Gen Z men more likely to believe in traditional gender norms, new research finds

New research has found Gen Z men may have more in common with the baby boomer generation – rather than their millennial and Gen X peers.

Aussie Gen Z men are more likely to believe in problematic gender norms in comparison to their millennial and Gen X counterparts, new research has found.

Gen Z men’s views of gender norms are more similar to the views of men in the baby boomer generation – rather than their millennial and Gen X peers – according to new research conducted by the e61 institute.

The e61 Institute analysed data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), and created an index from one to seven which measured belief in traditional gender norms, where seven represents a strong belief in traditional gender norms.

In the latest data from 2023, Gen Z men (today aged 15-28), scored three on average – the same as baby boomers (today aged 61-79).

This is in comparison to millennial men (today aged 29-44) who scored 2.7 and Gen X (today aged 44-60) who scored 2.8.

Men in the silent generation (today aged 79 and older) scored 3.5.

The analysis found that Gen Z men and baby boomers were equally likely to agree with statements such as “it is better for everyone if the man earns the money and the woman takes care of the home and children”, and “on the whole, men make better political leaders than women do”.

Aussie Gen Z men are more likely to believe in problematic gender norms in comparison to their millennial and Gen X counterparts, new research has found. Picture: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

This trend is not mirrored among Gen Z women, who were more or just as progressive as women in previous generations.

Professor Steven Roberts, an internationally recognised sociologist of youth and masculinity at Monash University, said the findings were not surprising.

Professor Robert’s research echoes that “regressive ideas around masculinity” are in a “boom period”, and are fuelled by a variety of “complex” factors.

“We live in a hostile economic landscape with growing precarity … achieving breadwinner status is more difficult,” Professor Roberts said.

“When people can’t move out of the home and they can’t afford housing … [they] might move towards conservative viewpoints as a way of trying to recreate the conditions for them to get that back.”

Gen Z men’s views of gender norms are more similar to the views of men in the baby boomer generation – rather than their millennial and Gen X peers NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

But he identified that these attitudes are not solely a consequence of the hostile economic landscape.

Research demonstrates a spike in these beliefs in 2016, following the election of Trump and emergence and subsequent backlash to the Me Too movement, he said.

“We have this return to very strong man politics and particular types of masculinity being broadcast into our living spaces every day and renormalised after a period of moving away from that … at the global level under Obama, but also under Gillard here as well.

“We have the Me Too movement and backlash to it.

“We have social media amplifying men’s rights voices more … as has been reported by lots of research, the algorithms are incredibly influential.

“They promote and push into our young people’s timelines typically controversial content.

“Controversial content in this day and age is stuff that promotes particularly problematic use of masculinity and advocates for those practices of masculinity – they include violence and dominance.”

Professor Roberts said these conditions have created a “perfect storm”, which was amplified further by Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns.

While Professor Roberts said that we shouldn’t become “too panicked” as the vast majority of Gen Z don’t hold extreme views on gender, there is important work to be done to tackle small “hardcore” groups who are causing “disproportionate” problems.

“Traditional masculine norms are the underpinning foundations for a lot of societal problems – that might be harm to the self or harm to others,” Professor Roberts said.

He identified that the most extreme examples of these problems include most suicide and self harm among boys and men, and expressions of anger and violence towards women.

Professor Roberts believes that social media is amplifying the voices of men’s rights activists and algorithms push out “controversial content”. NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

“There’s a hardcore minority that’s growing, and their adherence to conservative masculinist perspectives and practices does cause problems in the lives of people, and in fact underpins the logics of femicide and self harm.”

He also said that perpetuating traditional gender norms results in less commitment to gender equality.

Erin Clarke, Research Economist at the e61 Institute, agreed that there is no single explanation for why there is a divergence in today’s young men.

“Gen Z men are showing a reversal in the trend we typically expect, where younger people adopt more progressive attitudes over time,” she said.

“Some commentary points to young people engaging with different social media content. Others highlight the possibility of backlash to changing gender roles, while shifting economic opportunities may also play a role.”

Originally published as Gen Z men more likely to believe in traditional gender norms, new research finds