What I think is really driving the shift is people looking for was to stand out and get attention. With the increased usage of social media, we as a society see A LOT MORE of what we used to never see because it was far away from us. Now, it is everywhere, and it gets attention. Kids see "influencers" on social media finding more and more "far-out" ways to get attention, and yes, it is more widely accepted, so they continue to do it. Many people want to "fit in" but also have to do so by "standing out" They want attention and join in what everyone else is doing, but also have to be unique and be labeled as something now. If you don't have a unique label you aren't anybody.
I saw 2 articles alone yesterday about new "sexualities" It was ridiculous. One was a piece be a female that all of a sudden found the term that described her sexuality. She wanted to find people she fit in with, but had to be unique and stand out as well. The 2 new to me sexualities are gynosexual and abrosexual. Apparently abrosexual means fluid....as in, your sexuality changes and can be one thing at one time and another at another. She felt like a lesbian for awhile, then at times she felt bi-sexual. So really, she found a term that means nothing, but for some reason made her feel included and yet rather then just say she's bi-sexual, she had to use the unique term of abrosexual I mean, really? WTF is that? Gynosexual is basically being attracted to feminine traits and characteristics. So breasts, higher pitched voices, longer hair, softer features, etc....except those don't have to be on a female. I mean really? People are continuing to find ways to be unique, get attention and yet at the same time find a community they fit in with. How many sexualities are their really? Gay, straight, bi, A. Outside of that, I think you are just compartMENTALizing each one deeper and deeper.
Now, this is not to say that real gender dysphoria doesn't exist because it obviously does. I agree with
@Kevin B. I believe it is a mental illness. The real question is what is the "fix" Do we treat it as such or do we let it be and let people live how they want? I say, let them live. No need to really spend time and money trying to fix it, just let them do what they want because ultimately it doesn't hurt anyone else. I believe with social media and seeing people struggle with it in rea life, because generally, the online community can be more accepting then the person direct communcity, so it became more visible. People felt bad for these people and started to accept it more. Then, those that needed/wanted attention sort of "felt" that way and began using it, or some form of it for attention. That also got more views and fed the beast as it were. I feel the idea of non-binary is a way for people to feel special and that their 'less then normal' characteristics of their biological gender are not considered weird. To me it's basically a tomboy or an efeminet man.
To men, this is where it comes from. Mental Health is a tough thing to understand. With social media being a cancer (and a blessing in so many ways) it is only becoming more and more visible, accepted, and hijacked for people to get attention.
