New research published today looking at ethnic and gender identity in young New Zealanders shows that about a third of young people in early adolescence identify with more than one ethnic group and there is rich gender diversity at this age.

“It’s exciting to hear young people sharing how they see themselves at this important stage of life. It’s revealing a rich tapestry of what ethnic and gender diversity looks like in contemporary New Zealand,” said Associate Professor Sarah-Jane Paine, Research Director of Growing Up in New Zealand.

The findings are from around 4,500 young people in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study, funded by the New Zealand Government and administered by the Ministry of Social Development, which is looking at wellbeing and development of children and young people in Aotearoa NZ over time and most recently as the young people were twelve-years-old.

The study found that around a third of young people said they belonged to more than one ethnic group, and the majority expressed feeling good, happy and proud of their ethnic identity and felt a strong sense of cultural connectedness.

Associate Professor Paine said it’s heartening so many young people expressed these positive feelings about their culture.

“We know from other studies that feeling positive about ethnic group membership is associated with life satisfaction, self-confidence and a sense of purpose.”

The study also asked about whether young people thought of themselves as a boy, a girl, or somewhere in between. Based on their responses, alongside information about their sex at birth, a number of distinct gender groups were identified: cisgender boys and girls, trans boys and girls, as well as young people who are non-binary or unsure of the gender. Transgender and non-binary young people were present in all the main ethnic groups in this study.

“This finding emphasises that trans and non-binary young people are an important group and are a part of all ethnic communities in Aotearoa,” said Dr John Fenaughty, a lead researcher of the study.

Key findings from the study are:

• Identification with multiple ethnicities was common – one third of young people at age 12 identified with more than one ethnicity.
• Overall, young people feel good, happy and proud about their ethnic identity and feel a strong sense of cultural connectedness and belonging, with similar results for Māori, Pacific, Asian, Middle Eastern/Latin American/African (Middle Eastern/Latin American/African) and ‘Other’ ethnic groups.
• There is a rich diversity of gender in the sample, including trans boys and girls, and non-binary young people as well as young people who are unsure of their gender.
• Transgender and non-binary people were present in all the major ethnic groupings in the study, emphasising that trans and non-binary young people are part of all ethnic communities.

“Understanding this diversity in people is important because we know that affirming identity is fundamental to helping all young people feel connected. It’s essential we respond to this gender and ethnic diversity when designing policy and delivering services for young people,” said Dr Fenaughty.

“Growing Up in New Zealand

has been able to understand the development of identity since even before these young people were born” says Associate Professor Polly Atatoa Carr, one of the research leads of this study, “and this information is so important to effectively support wellbeing and equitable outcomes”.

Now We Are Twelve:

• See “Now We Are Twelve”: https://growingup.co.nz/now-we-are-twelve
• The snapshot “Ethnic and gender identity in twelve year olds” is the first of nine in a series, called “Now We Are Twelve”, looking at the development and wellbeing of twelve-year-olds in New Zealand: https://growingup.co.nz/growing-up-report/gender-and-ethnic-identity-at-12-years-old
• The Now We Are Twelve snapshot series is being published between April and June 2023 and covers the following topics: ethnic and gender identity (released today); material hardship (released today); food security; housing and homelessness; COVID-19 impact on child and whānau wellbeing; mental health; school engagement; disability; and relationships.

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