Ipsos just dropped a new global study revealing that a third of men under 30 think women should always listen to their husbands and that the husband should have the final say in important decisions. Plus, nearly 60% feel like men are being discriminated a
In a study with 23,000 people across different generations from various countries, the focus was on opinions about gender equality. It turns out Gen Z is the most conservative when it comes to equality. They reported conservative views on certain issues twice as often as baby boomers.
As is often the case in similar research, men are more conservative. 31% of them agree that a wife should always obey her husband. Gen Z women agreed with this 18% of the time, which is still the highest among all generations. Baby boomers agreed only half as often, regardless of gender.
A precise third of men under 30 also agree that a husband should have the final say in major decisions; a quarter believe a woman shouldn’t be too self-sufficient, and a fifth think a “real woman” should never initiate sex.
Men Facing Discrimination Today
57% of the Gen Z men surveyed agree that society has gone so far in promoting gender equality that it now discriminates against men.
Gen Z also shows conservative views on gender roles—basically, ideas about what a “proper” man and woman should look like. More than any other generation, they think men should try to look tough (43%), and that men who take care of their kids are less masculine than those who don’t (21%).
The Most Divided Generation
Previous research already pointed out that Gen Z is the most polarized generation regarding gender equality. Opinions are increasingly different between young men and women. This was shown in last year’s Ipsos survey. A total of 59% of respondents said they perceive tension between men and women.
“There’s an interesting duality in Gen Z,” notes Kelly Beaver, CEO of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland. “They are the group most likely to agree that women with successful careers are more attractive, but also the most likely to agree that a woman should always obey her husband and never look too independent or self-sufficient.”
