Survey: Do feminist views matter for American daters?

Feminism has firmly entered our vocabulary and become an inextricable part of all our lives. Some wholeheartedly endorse it, others are staunchly against it, but none can ignore it. Like it or not, feminism is a divisive topic that everyone has an opinion about. With International Women’s Day approaching, Hily wondered: how do feminist views affect dating? 

We asked 6,000 young American daters (Millennial and Gen Z) about their thoughts on feminism and whether it matters in their dating lives. Here’s what we found.

Key findings:

• A majority of young American women (67%) consider themselves feminists, compared to 44% of men. 
• For 59% of young American women and 35% of men, it’s important that their romantic partner considers themselves a feminist.
• Half of young American women and 1 in 3 men are unlikely to date someone who doesn’t consider themselves a feminist.

1. 67% of young American women and 44% of men consider themselves feminists 

What best describes your stance on feminism?

When asked about their stance on feminism, women are more inclined towards it; 67% of young women say they consider themselves feminists. Among the young men questioned, 44% agree. As for non-feminists, the survey found 37% of men to take that stance, compared to only 12% of women.

The results are even more striking when comparing the age groups. Of Gen Z women, a whopping 73% consider themselves feminists, as compared to 42% of Gen Z men. In Millennials, the difference is a bit smaller, but still considerable: 57% of women VS 46% of men.

Among Gen Zers, 35% of men were decidedly not feminists, but only 9% of Gen Z women said the same. Among Millennials, the same is true for 38% of men and 17% of women.

In general, Millennial women seem to be the most uncertain; 26% of Millennial women are unsure whether they consider themselves feminists or not. In contrast, Millennial men are the most certain, with only 16% being on the fence, fewer than even the uncompromising Gen Z women.

2. 59% of young American women and 35% of men say it’s important that their romantic partner considers themselves a feminist

How important is it to you that your romantic partner considers themselves a feminist?

Feminist views seem to be considered attractive by young daters, especially women. It’s important for 59% of young American women and 35% of men that their partner is a feminist. Again, to Gen Z women this seems to matter more: 64% consider it important that their partner is a feminist, compared to 33% of Gen Z men. Among Millennials, feminist views matter for 53% of women and 38% of men.

In comparison, for 41% of men and only 19% of women it’s not important at all. Men’s opinions don’t differ all that much between the generations, while among women the difference is significant. Millennial women are almost twice as likely not to care at all as Gen Z women.

3. Half of American women and 1 in 3 men are unlikely to date someone who doesn’t consider themselves a feminist

How likely are you to date someone who doesn’t consider themselves a feminist?

Being a non-feminist seems like a good way to be much less popular with women. Half of young American women surveyed said they were “very unlikely” or “fairly unlikely” to date a non-feminist. Only 31% of men agree. Another 31% of men said they were “very likely” to date a non-feminist, as compared to only 15% of women.

When comparing within the generations, being a non-feminist lowers your chances with 53% of Gen Z women and only 30% of Gen Z men. As for Millennials, 44% of women and 31% of men are unlikely to date a non-feminist.

In contrast, 29% of Gen Z men are very likely to date a non-feminist, as compared to only 13% of Gen Z women. Among Millennial men and women, the numbers are 33% and 22%, respectively.

Conclusion

Feminist views appear to have some significance in the dating lives of young Americans. Gen Z women are the group that is most feminist-leaning, and the most uncompromising about it. Interestingly, Millennial men seem to be slightly more feminist-aligned than their Gen Z counterparts.

However, in general, young American women care much more that their partner shares feminist views, and they’re less likely to date someone who doesn’t. The majority of men say they are likely to date a non-feminist, and a significant portion of men don’t consider themselves feminists, either.