According to a Gallup poll, females of Generation Z, roughly those born between 1997 and 2012, are moving to the political left at much higher rates than their male counterparts. As per the same poll, the United States maintains a center-right stance, with a larger portion of the population identifying as conservative (36%) compared to liberal (25%). The remaining individuals consider themselves moderate (36%).
However, there has been a gradual increase in the percentage of people identifying as liberal over the past three decades, currently sitting just one percentage point below its historical peak. This shift has coincided with a decline in the moderate group, while the conservative percentage has remained relatively stable, hovering around the long-term average of 38%.
Between 1999 and 2013, approximately three out of every ten women aged 18 to 29 consistently identified as liberal. Subsequently, this figure experienced an increase, albeit somewhat inconsistently, reaching 44% by 2020. However, there was a slight decline in liberal identification to 41% in 2022 and further to 40% in 2023.
Overall, there has been an 11-point increase in the proportion of young women identifying as liberal since 1999, making this demographic even more liberal than before, as it was already the most liberal subgroup among women.
The trend in men’s self-identification as politically liberal appears relatively stable compared to women as the there have only been modest increases in liberal identity among men in the same age range.
Since 1999, there has been a five-point increase in the percentage of men aged 30 to 49 identifying as liberal, rising from 17% to 22%. Additionally, among men aged 65 and older, there has been a six-point increase, climbing from 12% to 18%. However, there has been essentially no significant long-term change among men aged 18 to 29, with only a one-point increase since 1999, nor among those aged 50 to 64, which saw only a two-point increase over the same period.
So, why are young women moving to the left? And why aren’t young men following them? Let’s explore some probable causes.
Opportunity: It’s easy to see why young women are leaning left as liberals tend to champion gender rights and opportunities. And because of the opportunities women now enjoy, today’s crop of young females represent the most educated and ambitious generation in American women’s history. Women are considered second-class no more… And let’s hope it stays that way.
Today, women enjoy far more freedom, especially relating to career and jobs, and overall status in society, than was the case in the 1950s or even in the 1980s.
Toxic Masculinity: Young men’s unwillingness to veer left is a little more complicated. Various factors are proposed to explain this trend. One perspective attributes it to societal influences, including the rise of toxic masculinity narratives, which may push some men towards more conservative ideologies. The argument here is that constant vilification of men could lead to a reactionary embrace of ideologies that affirm traditional masculine values.
Threatened?: Also, for the first time in U.S. history, women are going to college at higher rates than men. Moreover, women under 30 in most large metro areas are already earning more than their male counterparts in the same regions. Couple that with liberals’ continued push for DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), and it wouldn’t be surprising if a lot of young men are feeling threatened and intimidated by their female counterparts and believe young women, in some ways, are exercising a strong and aggressive state of mind that’s been historically reserved for men.
Not only in the U.S.: The data suggests the widening gap between the political ideologies of young men and women is observed not only in the United States but also in other countries like South Korea and the UK.
Complexity of Political Shifts: Political shifts are complex and multifaceted, influenced by a combination of social, cultural, and economic factors. While societal narratives and messaging certainly play a role, individual experiences, socioeconomic status, education, and exposure to diverse viewpoints also contribute to shaping political ideologies.
