Generation Z is changing the language of sexuality. Data shows why young women are more likely to identify as bisexual
Generation Z women are more likely to lean towards the bisexual label when describing their sexuality. Data from a large-scale international study shows this, and also debunks the widespread narrative that lesbian identity is "dying out". On the contrary: lesbian remains the most common label across generations and even increases with age.
The research, led by a team from the University of Manchester, analysed data from more than 913,000 female users of the dating app Zoe from 122 countries. The study worked with data from January 2023 to May 2025 and looked at how sexual identity varies by age and geographic context. The results were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Population Sciences Demographic Research.
Lesbian and bisexual as the most common identities
Across the entire dataset, lesbian (48.3%) and bisexual (39.8%) were the most commonly reported identities, followed by pansexual (6.6%), queer (3.4%), gay (1.2%) and asexual (0.7%) identities by a significant margin. These figures show that lesbian identity remains the most prevalent choice globally among women using queer dating apps.
However, when looking across generations, differences emerge. For women born between 1997 and 2006 - i.e. Generation Z - the bisexual label is predominant (45%), while the lesbian identity is chosen by 42.2% of them. Here too, however, lesbian remains the second most common label, not a marginal category.
The share of lesbian identity increases with age
The data also show a clear age trend. While approximately 42% of women aged 20-29 identify as lesbian, this rises to 65% in the 50+ group. By contrast, identifying as bisexual is significantly less common among the older age group, with only a quarter of women in the 50+ category reporting it, the lowest of all age groups surveyed.
According to the authors of the study, these figures do not indicate a decline in lesbian identity, but rather a change in language and modes of self-determination among younger generations. "Younger generations show us that sexuality is not a fixed category - it's a spectrum," said lead author Francesco Rampazzo of the University of Manchester. He said young people around the world are feeling increasingly free to describe their identity in more flexible and diverse terms.
The role of technology and safe environments
The study also touches on the broader context of digital culture. According to Rampazzo, dating apps are not only changing the way people meet, but also how they think about themselves. Indeed, online environments can provide a space for experimentation with identity as well as for finding the language that best suits people.
Research also points to significant geographical differences. Female users in Europe, North America and Oceania are more likely to use a wider range of labels - pansexual or queer, for example - than women in Africa and Asia, where identities are more homogenously described. According to study co-author Canton Winer of Northern Illinois University, this is primarily related to levels of safety. "Where people feel safe, they're more likely to make it known who they are," he said. In environments where LGBTQ+ identities are stigmatized or criminalized, that possibility is severely limited.
The myth of "dying lesbians"
The study comes at a time when claims that lesbian identities are endangered or disappearing - often in the context of anti-trans rhetoric - are being made in some media and public debates. However, this interpretation does not hold up according to the data itself. Yet the UK tabloid Daily Mail, for example, has attempted to present the results of the research with the headline 'dying lesbians', despite the figures showing the opposite.
According to Milan Kovacic, former CEO of Zoe, the study shows how responsible data handling can contribute to a better understanding of queer experiences. "If treated with care and respect, data can help create safer and more inclusive digital spaces," he said.
The overall picture the research offers is less dramatic than some headlines suggest - and much more accurate. Lesbian identity hasn't disappeared, it just shares space with the broader and more open conception of sexuality that is typical of Generation Z.
