Nearly 3 Million Americans Identify as Transgender, 25% Aged 13-17

Recent reports from the UCLA School of Law's Williams Institute reveal that approximately 2.8 million Americans, or 1% of the population, identify as transgender, with a notable 25% of them being teenagers aged 13 to 17. The data shows that 76% of transgender individuals are under 35 years old, and the racial composition among transgender people closely mirrors that of the overall U.S. population. The distribution among transgender women, men, and nonbinary individuals is roughly equal. Some studies suggest that social factors, such as peer influence, may contribute to the increasing number of youth identifying as transgender. Additionally, a long-term study found that transgender youth who socially transitioned early exhibit gender identity stability comparable to their cisgender peers, emphasizing the importance of family support. Despite these findings, the Trump administration has removed gender identity questions from federal surveys, a decision criticized by researchers for limiting data on this population.