How Sexist are We, Really? Investigating Gender and Generational Differences in Three Types of Sexism across 13 European Countries

Troubling developments in public opinion on gender equality and the far-right support in Europe made clear that a linear trajectory towards universally accepted egalitarian values might have been a utopian dream. The rise of the so-called anti-gender backlash, which manifests as sexist attitudes on the individual level, highlights the need to assess how widespread these beliefs are and their connection to the voting choice and policy preferences of contemporary Europeans. Using the special rotating module dedicated to attitudes towards gender equality policies of the European Social Survey Round 11, this study examines how three dimensions of sexism, modern, hostile and benevolent, relate to key sociodemographic predictors in the context of thirteen EU countries. We find a significant emerging sex cleavage that manifests itself in growing differences between young women and men, specifically those under the age of 25, in hostile and modern sexism. This study provides much-needed detailed empirical evidence of Europeans’ support for, or backlash against, gender equality and contributes to our understanding of how sexism impacts the younger cohort’s voting behaviour.