Almost a third of Gen Z men agree a wife should obey her husband

According to new research, almost a third of Generation Z men believe that a woman should obey her husband and make important decisions.

A global study of 23,000 people in 29 countries revealed stark differences between different generations of men when it comes to gender roles.

Gen Z men (those born between 1997 and 2012) are twice as likely as Baby Boomer men (born between 1946 and 1964) to hold traditional views about marital decision-making; Only 13 percent and 17 percent of Baby Boomer men agreed with these statements.

By comparison, only 18 percent of Gen Z women agreed that a wife should always submit to her husband, while only 6 percent of Baby Boomer women held this view.

The Hon Julia Gillard AC, Chair of the Global Women’s Leadership Institute at King’s Business School, said: “It is disturbing to see that attitudes towards gender equality are not more positive, particularly among young men. Many Gen Z men not only place restrictive expectations on women, but also trap themselves within restrictive gender norms.” “We need to ensure everyone is on the journey to gender equality and has a clear understanding of why it benefits society as a whole.”

The survey was conducted by Ipsos in the United Kingdom and the Global Women’s Leadership Institute at King’s Business School, King’s College London, to mark International Women’s Day 2026.

It found that almost a quarter of Gen Z men agreed that a woman should not appear too independent or self-sufficient, while only 15 percent of Gen Z women agreed.

Despite this, Gen Z men were the group most likely to believe that women with successful careers are more attractive to men; 41 percent agreed with this statement, compared to 27 percent of both genders in the Baby Boomer generation.

People expressed more equal views overall; Only one in six respondents say women should take on most of the childcare (17 percent) or non-childcare household chores (16 percent), while less than a quarter (24 percent) believe men should shoulder most of the money-earning responsibilities.

UK respondents were less likely than average to personally hold traditional views about household responsibilities, but they still thought society had traditional expectations.

For example, only 14 percent personally thought women should shoulder most child care responsibilities, while 43 percent said women were expected to be mostly or completely responsible. While 15 percent thought that the responsibility for making money also belonged to men, 38 percent said that society expected men to be responsible.

Ken Brady, 19, a Law LLB Student at King’s College London, was “surprised” by the findings and explained that young men are growing up in online spaces where masculinity is constantly discussed.

“Online spaces, including online communities often described as the manosphere, can create echo chambers in which very traditional ideas about gender roles are repeated and reinforced. If you’re exposed to this over and over again, it can shape the way you think about how relationships or masculinity should work,” she said.

“I think it’s important to recognize that online discussions and real life can feel like two very different worlds. In my own experience, the views that come to the fore online are often the most extreme, which can make them seem much more prevalent in everyday life than they actually are.”

Professor Heejung Chung, Director of the Global Women’s Leadership Institute at King’s Business School, King’s College London, agrees that social media has a strong influence on young men.

He said: “Many male influencers, both on social media and in politics, even those who are not explicitly part of the ‘manosphere’, emphasize traditional gender roles in terms of what it means to be a man.

“The reason we’re seeing young men becoming more conservative may be due to the increased visibility and reach of these social media influencers and the increased attention given to discussions about gender roles. I think they may feel the need to adhere to what they perceive as the social norm.”

“The fight for gender equality is not just about putting a few women in a higher position than men. It is about men and women coming together to challenge society, businesses and governments to deliver more – more opportunities, more protections – for both men and women. The challenges we face are shared, and addressing them collectively can benefit everyone,” she added.