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

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Adolescence; Asexual; Pansexual; Prevalence; Sexual identity.