A recent survey conducted in the UK suggests that women in Generation Z hold more negative views of men than young men do of women. The poll, reported by the New Statesman and highlighted by the New York Post, found that 21% of women under 30 have a negative view of the opposite sex. This figure is nearly four times higher than the 7% of men under 30 who reported similar negative sentiments.
When it comes to positive perceptions, only half of women under 30 held a positive view of men, contrasting with 72% of men who viewed women positively. For women under 25 specifically, 27% expressed negative views, while only 35% held positive ones.
Young women cited concerns about men's behavior, including a perceived unwillingness to address sexism and problematic jokes. "They’ll laugh at jokes that are sexist, racist, homophobic," one young woman told the outlet.
The survey also indicated a political divide. Women under 30 were found to be more politically left-leaning than their male peers and less inclined to date individuals with differing political views. Approximately a quarter of young women surveyed stated that a partner holding different political views would be a "red flag." Specific issues that were particularly divisive included the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and views on former President Trump, with 6 in 10 women indicating they could not date someone who disagreed with them on these matters. Furthermore, 74% of young women found it difficult to date someone with different views on social justice.
The data suggest a potential influence of internet usage on these views, as young women spending more than five hours daily online reportedly held more left-wing beliefs on topics such as abortion, climate change, and socialism.
The poll also touched on economic and emotional well-being. More young women in the UK are employed full-time than young men, and on average, they earn 9% more than young men. However, these same women were less likely to report feeling "happy," "ambitious," "excited," and "fulfilled," and expressed more pessimism about their prospects for a happy life.