Gender equality in Western Democracies: Shifting Generations, Persistent Gaps?

This paper examines gender-gaps in consolidated Western democracies by focusing on attitudes toward gender-related issues, particularly those linked to equality. Previous research highlights a persistent gender-gap with women showing more progressive attitudes towards gender equality and related policies compared to men (e.g., Horowitz and Wike 2010). However, in recent decades a notable generational shift has emerged: while younger cohorts, such as Millennials and Generation Z, are associated with progressive values, younger men within these cohorts demonstrate comparatively lower support for gender issues and feminism than their female counterparts (Dotti Sani & Quaranta 2017; Ipsos 2024). Traditional theoretical frameworks attribute the modern gender gap to structural societal changes, such as rising divorce rates, shifting employment patterns, and the broader transformation of social norms (Norris, 2000). More recent research underscores the role of early socialisation in shaping political attitudes (e.g., Fraile & Sánchez-Vítores, 2020) and identifies early adolescence as a critical period for the development of gender attitudes, which may become more stereotypical as individuals age (Kågesten et al., 2016). Drawing on data from the World Values Survey (1990–2022), this study extends previous work (e.g. Dotti Sani & Quaranta 2017; Clark 2017; Jennings 2006) and examines trends in "gender-generation gaps" (Norris, 1993) over several decades, focusing on the impact of age, cohort, and period effects in shaping attitudes toward gender equality. By incorporating Age-Period-Cohort models with contemporary theoretical perspectives, our paper advances understanding of how generational dynamics and gender can influence public opinion in Western democracies. References Clark, A. K. (2017). Updating the gender gap(s): A multilevel approach to what underpins changing cultural attitudes. Politics & Gender, 13(1), 26–56. Dotti Sani, G. M., & Quaranta, M. (2017). The best is yet to come? Attitudes toward gender roles among adolescents in 36 countries. Sex Roles, 77(1), 30–45. Fraile, M., & Sánchez‐Vítores, I. (2020). Tracing the gender gap in political interest over the life span: A panel analysis. Political Psychology, 41(1), 89–106. Horowitz, J. M., & Wike, R. (2010). Pew Research Center presents... seeing the second sex: Global values, perceptions, and realities in gender equality. Harvard International Review, 32(3), 64–68. Inglehart, R., & Norris, P. (2000). The developmental theory of the gender gap: Women’s and men’s voting behavior in global perspective. International Political Science Review, 21(4), 441–463. Ipsos. (2024, March 4). Millennials and Gen Z less in favour of gender equality than older generations. Retrieved from https://www.ipsos.com/en/millennials-and-gen-z-less-favour-gender-equality-older-generations Jennings, M. K. (2006). The gender gap in attitudes and beliefs about the place of women in American political life: A longitudinal, cross-generational analysis. Politics & Gender, 2(2), 193–219. Kågesten, A., Gibbs, S., Blum, R.W., Moreau, C., Chandra-Mouli, V., Herbert, A. and Amin, A., 2016. Understanding factors that shape gender attitudes in early adolescence globally: A mixed-methods systematic review. PloS one, 11(6), p.e0157805. Norris, P. (1993). The gender‐generation gap in British elections. British Elections and Parties Yearbook, 3(1), 129–142.