Gender Madness Is Over

The gender and trans craze is no longer sacrosanct. Originating in the U.S., it is increasingly being questioned and thus becoming the subject of a broad, open-ended discussion. For years, any critical inquiry into the rapid rise of “trans” and “non-binary” identities among young people was taboo. Gender lobbyists immediately branded any critical questioning as “transphobic.” This wasn’t about denying “trans” identity per se, but about observing a specific, relatively recent pattern – young people, predominantly girls, expressing “gender dysphoria” or “gender incongruence,” that is, discomfort with their own biological sex. The dogmatic credo of the “wokes” insisted that unconditional support of every perceived – even imagined – identity was the only legitimate approach.

But that now seems to be coming to an end. Several indicators and studies point to a significant weakening of the trend. British-Canadian political scientist Eric Kaufmann analyzed survey data from American students. His analysis revealed a clear decline in so-called “non-binary” self-identification. At one of the universities he studied, the percentage fell from 8 percent in 2023 to just 2 percent in 2025. “The numbers are in free fall,” Kaufmann commented on his report, titled “The Decline of Trans and Queer Identity Among Young Americans.” While he was heavily criticized for this analysis and accused of methodological flaws, he is not alone in his observation.

He receives support from linguist John McWhorter, a columnist for the New York Times. McWhorter, who initially championed the “pronominal revolution,” now observes a contrasting trend. At the end of 2025, he included the pronouns “he” and “she” in his list of “words and phrases of the year,” writing: “Binary genders are making a comeback, and so are the pronouns most closely associated with them.”

Psychology professor Jean M. Twenge also provides concrete figures from representative U.S. surveys. According to these surveys, the percentage of 18- to 22-year-olds who identify as “trans” fell by half between 2022 and 2024. A similar decline was observed for “non-binary” identities. Twenge emphasizes the generational effect: “Americans born in the early 2000s were more likely to identify as transgender than those born before or after them.”

US trends usually reach Europe with a delay. In Switzerland, the trend is reflected in the case numbers of the “gender consultation” at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department of the University of Zurich. After a steady increase and a peak of 134 registrations in 2021 – in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic – the number halved to 60 by 2024. The demonstrative activism displayed by doctors, politicians, and teachers at the time is visibly losing momentum. The previously popular explanation that the increase was solely due to better education and visibility no longer seems convincing in light of the abrupt decline. Instead, the explanation that at least some of the cases were more of a social “hype,” a kind of fad, gains plausibility.

The pandemic acted as a catalyst. Isolated from their usual environment, young people spent a lot of time on social media, which simultaneously offered problem diagnoses and seemingly simple solutions to identity issues. Many parents in support groups reported sudden “coming outs” by their children, followed by a complete withdrawal into the trans community.

If appearances aren’t deceiving, a “rollback” is now underway. Under US President Donald Trump, large-scale government surveys and gender identity programs are being scrapped. Sooner or later, Europe will follow suit and eliminate gender projects—for example, at universities—that have proliferated across the EU over the past 15 years. Public budgets simply won’t be able to afford this luxury anymore.

One effect is already noticeable: the discussion has normalized and become less dogmatic. Topics that were unthinkable until recently are now being debated more openly, such as the question of the benefits and risks of medical interventions for adolescents. The silent majority, which has always acknowledged the existence of biological sexes, is once again being heard. The peak of the gender hysteria seems to have passed.

The conclusion of a recent study by the Allianz Foundation is also interesting in this regard.  The “Next Generation” study surveyed 2,025 young people aged 16 to 39 in five EU countries. According to the survey, many young people desire a sustainable future, but at the same time often look back nostalgically. For at least two-thirds, prosperity means more than economic growth.

In France, more than a third also favor a return to “old social structures”.

At least a quarter, namely 28%, long for a better “past,” with less immigration and more traditional gender roles. Those aged 30 to 39, in particular, desire more national pride. Frustration is high among the younger generation. Around 40% feel politically ignored. Almost 60% also perceive their own generation as deeply divided due to immigration: a real problem facing the youth.