Gen Z Men and Women Hold Starkly Different Views on Gender Equality, Global Study Finds

While many expect Gen Z to be the flagbearers of gender equality, a new study shows them to be the most polarised on the topic. Survey results show them to have starkly different views on feminism, progress, gender roles, perceived discrimination and women’s rights.

A new global survey conducted by Ipsos and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London for International Women's Day 2025 covered respondents from 30 countries. It found that while younger women are trying to push for further progress, many young men feel that efforts towards achieving gender equality have already gone far enough—or sometimes even too far.

Read: Only 19% of C-Suite Roles in India Are Held by Women: Why Gender Gaps Persist

In the study, while 68% of respondents said gender equality is personally important to them, only 42% believe significant progress will be achieved in the next five years.

Men’s Role and Responsibility in Achieving Gender Equality

While the issue remains important to both genders, there are differences in how they perceive it can be achieved.

Notably, men’s role in helping achieve gender equality was a key area of findings. 46% of respondents believed that men are being expected to do "too much" to support gender equality, with men significantly more likely to feel this way (54% vs. 36% of women).

The gaps in most areas surveyed found Gen Z men and women most farther apart in their views, as compared to Gen X, millennials or Baby Boomers. Six out of ten Gen Z men surveyed agreed to this, 22 points higher than the four in 10 (38%) Gen Z women who felt the same.

Topping the list of countries surveyed, most respondents in India (66%) felt that men are being expected to do too much to support equality. Additionally, 64% also felt that we have gone so far in promoting women's equality that we are discriminating against men.

Identifying as a Feminist

One striking finding was that the survey, across generations, found only half its respondents willing to identify as feminists. Around half of the people across 31 countries would not define themselves as feminist (51%).

Among Gen Z, this gap between genders widens further – 53% of Gen Z women identify as feminists, compared to just 32% of Gen Z men.

Interestingly, India topped the chart here among countries, with 63% of surveyed individuals saying they identified as feminists.

More than half of Indian women also reported having witnessed their mothers doing more housework than their fathers. However, 60% agreed that they thought that a man who stays home to look after his children is less of a man.