A recent report from King’s College London suggests that a gender divide is emerging in young people’s attitudes towards masculinity and women’s equality. The study, based on a survey of over 3,700 people aged 16 and above, highlights differences in views between men and women, especially among the younger generation.

The findings reveal that the gender gap is most pronounced among the youth when it comes to opinions on terms like “toxic masculinity,” the perceived challenges of being a man or a woman today, the impact of feminism on society, and the approval of influencers like Andrew Tate.

“A gender divide has emerged among the youngest generations in their perceptions of whether feminism has done more good or harm, what the future looks like for men and women, and key terms in the debate, like ‘toxic masculinity,” the researchers explain.

Divided opinion

Interestingly, the study shows that young men, despite being more socially liberal, are not necessarily more supportive of gender equality initiatives. They also express more concern about the challenges facing men. The term “toxic masculinity” is viewed more negatively by young men, with 30% finding it unhelpful compared to 19% of young women who share the same sentiment.

The report also delves into future expectations, revealing that 30% of young men believe it will be harder to be a man than a woman in 20 years, while 48% of young women think it’ll be harder to be a woman.

In terms of feminism, the study indicates that young men are less positive than young women about its impact on society, with 16% of young men believing it has done more harm than good compared to 9% of young women.

“This is a new and unusual generational pattern—normally, it tends to be the case that younger generations are consistently more comfortable with emerging social norms, as they grew up with these as a natural part of their lives,” the researchers explain. “For example, in equality debates of the past, such as whether men should take the jobs and women stay at home, it is older generations that are more divided by gender, while there is hardly any difference between men and women in younger generations.”

A divisive influence

Additionally, the report highlights the divisive views on influencer Andrew Tate, with 21% of young men having a favorable opinion of him, compared to 7% of young women. It’s noted that even though most young men still hold unfavorable views of Tate, they stand out as the age group most likely to approve of him.

The report concludes by shedding light on public perceptions of gender-related issues, highlighting both accurate and inaccurate beliefs. While some aspects are correctly identified by the public, such as men being more likely to go to prison or earn a high income, there are significant misperceptions, including beliefs about entrepreneurship, university attendance, and suicide rates.

In summary, the report underscores the evolving attitudes towards gender issues among the younger generation, with significant variations between men and women, particularly in the interpretation of terms, perspectives on feminism, and approval of influential figures.

“It has to be said that larger proportions of young men still think it’s harder to be a woman today, that feminism has done more good than harm and have an unfavorable view of Andrew Tate,” the authors conclude. “But there is a consistent minority of between one-fifth and one-third who hold the opposite view—in stark contrast to young women, who are by far the most likely across age and gender groups to believe it is harder to be a woman in the UK and will remain so in 20 years’ time.”