A new global survey suggests that many young men still hold traditional views about gender roles.
The research was conducted by Ipsos and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London. It surveyed more than 23,000 people across 29 countries, including India, the United States, Great Britain, Brazil and Australia.
Participants included men aged 16 and above.
Here’s what the study found.
Do Marriage Roles Still Matter?
One of the most widely discussed findings from the survey related to expectations within marriage.
About 31% of Gen Z men said they agreed with the idea that a wife should always obey her husband. This reflected support for traditional decision-making roles in relationships.
The survey also found that around one in four Gen Z men believed a woman should not appear “too independent”.
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What Men Think About Equality Debates
More than half of Gen Z men said men are now expected to do too much to support gender equality.
Over 50% also believed society has gone so far in promoting women’s equality that men were now facing discrimination.
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Are Gen Z Men Becoming More Traditionally Masculine?
Several findings from the study focused on expectations placed on men themselves.
More than 40% of Gen Z men said young men should try to be physically tough.
At the same time, about 30% said men should not say “I love you” to their male friends.
Researchers noted that this share was higher than the percentage recorded among Baby Boomer and Generation X men in the survey.
Another question explored attitudes towards caregiving. Around 21% of male respondents said they believed men who took part in caregiving roles are less masculine.
What Kind Of Women Do Gen Z Men Prefer?
The survey also included questions about relationships and attraction.
About 21% of Gen Z men said they believed a “real woman” should never initiate sex.
At the same time, 41% said they found women with successful careers more attractive.
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Which Generation Men Are Better?
The research compared responses from Gen Z men with those of older generations, including Generation X and Baby Boomers.
The results suggested that young men sometimes reported more traditional views about both gender roles and masculinity than older male respondents.
The study also compared responses from Gen Z men with women of the same generation.
Researchers found that young men often expressed more traditional expectations about gender roles than their female peers.
Why This Research Matters
The survey provides a snapshot of how attitudes around gender roles continued to evolve across generations and cultures.
The findings also showed that opinions within Gen Z are not uniform.
Responses varied depending on the question.
The results highlight the complexity of how young people today think about relationships, equality and masculinity.
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