I think people are more aware of how they are being perceived in terms of 'virtue' and I think people learn from each other on a larger, more persistent level. Everyone then applies what they have learned into school, university, work, government, social settings etc. To me it feels like we've learned to police each other and chide each other for not subscribing to the woke item of the moment. I feel gender ideology has replaced the pompous piety you would have seen decades ago. So when influencers sell themselves as woke online, teens take that into schools, adults take it into work and into policy, and then it's like suddenly there's this new 'standard' that you have to meet else you'll be cancelled.
For girls I think it is a rejection of sterotypes that consumerism has perpetuated the past couple of decades.
For boys again I expect there are not many role modules of effeminate men so if they don't match up to stocky macho type then they may feel dysphoric.
I also think homophobia is on the rise, you have religious groups preferring to have trans people than accept lesbian and gay people. You also have parents who want the children to be girly or boyish, and some parents simply have munchousens by proxy and want to mould their kid to be 'different, stunning and brave'
I also think the gender ideology amongst teens has replaced trends such as emo and goth, skaters etc. I also think kids want to be seen as cool so if persuasive kids spout the gender woo, lots of kids will follow.
Then you have some AGPs and MAPs using the ideology as a Trojan Horse to be able to get away with their fetishes in a way that is seemingly becoming acceptable because apparently there is 'no debate', and it being 'literal violence' to challenge their identity.
I think others use it for the 'look at me' factor.
Then, for some, it's a very easy way to tell women to STFU and perpetuate misogyny, trying to tie us up in knots with social policy and such.
So, I think it's not for one reason but many that seem to have escalated in the past decade, into one melting pot.
I would have been classed as a tomboy as a teen. Glad I'm not a teenager trying to navigate this shite. There's no escape, social media is everything to them these days.