Fluidity in Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Identity in Transgender and Nonbinary Youth

Abstract

ABSTRACT Changes in sexual orientation identity (SOI) and gender identity (GI) have rarely been studied in transgender and/or nonbinary youth (TNBY), but documenting such changes is important for understanding identity development and gender transition and supporting the needs of TNBY. This study examined the frequency and patterning of changes in GI and SOI across 3 months (T1-T2) and 1.5 years (T1-T4) among 183 TNBY (baseline age 14–17 years; 83.6% White, 16.9% Hispanic/Latinx) who participated in a longitudinal US study. Participants completed online surveys including measures of GI and SOI. The most common gender identity selected at T1 (with or without another gender identity) was nonbinary (56.3%), and more than half (57.4%) of youth identified with a plurisexual identity (e.g., bisexual, pansexual). GI fluidity from T1-T2 was 13.2% and from T1-T4 was 28.9%. It was equally common to move toward a nonbinary gender identity as toward a binary gender identity. SOI fluidity was more common (30.6% from T1-T2; 55.8% from T1-T4) than GI fluidity. Shifts toward plurisexual identities were more common than shifts toward monosexual identities (e.g., straight, gay). Findings highlight the need to assess changes in GI and SOI in research and clinical practice to address the unique needs of TNBY accurately and effectively.