Young Australians aren’t disengaged — they’re doing democracy differently.. and trans and gender diverse youth are leading the way
New research from the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) shows that young Australians are not disengaged from civic life — they are engaging differently with the issues shaping their future. Among the most actively engaged are trans and gender diverse young people, who report higher rates of concern, expression and digital activism than their cisgender peers, even as they feel the least heard by the political system.
The findings show that while most young people are worried about social, economic and environmental challenges, many are taking action through collective, digital and community channels alongside more formal pathways such as political party membership.
Overall, 83% of young people surveyed said they were “quite a bit” or “very much” concerned about one or more major issue, rising to 91% among trans and gender diverse young people.
That concern is translating into voice. Young trans and gender diverse people were far more likely to have expressed their views on government policy and decisions over the past five years (74%) than young cisgender women (48%) or young cisgender men (33%). Much of that expression is happening online: 37% of all young people surveyed reported engaging with political or social issues on social media, but among trans and gender diverse respondents that figure jumped to 70% — by far the highest engagement rate of any group.
Yet this heightened engagement sits alongside a stark sense of exclusion. Just 11% of young people said Australia’s political system allows people like them a meaningful say in what government does — and among young trans and gender diverse people, that figure fell to just 3%. Politics also feels harder to navigate for this group: 38% of young people overall said politics often seems too complicated to understand, rising to 50% among young trans people.
Dr Ebony Biden, lead author of the report, said the findings challenge common assumptions about youth disengagement.
“Young people have often been described as disengaged from civic life, but these findings show many are actively involved in ways that aren’t always expressed through traditional pathways,” Dr Biden said.
“Understanding how people, across all ages and diverse groups, engage with political and social issues is critical to building a society that remains inclusive and responsive.
“When people feel institutions are listening and responsive to their concerns, they may be more likely to feel their participation matters,” she said.
The report draws on data from more than 4,400 young people, followed for over 20 years through Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), across two cohorts aged 19–20 and 23–24.
Volunteering tells a more complicated story. Around a third (34%) of young people reported volunteering in the past 12 months — a channel researchers say helps young people build connections and address issues in their communities. Among trans and gender diverse young people, that rate was lower, at 21%, despite their high levels of concern and civic expression elsewhere.
Kirsten Campbell, Longitudinal Head of LSAC at AIFS, said fostering participation across these forms is critical to social cohesion.
“When young people feel heard, connected and able to contribute, it supports not only their individual wellbeing, but also the strength and resilience of our communities,” Ms Campbell said.
“Ensuring opportunities for participation are accessible and meaningful to all young people is key to maintaining social cohesion in a changing society.”
The findings point to an opportunity for civic and political systems to better recognise the ways young people — particularly trans and gender diverse young people — are already contributing, and to close the gap between how much they care and how much they feel heard.
