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By Gavin Boyle
The number of young adults identifying as a part of the LGBTQ+ community has fallen 21% over the past three years, according to an analysis of the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System by psychologist Jean M. Twenge.
“For now, this is a classic generational shift, with the changes first and largest among the youngest group…” Twenge wrote in her newsletter, referring to the fact that the number of people who identify as LGBTQ+ has primarily fallen among the group aged 18-24, though the age group 25-34 has seen a significant decline as well. “The cyclical nature of these changes, especially their appearance among the youngest adults, suggests a cultural shift – one that might grow or fade during the coming years.”
Related: CEO Bob Iger Says Disney Needs to ‘Entertain’ Not ‘Advance Any Kind of Agenda’
Young adults who identified as LGBTQ+ peaked in 2022 at 20% of all people within the 18-24 age group saying they were gay, lesbian or bisexual. By 2025, only 15% of the same age range identified as a part of that group. Notably, bisexual identification saw the largest change, with young adult women identifying as bisexual peaking at 23% and coming below 18% by 2025.
This shift comes as the LGBTQ+ agenda begins to lose popularity in Hollywood. Disney, for example, pointed to its focus on projects with a LGBTQ+ theme as a reason for its lack of success during, and immediately after, the pandemic.
“Our job is to entertain first and foremost, and by telling great stories, we continue to have a positive impact on the world and inspire future generations, just as we’ve done for over 100 years…” Disney CEO Bob Iger told shareholders in April 2024. “I’ve always believed that we have a responsibility to do good in the world, but we know our job is not to advance any kind of agenda.”
At the same time, faith-based content has been on the rise in recent years and continues to draw major audiences across the board. Christian and family-friendly content continues to outperform their peers at the box office, and shows like THE CHOSEN and HOUSE OF DAVID see similar success through streaming.
“I believe entertainment sits upstream from culture,” Wonder Project CEO Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten said when the studio launched. “And today, the world needs a way to find common ground again. Here at The WONDER Project, our goal is to flood the world with hope. I am convinced we can make a difference by telling stories that restore hope in things worth believing in – family, community, God, and America. We will do this at scale for a global audience that seeks faith and values-driven entertainment. And we will give the audience a brand they can call their own.”
As the entertainment industry begins to move away from LGBTQ+ storylines, it is amazing to see how culture has immediately responded as the number of young adults who identify with this group is now in free fall.
Read Next: Is Hollywood Rejecting Agenda-Driven Movies?
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