Startling shift in teens identifying as nonbinary in California
New data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles shows a notable shift in how 16- and 17-year-olds are selecting gender markers on state driver’s licenses, with the number choosing the nonbinary option falling significantly in recent years after earlier growth.
California first began allowing an “X” gender marker under the state’s Gender Recognition Act in 2019, giving residents the option to select a nonbinary designation on official identification documents. In that initial year, only 38 16-year-olds—the minimum age for obtaining a license—opted for the nonbinary marker.
Over the following years, usage increased steadily. By 2023, the number of 16-year-olds selecting the nonbinary option had climbed to 164. However, the trend has since reversed: that figure declined to 95 in 2024 and then dropped further to 46 in 2025. A similar pattern appears among 17-year-olds, where nonbinary selections decreased from 418 in 2024 to 203 in 2025.
While the teen-specific numbers have fallen, overall use of the nonbinary marker across all age groups in California continues to rise. Statewide totals grew from 3,050 in 2019 to 21,140 in 2024 and reached 24,236 in 2025. Officials also note that the total number of 16-year-olds receiving driver’s licenses did not decline during this period, suggesting the change is tied specifically to the choice of gender marker rather than a drop in teen licensing overall.
Observers have offered differing explanations for the downturn among teens. Some researchers suggest the decline may not reflect a change in personal identity, but rather how young people choose to represent themselves on government documents.
Phillip Hammack, a psychology professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz and director of its Sexual & Gender Diversity Laboratory, has pointed to the broader political climate as a possible influence. Speaking to The San Francisco Standard, he noted that increased national attention and legislation related to transgender and nonbinary issues may be shaping decisions made by teens and their families, including concerns about documentation.
National survey data adds additional context. Research from Gallup indicates that about 9.3% of adults in the United States identified as LGBTQ+ in 2024, up significantly from 2012 levels, with roughly 23% of Generation Z identifying that way. At the same time, a February 2025 survey from Pew Research Center found growing public support for certain restrictions related to transgender issues, including policies about sports participation and medical transitions for minors.
California is among 22 states that currently allow an “X” gender marker on driver’s licenses. However, other states such as Florida, Indiana, and Texas have recently moved in the opposite direction, restricting or eliminating the option altogether.
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