1 in 4 high school students identify as LGBTQ+

Question

This article claims that about 1 in 4 high school students identifies as LGBTQ. Is this article accurate or under/overstating the real number?

Answer 1

This is true. According to a CDC study, 1 in 4 students identify as LGBTQ. Based on percentages, the linked article states, "3.2% of students identified as either gay or lesbian, 5.2% identified as "questioning" and 12.2% identified as bisexual. About 3.9% of students answered the question by saying they were "other" and 1.8% claimed they didn't understand the question."

Over a quarter of US high school students identify as LGBTQ, CDC report says | KTUL

Comments

Great job explaining your source. You were brief but gave a direct quote from the source which strengthened your argument.

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Short and sweet answer! super straight forward and helpful.

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Great concise answer that includes helpful statistics! Nice summary of the findings of the study as well!

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very helpful answer!!

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This was an easy to read, yet factual answer. Great job, I appreciate that you included percentages and statistics to back up your response!

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You did a really good job explaining your source without overexplaining it. The CDC is generally a great place to look at statistics about a certain subject.

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The statistics really help readers understand the overall gist of the article. Referencing the CDC is a great source of reliable data, so props on that.

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Really god job including the CDC. As a government-sponsored agency, they are typically a safe source for information.

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This was a very insightful comment as it shows the exact percentage of those who identify as a member of the lgbtq+ community. The research was done very thoroughly as the actual calculations were there and there was also a website through which the information can be accessed. It also included information from the CDC, a very trusted source proving that your argument is right.

Answer 2

True

According to a national survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign in 2020, approximately 1 in 4 high school students (24%) identifies as LGBTQ. This survey included responses from over 10,000 LGBTQ youth across the United States.

Comments

Don't forget to provide a source link for all your information. Thanks!

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i like that you included results from another study showing the same results

Answer 3

This depends on the article read. Some guess it is 1 and 5. There really is no way to prove an exact number without asking every student, but, according to Bloomberg, 1 in 5 students are not heterosexual.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-31/over-22-of-us-high-schoolers-identify-as-not-heterosexual-cdc-study

Comments

I like your approach to this, as there are many confounding variables that can skew some of the other survey data mentioned. In this case too, I think it's good you just said 'not heterosexual' rather than placing them into a specific category.

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I agree that there is no way to get an exact answer and number for this question and appreciate your acknowledgement of that variable.

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I like that you thought about the ways of reading the article. Thanks for your perspective!

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On a personal level, I'd agree with this. Sexuality is such a complex topic and this response gives a nod to the nuances that would really make measuring this statistic a bit tricky.

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I agree. These kinds of stats are iffy for a variety of reasons. 1) There are practically infinite ways to define your sexuality. Are people who consider themselves questioning included in the "not heterosexual" category? What about people who consider themselves unlabeled? 2) Even if a survey is anonymous, people who live in unaccepting environments might identify as heterosexual purely because they do not feel they will ever be safe to come out. 3) Would LGBTQ+ people perhaps be more inclined to participate in the survey as opposed to non-LGBTQ+ people, or vice versa? That could skew results. As other people are saying, it's a very complex topic that I personally feel can not be expressed in a survey.

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I appreciate that you pointed out the fallibility of the numbers. In a perfect world, we sit down and ask every student but unfortunately, that's out of the question and that's important to keep in mind.

Answer 4

this is true. According to a survey conducted by the human rights campaign, about 1 in 4 highschool students Identifty as LGBTQ. This survey had many responses which makes this data more reliable.

Comments

When you say the survey had "many responses" what do you mean? How many responses? It's best to provide thorough fact-check explanations that demonstrate why you believe a claim to be true, false, etc. Also, don't forget to provide a source link for all your information. Thanks!

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This was a great and to the point response, but don't forget to provide a link so that readers can go to where you got your information!

Answer 5

This is true. The data can be found here.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/supplemental-mmwr/students_by_sexual_identity.htm

According to the top row, of all the schools they sampled, 74.2% of the students identified as straight, 3.2% gay or lesbian, 11.9% bisexual, and 9.0% other or questioning.

Comments

These statistics are difficult to put in to terms of "identify as LGBTQ+". The 3.2% of individuals who identify as gay or lesbian and the 11.9% who identify as bisexual would be considered identifying as LGBTQ+, however that only accounts for 15.1%. It is unclear to say that the 9.0% of individuals who responded as other or questioning would identify as LGBTQ+, therefore you cannot conclude that they are also in the final statistic. This would mean that according to your statistics, 1 in 4 students do not identify as LGBTQ+, and rather it is only certain that 15.1% do. Thanks!

Answer 6

Yes, this is true. The CDC reports that slightly over 20% of high schoolers identify as LGBTQ+. This report is from 2022, meaning that it is significantly recent and relevant enough to be accurate. It specifically focused on students during the COVID-19 pandemic; but the effects of the pandemic certainly still carry on in years following.

Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/abes/reports.htm 

Answer 7

This is true. In a recent article from Yahoo, using 2021 data from the CDC they stated 

"About 1 in 4 high school students identifies as LGBTQ, according to a report the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Thursday, using data from 2021. In 2021, 75.5 percent of high school students identified as heterosexual, the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) found." 

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/one-four-high-school-students-193552822.html

Answer 8

This is true. The CDC surveyed 17,508 students in 152 schools nationwide in 2021. The results indicate that 26% of the students identified as LGBTQ, 12.2% identified as bisexual, 5.2% identified as questioning, 3.9% identified as other, 3.2% identified as gay or lesbian, and 1.8% expressed that they did not understand the question.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/supplemental-mmwr/students_by_sexual_identity.htm

Answer 9

This is true. According to a CDC article report 1 in 4 school students identify as LGBTQ. "The CDC says the number of LGBTQ students went from 11 percent in 2015 to 26 percent in 2021." The CDC is said to have surveyed 17,508 students in 152 schools across the country.

https://thehill.com/homenews/education/3975959-one-in-four-high-school-students-identify-as-lgbtq/

Comments

Going forward, it is best to use a source that was not included within the claim (re: The Hill news article).

Answer 10

This is true. According to data from 17,508 students at 152 schools throughout the US from 2021, about one-fourth of high school students identify as LGBTQ, according to a research released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In comparison, 75.5% of students describe themselves as heterosexual.

From 2015 to 2021, the number of LGBTQ students climbed by 11%, according to the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. According to the researchers, this huge increase may be linked to the rhetoric around adolescents who are questioning their sexuality.

"Increases in the percentage of LGBTQ+ students in YRBSS 2021 may be due to changes in question wording to include students identifying as questions, 'I am not sure about my sexuality (questioning),' or other, 'I describe my sexual identity in some other way,'" according to the research.

https://districtadministration.com/nearly-25-of-high-school-students-now-identify-as-lgbtq-heres-why-that-matters/

Comments

I think it's interesting to learn that around one-fourth of high school students in the US identify as LGBTQ, with a steady increase in numbers from 2015 to 2021. The inclusion you added of options like 'questioning' or 'other' in the survey might give a clearer picture of diverse identities and context about society changing. It's important to consider factors like changing societal attitudes and increased awareness that could influence these numbers. A question I wonder is it based upon interpersonal interactions, media exposure, or how do we evaluate contributing factors? The evidence of the research you highlight reveals the evolving landscape of high school students' identities, reflecting a more inclusive understanding.