According to a study surveying 23,000 people across 29 countries, including the U.S., Great Britain, and India, about 21% of Gen Z men (1997-2012) think a “real woman” should never initiate sex (hm), while 59% believe men are expected to do too much to support equality, and a quarter think women shouldn’t be too independent. The data also found that Gen Z men are twice as likely to hold traditional views on marriage compared to their Baby Boomer counterparts (1946-1964), with nearly a third agreeing that a wife should obey her husband. “Not only are many Gen Z men putting limiting expectations on women, they are also trapping themselves within restrictive gender norms. According to the Ipsos/GIWL survey, about 30% of Gen Z guys also think it’s wrong to tell their friends they love them, which is a shame. Plus, you’ll be supporting independent journalism—which, can you even imagine not supporting independent journalism in times like these?

Source: The Guardian March 06, 2026 11:49 UTC