider female student figure moved too: LGB identification among female high-school pupils fell from 27% in 2023 to 22% in 2025.
  • The survey is national in scope: The CDC's Youth Risk Behaviour Survey tracks health-related experiences and behaviours among US secondary-school students.
  • Numbers need careful reading: Survey answers reflect self-identification at one point in time, not a permanent verdict on a young person's identity.

The biggest shift appears among younger pupils

The headline figure is hard to miss. An analysis of the CDC's latest data found that the proportion of ninth-grade girls identifying as bisexual was 13% in 2025, compared with 26% in 2021. That's a drop of roughly half in four years.

The broader lesbian, gay or bisexual category also declined among ninth-grade girls, from 30% to 17%. In plain terms, the largest movement appears to be concentrated at the beginning of high school, rather than spread evenly across every year group.

The CDC's Youth Risk Behaviour Survey is conducted every two years, giving researchers a recurring picture of young people's experiences. Its results can be useful, but a survey is still a snapshot, not a crystal ball. According to the CDC, the programme covers a wide range of health risks and protective factors, including mental health, substance use, violence and sexual behaviour.

What the national survey actually measures

The 2025 survey is nationally representative and uses a standardised questionnaire for high-school students. That consistency makes comparisons across years possible, although changes in wording, participation and the wider social climate can still influence how pupils answer.

The CDC publishes the questionnaire, methods and technical notes alongside the results. Those documents are worth checking before drawing sweeping conclusions, particularly when a percentage changes dramatically. A statistic may be accurate while still requiring context about sampling, response rates and how categories were defined.

This is also why the figures shouldn't be treated as proof that every teenager has changed identity in the same way. Some pupils may have become less likely to choose a particular label, while others may feel more comfortable leaving the question unanswered or selecting a different description.

Why the trend deserves a careful look

The new figures follow a period when reported LGB identification among female students had risen considerably. The latest results therefore represent a reversal in the survey pattern, especially among younger girls.

That reversal may prompt competing explanations, from changing peer culture and social language to differences in survey participation or how teenagers understand identity labels. The data themselves don't establish which explanation is responsible, and it would be misleading to pretend they do.

Still, the shift is socially important. Teenagers are navigating a noisy mix of friendship groups, online communities, family expectations and personal discovery. Labels can feel useful and affirming for some, while others may find them restrictive, temporary or simply unnecessary.

How parents and teachers can respond

The most sensible response is curiosity rather than panic. Parents and teachers should create room for honest conversations, listen without turning a survey result into an argument, and pay attention to a young person's wellbeing rather than treating a label as the whole story.

It also helps to remember what this survey is and isn't. The CDC asks students about a set of health and identity-related topics, but it doesn't follow each participant over time. So a fall in reported identification can't tell us whether students have changed their feelings, changed their language, or simply answered differently in 2025.

For families looking at the numbers through a religious lens, faith and compassion needn't be presented as opposing ideas. Beliefs about creation and human identity may be deeply held, but teenagers still deserve patience, dignity and thoughtful support while they work out who they are.

The next data release may add more context

The CDC's technical material and questionnaire provide the best route to understanding what sits behind the headline percentages. Future releases may show whether the decline continues, levels off or varies by age, region and other demographic factors.

For now, the clearest conclusion is modest but meaningful: the pattern of self-identification among American high-school girls has shifted, with the most pronounced change reported among ninth-graders. That makes the result worth discussing, but not oversimplifying.

A good statistic starts a conversation. It shouldn't end one.

A careful reading is the best way to understand what these changing youth identity figures really mean.

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