Gen Z sees staggering jump in non-binary identities: ‘Institutional mass hysteria/mass contagion’

Addressing a problem first called for understanding it as Dr. Scott Atlas aimed to do just that in highlighting a “profoundly damaged cohort” with non-binary identities on the rise.

“We’ve never seen an institutional mass hysteria/mass contagion like this.”

While corporate media once again danced around the motive in the assassination of Christian patriot Charlie Kirk, the alleged suspect’s reported comments and personal lifestyle left little doubt to many that rainbow extremism was central. Commentary for RealClearPolitics zeroed in on the “dysfunction” of Gen Z and the likely root cause that had resulted in “staggering” increases in those identifying within the alphabet community and the fruit that has yielded.

Atlas, senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, compiled data to support the notion that “Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, stands as a profoundly damaged cohort, scarred by ideological indoctrination, social media’s corrosive grip, marginalizations of morality anchors like religion and families, and a narcissistic culture that breeds entitlement.”

Sharing some of the “staggering” statistics from Atlas, RealClearPolitics co-founder Tom Bevan wrote, “Nearly 1 in 4 members of GenZ now identify as LGBTQ+. We’ve never seen an institutional mass hysteria/mass contagion like this,” over an excerpt that read in part, “Gen Z’s psychological frailty sets the stage for unique vulnerability to social contagion, suggested by the explosion of gender confusion. Transgender identification among young adults surged from 0.59% in 2014 to 3.08% in 2023 — a 422% increase — with non-binary identities up 1260% and transgender men quadrupling (309%), driven by social media echo chambers and peer pressure.”

These numbers are staggering. A 1,260% increase in non-binary identities in last 10 years. Nearly 1 in 4 members of GenZ now identify as LGBTQ+. We’ve never seen an institutional mass hysteria/mass contagion like this. pic.twitter.com/9ESletp8PP

— Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) September 19, 2025

After indicating that self-identification within the alphabet soup had nearly tripled since 2012 and doubled in five years to reach about 9.3% overall, with more than 23% of Gen Z falling into the category, Atlas stated, “This confusion pushes youth toward drastic measures like mutilative surgeries and fuels mental health crises. Rising detransition rates underscore the error; tragically, only 13% of detransitioners receive support from LGBT organizations versus 51% during transition, a shameful abandonment of distressed young people.”

Causes were attributed to leftist rhetoric and the response to COVID, which, through institutionally supported isolation, had “inflicted catastrophic damage on Gen Z” as anxiety, overdoses, and suicidal ideation all increased.

“Is it only a coincidence that members of Gen Z assassinated Charlie Kirk, attempted to kill President Trump, shot up schools, and murdered United Healthcare’s CEO?” asked Atlas, who called out the bias of the media and professors “steeped in extremism” as opposed to being “a force for free debate.”

“Elite university leadership continues to abrogate its responsibility by ignoring Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Not a single Top 20 school offered any mental health support despite obvious on-campus impact, in contrast with extensive wellness outreach for their left-favored crises, including George Floyd’s death and both of President Trump’s elections,” he contrasted, having also pointed out statistics that found 72% of Gen Z supports shouting over others exercising free speech and 34% justify violence to suppress opinions they disagree with.

At the same time, employers were said to agree that a majority of recent college graduates “feel entitled,” “are easily offended” and “lack professionalism and work ethic,” leading him to conclude that the best recourse is in individuals aiming to tackle the problem similar to how Kirk had “devoted his life to fearlessly engaging Gen Z in debate.”

Atlas also suggested fostering those who’ve stood out as leaders in the generation while challenging others with ideas they’ve been sheltered from.

Staff Writer

Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn’t researching current events and their impacts, you’ll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.

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