'They may not see any of this as sexual, but they are beginning to experience strong feelings.' Even about sex,' said lead author Calzo, an associate professor in the SDSU School of Public Health. At 9 and 10, youth - whether through their peers, media or parents - are beginning to be exposed to more information about relationships and interacting in the world. 'This is such an important stage, biologically and socially. Blashill is providing unprecedented insight into early identity development. In a study into the sexual orientation and gender identity development of thousands of youth across the nation, a San Diego State University team found that about 1 percent of 9 and 10-year old children surveyed self-identified as gay, bisexual or transgender.Īs the majority of studies indicate that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) self-identification generally occurs during the mid-adolescent years, the study by SDSU researchers Jerel P.
