3.3% Of High Schoolers Identify As Transgender; CDC Survey Claims

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the results of a 2023 survey on US high school students, finding that 3.3% of students identified as transgender and 2.2% identified as questioning. The study, from the 2023 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, was the first of its kind to gather data on transgender students. Of the trans-identifying students, about 47.5% identified as female, and there were fewer black transgender students compared to cisgender or questioning students. The CDC survey found that trans students performed more poorly than their cisgender counterparts in various metrics, including experiencing higher prevalence of violence, poor mental health, suicidal thoughts, and unstable housing. Approximately 40% of transgender and questioning students were bullied at school, and 69% of questioning students and 72% of transgender students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. The survey also found that 26% of transgender and questioning students attempted suicide in the past year, compared to 5% of cisgender male and 11% of cisgender female students. Trans students were also found to be more likely to identify as non-heterosexual, with only 8.7% of transgender students identifying as heterosexual. Some users have questioned the validity of the survey's findings, suggesting that the prevalence of trans students may be exaggerated due to social contagion. One user noted that the DSM-IV estimated the prevalence of transsexualism to be much lower, around 1 out of every 30,000 males and 100,000 females. The survey's findings have sparked controversy and debate about the issue of transgender students and their experiences in schools.