It begins with a quote from ex-U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher “There is no health without mental health.” For Gen Z, that reality is unfolding before their eyes informing not only their own wellbeing, but also their politics, professional choices, and even what success means to them. And when the data is parsed by gender, the portrait becomes even more nuanced.
1. Politics: The Biggest Gender Gap of Any Generation
Among Gen Z adults, 64% disapprove of Donald Trump’s job performance, but the division between men and women is stark 47% of men approve versus just 26% of women. That 21-point divide reflects similar splits on policy questions. On immigration, for instance, 45% of young men approve of Trump’s record on deportation and immigration, and only 21% of young women. On inflation and trade, men are roughly 20 points more approving than women.
This political divide is reflected internationally. In a 30-nation survey, 57% of Gen Z males reported that the advancement of women’s equality has progressed so far that it discriminates against men, versus 36% of Gen Z women. Kelly Beaver MBE, Ipsos UK and Ireland Chief Executive, commented, “Gen Z men are more likely than any other group to say that attempts at women’s equality have gone too far. These polarizing views are accompanied by lower hopes for the future of young men today, in contrast to those of young women.”
2. Mental Health: A Gendered Crisis
Gen Z is the most stressed generation in the United States, but young women are bearing the brunt. A third report feeling anxious “almost all of the time,” while another third are anxious “most of the time.” Only a smaller number of men, less than 20%, report that anxiety is constant.
The bigger picture numbers are alarming: 84% of Gen Zers think that mental health is an emergency, and almost half of those between the ages of 12 and 26 report feeling anxious often or always. Financial anxiety, pressure for achievement, and indecision over life direction are top culprits. For women, these added by expectations from society and biased exposure to cyberbullying.
3. Work and Perceptions about Gender
When asked if gender affects career advancement, 44% of Gen Z women say men have the advantage, compared to just 27% of men. Yet both genders agree on the top workplace traits communication, reliability, and adaptability.
Economic conditions also come into play. Gen Z women are more likely to remain in the labor force during recessions, even if it means accepting jobs they’re overqualified for. This tenacity increases participation rates at the risk of perpetuating wage disparities. Men are more likely to wait for better-status employment, which can extend unemployment but steer clear of underemployment traps.
4. Defining Success: Shared Goals, Divergent Priorities
Both Gen Z women and men list a meaningful career, independence from others financially, and money for personal aspirations as their first indicators of success. Beyond this, however, differences emerge. Women list emotional stability in fourth place, while men list it in tenth. Men list pleasing their family or community in fifth place; women push it to ninth.
Political alignment cuts into these differences. Trump-voting Gen Z men rank having kids as their top success indicator. Female Harris voters put it last but one, instead prioritizing emotional stability as number two.
5. Cultural Identity and Gender Roles
Around the world, Gen Z has the widest gender divide on feminist self-identification 53% of females identify as feminists, versus 32% of males. And although strong majorities in all countries polled assert that gender equality is personally important to them, views about how to get there and whether it’s already gone too far remained strongly polarized.
Attitudes towards gender roles also mirror this. In America, 28% of Gen Z men think that a stay-at-home dad is “less of a man,” whereas 19% of women do. On whether there are just two genders, 69% of men concur compared to 51% of women.
6. Economic Pressures Shaping Life Choices
Inflation and living costs are major economic issues for 4 in 10 young adults. They affect everything from career choices to fertility. Childcare, with costs ranging from $5,357 to $17,171 a year per child, becomes an unaffordable ambition for many, especially women, who continue to bear most of the caregiving burden.
7. The Role of Connection and Media
How Gen Z engages also has a gender bias. Women are more apt to use social media for substantial interaction, while men gravitate toward gaming sites. These inclinations mold political and cultural narrative exposure, contributing to the potential reinforcement of divides.
8. Bridging the Divide
Scholars such as Professor Heejung Chung stress the importance of a “growth mindset” towards gender equality, presenting it in an advantageous manner to all. Closing the gap involves bridging mental health inequality, providing equal opportunities for work, and promoting participatory political discourse.
The figures reveal that although Gen Z has some fundamental aspirations, the lived realities of men and women in the generation are splitting in directions that will determine politics, culture, and the workplace for decades.
