Differences in the Prevalence of Adolescent Sexual Identity: Results of Expanding Survey Response Options.

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence of sexual identity by grade, racial and ethnic identities, and sex assigned at birth.

METHODS

Data came from the statewide 2022 Minnesota Student Survey of eighth, ninth, and 11th grade students (N = 99,688). Chi-square tests compared the prevalence of sexual identity across grades, racial/ethnic groups, and sex assigned at birth.

RESULTS

Over a fifth (22.2%) of students self-reported a minoritized sexual identity. Bisexual and pansexual were most common among Native+ (12.3%, 5.7%, respectively), multiracial (11.6%, 4.4%, respectively), and Latina/x/o (10.4%, 4.1%, respectively) youth. Asexuality was consistently reported across grades, and eighth graders reported gay/lesbian, bisexual, and queer identities less than 11th graders. Youth assigned female at birth were more likely to report gay/lesbian, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, queer, and questioning than youth assigned male at birth.

DISCUSSION: Results support the continued use of further expanded sexual identities in epidemiologic surveys.