Q&A – Are Children More Likely to Identify as Gay or Trans Than Adults?
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Today’s Entry: Brian, I have a question about gender identity/sexuality in children I haven’t been able to find an answer to and figured your researching abilities could help. As I see it, when it comes to gender ID and sexuality discussion in the classroom, the biggest dividing line is the belief by opponents of the Parent’s Rights law is that children need a place where they can discuss their sexuality and maybe that can’t happen at home. Conversely, you have supporters concerned that the developing minds of their children could in effect be indoctrinated by educators who may have specific agendas. I personally feel it's absurd that sexuality discussions of any kind would be attempted in elementary school, however I would like to know if there is any data which suggests that children today are more likely to identify as homosexual or trans compared to adults? That could perhaps answer the question as to if this really is an issue worth addressing in schools.
Bottom Line: Part of the reason it's historically been challenging to answer this question, is due to changes in societal acceptance. Speaking sheerly from a point of scientific understanding – regardless of one’s sexuality, puberty would be the time in which an understanding of one’s preferences would come to light. The average age a child begins puberty is 10.5 for girls and 11.5 for boys. As it pertains to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education legislation, its frankly indefensible – if indeed science is followed, for educators to suggest a need for these conversations in kindergarten through 3rd grade. I’ll repeat that point because it’s illustrative of concerns regarding not just this issue but the thinking of teachers’ unions and activists alike. They’re not following the science or facts and yet it’s the educators who’re in large part responsible for teaching them to our children. Any educator, any activist, who suggests a child between the ages of 5 through 8 years needs to have sexuality discussions of any kind as a means of understanding “their true selves” are science deniers. That speaks to agendas that gave rise to this proposal in the first place. It also illustrates what the opposed teachers' unions, and politicians like state Senate minority leader Lauren Book – who said these young children “need a place where they can be seen and heard”, are really about. So about addressing the specifics of your question – beyond the ages of the early stages of sexual development...
Historically it had been challenging to gain real perspective on what percentage of the adult population was homosexual due to societal pressures that likely led to an under sampling of how many people were homosexual. It's safe to say – there's never been greater acceptance and willingness than today – so it's to be expected that overall studied levels might be higher in today’s society than in previous generations. I’ll hit at this from two different angles. Those who’ve identified as being homosexual and those who’ve engaged in homosexual behavior – which is no doubt the best barometer among adults.
In recent years two accredited studies have been conducted which sampled large swaths of adults studied the sexual behavior over the course of a decade. The Alan Guttmacher Institute found the following:
- 2.3% of men had engaged in homosexual contact
- 1.4% of women had engaged in homosexual contact
Now, is it possible some homosexuals, never engaged in physical relationships? Sure. Same as is the case with heterosexuals, that said it provides the best baseline to gain perspective for the purpose of answering your question. Regardless of what people suggest when surveyed – it’s been studied that 1.9% of adults have engaged in homosexual behavior. So, let’s compare that to what adults have answered when asked.
Gallup has sampled regularly on this question over the past decade. Ten years ago, 3.5% of all adults sampled by Gallup identified as being homosexual. That already was a figure close to double the number of adults who’d engaged in homosexual behavior. That said, it's only risen significantly every year since. Gallup’s not yet sampled for 2022 – but in last year’s survey, a record 7.1% of adults said they were LGBT. A total that more than doubled over a decade and is 373% higher than studied homosexual activity among adults. Clearly there’s far more in play with these recent and sharp changes in data that diverge greatly with actual behavior. In other words, it’s clear a pro-gay agenda has largely been successful in attracting even those who aren’t homosexual by way of actions – in identifying as gay for whatever particular reason. That takes us to what’s happening with our children.
All of the data I’ve provided up to this point has been specific to adults. What about what today’s adolescents, having been educated over the past decade have to say about themselves. A study by the UCLA School of Law found the following...
- 8% of the US population is between the ages of 13-17
- 10% of the self-identified transgender population is between the ages of 13-17
- Adolescents are the most likely of any age group to identify as homosexual & transgender
This is where the rubber begins to meet the road with your question. Did something specific change within the human genome starting at around 2005 or is this dramatic increase in homosexual/transgender identity – even over those aged 18-22, a product of something else? Any objective observer can draw their own dedications based on the data. It largely supports the concerns advanced by the supporters of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education legislation.