Sydney: A recent study, conducted from 2021 to 2024, has revealed notable levels of gender and sexual diversity among young adolescents in Australia, shedding light on the health and social implications for this group. Led by researchers from multiple institutions, the study followed 6,388 Year 8 students, averaging 13.9 years old, from 134 secondary schools, offering a deeper understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by sexuality- and gender-diverse (SGD) youth, as reported by The Guardian. Photo courtesy: The Guardian.
Key Findings
The study revealed that 3.3% of participants identified as gender diverse, while 12% identified as sexuality diverse. Interestingly, younger adolescents were more likely to report these identities, and both gender and sexuality diversity were often associated with mental health challenges and disabilities.
Gender Diversity: Of those surveyed, 3.3% identified as gender diverse. This included transgender boys, transgender girls, nonbinary individuals, and others who identified with different gender expressions.
Sexuality Diversity: Approximately 12% of participants expressed a sexuality identity that was not strictly heterosexual, with higher diversity reported among gender-diverse individuals.
Health and Wellbeing
The study noted that SGD adolescents reported more mental health challenges compared to their cisgender, heterosexual peers. For example, diagnoses of anxiety and other mental health issues were more common among SGD adolescents. There was also a link between disabilities and both gender and sexuality diversity.
Researchers suggest that these patterns underscore the need for supportive and inclusive environments in schools, healthcare, and communities.
Social and School Context
Most students attended schools in urban areas, and nearly half of them were in schools with higher-than-average socio educational advantage. Despite this, economic status was not a consistent factor in determining gender or sexuality diversity, indicating that these identities and associated challenges cut across socio-economic lines.
Implications and Recommendations
The study’s findings highlight the importance of inclusive policies and supportive spaces in schools to help SGD adolescents feel safe and accepted. The researchers call for more comprehensive programs in education and healthcare to address the unique needs of this group, aiming to reduce health disparities and improve overall wellbeing.
Moving Forward
The authors encourage ongoing research to better understand and support the growing population of SGD young people in Australia. With such studies, they hope to reduce stigma and promote healthier outcomes for adolescents of all gender and sexual identities.
Studies show that when survey options include "unsure" responses, results yield lower proportions of gender-diverse adolescents. Due to the stigma around gender diversity, it’s suggested that adolescents uncertain of their gender identity may refrain from identifying as gender-diverse without an “unsure” option. One study in Finland found that 0.7% of youth identified as transgender and 4.2% as nonbinary before removing responses that didn’t meet certain criteria, while others had a similar prevalence rate of gender diversity. The present study did not exclude responses based on interpretability, reflecting a comprehensive approach to understanding diverse identities.
The study also reveals that 12% of participants identified as sexuality diverse, with a breakdown of 1.6% gay or lesbian, 6.5% bisexual, 1.9% pansexual, 1% asexual, and 1% identifying with another term. While comparable studies, such as the Minnesota Survey, showed 9.4% of respondents as sexuality diverse, results from other countries varied, sometimes due to differing response categories. For example, a UK survey from 2024 found 11.1% of youth identified as sexuality diverse, with slightly different classifications.
Providing “unsure” or “prefer not to say” categories can significantly impact response rates, especially in younger demographics where identity exploration is ongoing. This category may help to understand health and social impacts more clearly for adolescents facing stigmatization or discrimination and those still exploring their identities.
Limitations and Future Research
While this study is broadly representative of the Australian population, certain limitations exist, such as an opt-in approach, an overrepresentation of schools in New South Wales, and a potential privacy impact given that surveys were completed on personal devices at school. Assessment limitations include the reliance on self-reported data, and there was no disaggregation of data on Indigenous status due to ethical considerations.