Gender Differences in Civic Engagement and Political Perspectives Among Gen Z

This report focuses on key gender differences within Gen Z related to political perspectives, civic engagement, and emotional wellbeing. It offers actionable insights on how to better support Gen Z women and expand their engagement.

Key Findings

• Gen Z Women Underestimate Their Civic Engagement Compared to Gen Z Men, and Still Want to Do More. Gen Z women are less likely to consider themselves civically engaged compared to their male counterparts, despite reporting comparable levels of engagement, and they express a stronger desire for increased participation irrespective of their current levels of engagement.

• Gen Z Women Are Far More Liberal Than Previous Generations, While Gen Z Men Are Marginally More Conservative. Gen Z women are noticeably more progressive than Gen Z men, with distinct differences in their perceptions of key political events and figures.

• Gen Z Women Report Greater Levels of Stress, Empathy, and Vicarious Distress Than Gen Z Men. Gen Z women indicate that they experience high levels of stress in a variety of ways, including personal and societal issues, which can make them feel disempowered.

• Lower Confidence May Inhibit Gen Z Women's Political Participation. Gen Z women are less likely than Gen Z men to say that they understand local and national issues well. Young women also report lower confidence in their ability to influence local and national politics than young men.