A new global survey has challenged the common assumption that younger generations are more progressive on gender roles. The study, conducted by King's College London and Ipsos, found that about a third of Gen Z men (31%) agree that a wife should “always obey her husband.” Nearly as many (33%) think a husband should have the final say on important family decisions.
Study Details
The researchers surveyed 23,000 people across 29 countries, including India, the United States, Britain, Brazil, and Australia. The findings reveal that Gen Z men (born 1997–2012) are more than twice as likely as Baby Boomer men (born 1946–1964) to support traditional marriage hierarchy. Only 13% of Boomer men agreed that a wife should obey her husband.
Gender Divide
There is a significant gender gap: just 18% of Gen Z women agreed that a wife should obey her husband, and among Baby Boomer women, that figure drops to 6%. This indicates that young women and men are not moving in the same direction on gender equality.
Other Attitudes
The study also revealed other traditional views among Gen Z men. About 24% think women should not seem “too independent,” 21% say a “real woman” never initiates sex, and another 21% feel men lose masculinity by doing childcare. However, 41% of Gen Z men said women with successful careers are more attractive, highlighting a contradiction between public admiration for ambitious women and private expectations for obedience.
Expert Opinions
Professor Heejung Chung, who leads the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London, said, “It is deeply concerning to see traditional gender norms persisting today, and more troubling still that many people appear to be pressured by social expectations that do not actually reflect what most of us believe.” She noted a gap between personal values and perceived societal expectations, especially among Gen Z men.
Kelly Beaver MBE, CEO at Ipsos, described Gen Z as navigating a “great renegotiation” of gender roles. She said, “This duality in perspectives opens a vital dialogue on how gender norms are being reshaped, highlighting the complex interplay between modernity and tradition.”
Implications
The survey also found that 59% of Gen Z men feel men are expected to do “too much” to support gender equality, compared to 45% of Boomer men. Experts link these attitudes to economic stress, unstable job markets, and confusion over identity. Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who chairs the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, said, “We must continue to do more to dispel the idea of a zero-sum game in which women are the only beneficiaries of a gender-equal world.”
