Recent data from surveys and polls across multiple countries shows a widening ideological divide between young men and women (typically aged 18-29, often referred to as Gen Z). Young women have increasingly identified as liberal or Left-leaning over the past decade, while young men have remained relatively stable in their views — often centrist or conservative — or have shifted slightly Rightward in some contexts. This gap has been observed globally, including in the US, UK, Germany, South Korea, and others. The shift among young women accelerated around 2016-2017, coinciding with events like the Trump presidency, the #MeToo movement, and broader cultural changes.
Key Trends in Political Identification
Young Women's Shift Leftward:
oIn the US, Gallup data indicates that the proportion of women aged 18-29 identifying as liberal rose from about 28% in 2001-2007 to 32% in 2008-2016, then jumped to an average of 40% from 2017-2024. This marks a significant increase, with young women now 15 percentage points more likely to identify as liberal than young men.
oParty affiliation follows suit: By 2023, 67% of young women identified as Democrats or leaned Democratic, up from previous decades. In the 2024 US election, young women supported Democrats (e.g., Kamala Harris) by wide margins, such as +27 points in swing states.
oGlobally, similar patterns emerge. In Europe, young women in countries like the UK and Germany have become more Left-leaning since the 1990s, with the gap widening in 11 out of 32 countries studied from 1990-2023. In South Korea, young women overwhelmingly support progressive parties, creating one of the widest gaps.
Young Men's Relative Stability:
oYoung men's ideological self-identification has changed little over time. Gallup shows about 25% of men aged 18-29 identifying as liberal in recent years, similar to levels from the early 2000s. Party-wise, their Democratic affiliation dropped from 51% in the early 2000s to 38% by 2023, with more identifying as Republicans (now roughly equal to Democrats).
oIn elections, this translates to narrower margins. For instance, in 2024, young men were more evenly split or leaned toward Republicans (e.g., 47% approved of Trump in some polls, vs. 26% of young women). Trump gained ground among young men from 36% in 2020 to 46% in 2024, driven partly by white and Latino men.
oInternationally, young men in places like South Korea and the EU are more likely to support conservative or far-Right parties (e.g., 21% of EU Gen Z men vs. 14% of women). However, this isn't universal; in some countries, the gap has remained stable or minimal.
The overall partisan gap between young men and women has nearly doubled in the past 25 years, with young women driving most of the change.
Potential Explanations for the Divide
Analyses suggest a mix of social, cultural, economic, and technological factors, though no single cause is definitive. The ZeroHedge article linked below frames this as young women being "captured" by consensus-driven systems like social media and progressive institutions, while young men remain more independent or "sane" (using the article's terminology). It cites biological differences (e.g., women scoring higher on agreeableness and neuroticism in personality studies across 55 cultures), amplified by smartphones since 2007-2008, leading to greater sensitivity to social exclusion and ideological conformity. It also points to female-dominated fields like universities (now 60% women) becoming progressive echo chambers, and economic incentives like single women relying more on state services.
Broader research supports some of these ideas but offers a more nuanced, less deterministic view:
Cultural and Political Events: The Trump era (2016 onward) appears pivotal, with young women reacting to issues like reproductive rights, sexual harassment (#MeToo), and anti-patriarchal values. Surveys show young women embracing feminism more (e.g., 40% now vs. 29% in 1999), while young men have become more patriarchal than older generations.
Social Media and Technology: Platforms may exacerbate divides by feeding emotional content to women (heightening distress and activism) and escapism (e.g., gaming, manosphere) to men. Mental health data shows steeper declines among teen girls post-smartphone era.
Economic and Social Factors: Young men often cite feeling "left behind" in education and jobs, with eroding advantages in pay and opportunities, leading to resentment toward diversity initiatives. Young women, facing issues like financial insecurity (47% struggle vs. 37% of men), prioritise progressive policies on equality and welfare. Marriage rates also play a role: Single women vote more Left than married ones.
Education and Participation: Young women are more engaged politically — volunteering, donating, and voting at higher rates — and attend college more, where progressive views dominate. Young men show higher disengagement or shift to figures like Andrew Tate for conservative messaging.
This divide isn't entirely new — the gender gap has existed since the 1980s — but it's grown sharper among youth. Some experts predict it could influence future elections and social dynamics, though trends may evolve with events like economic shifts or policy changes. It does show that young men and women are drifting further apart.