"One-Third of Gen Z Men Agree, 'A Wife Should Always Obey Her Husband'... More Traditional Than Their Fathers"

A recent survey found that about one-third of men from Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) agree with the statement "A wife should always obey her husband." A significant proportion also believes that the husband should have the final say in important decisions within a marriage.

According to a survey conducted by the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King's College London (KCL) and polling agency Ipsos to mark International Women's Day on March 8, 31% of Generation Z men agreed with the statement "A wife should always obey her husband." Additionally, one-third (33%) of Generation Z men responded that a husband should have the final decision-making authority in important matters within marriage.

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This survey was conducted across 29 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, Australia, and India, from December 24 of last year to January 9, and included 23,000 adult participants.

Generation Z men were found to be nearly twice as likely as Baby Boomer men (born between 1946 and 1964) to hold traditional views about decision-making within marriage. Among Baby Boomer men, 13% agreed that "A wife should always obey her husband," and 17% agreed that "A husband should have the final say in important decisions within marriage."

In contrast, only 18% of Generation Z women agreed with the statement "A wife should always obey her husband," while the proportion was even lower among Baby Boomer women at 6%.

The research team diagnosed, "Young men appear to show a tendency towards more traditional views on gender roles compared to previous generations."

The difference in gender role perceptions between generations of men was also clearly evident. Among Generation Z men, 24% agreed with the statement "Women should not appear overly independent or self-reliant." This is twice the level found among Baby Boomer men (12%). Among female respondents, the agreement rate was 15% for Generation Z and 9% for Baby Boomers.

There were also significant generational differences in attitudes toward sexual norms. 21% of Generation Z men said, "A real woman should never be the one to initiate sex." This is much higher than the 7% of Baby Boomer men who responded similarly. The proportion of Generation Z women who agreed was 12%, while both Baby Boomer men and women were at 7%.

Additionally, 59% of Generation Z men responded that "Men are being asked to do too much for the sake of equality." This is higher than the proportion among Baby Boomer men (45%) and also higher than among women. The rate among women who agreed with this statement was 41% for Generation Z and 30% for Baby Boomers.

Interestingly, while Generation Z men showed strong traditional views on gender roles, they also tended to view women's social success positively. 41% of Generation Z men agreed with the statement "A woman with a successful career appears more attractive to men." This is higher than the average for Baby Boomer men and women (27%).

Heejeong Jung, Director of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at KCL, stated, "It is concerning that traditional gender role norms persist even today," adding, "It appears that many people feel pressured by social expectations that differ from their actual personal beliefs." She continued, "This study shows there is a significant gap between what people truly think and what they perceive society expects of them, and this gap is particularly pronounced among Generation Z men."

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