One in Three Gen-Z Men Say Wives Should Obey Husbands

Jakarta – Men from Generation Z are proving to be significantly more resistant to gender equality than previous generations. According to global research, 31 per cent of Gen-Z men state that wives should obey their husbands.

This percentage of Gen-Z men holding this view is substantially higher than their counterparts from older generations. For the same question, only 13 per cent of Baby Boomer men agreed. Generation X and Millennials registered 21 per cent and 29 per cent respectively.

The findings form part of a global survey on gender roles conducted across 29 countries worldwide by the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s Business School, King’s College London.

Generation Z is defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, currently aged 14 to 29 years old. Baby Boomers are those born between 1946 and 1964, aged 62 to 89 years old.

Commentators suggest that the more progressive outlook among Baby Boomers may stem from their formative environment. Those in the Baby Boomer category lived through the post-World War II era, which was characterised by struggles for women’s equality in politics and the emergence of a need for additional household income, meaning both husbands and wives had to work.

The Gen-Z mindset is evident in other survey questions. Twenty-one per cent of Gen-Z respondents stated that “women should not initiate sexual relations,” compared with 7 per cent among Baby Boomers. Similarly, 21 per cent of Gen-Z believe that parenting is “unmasculine,” compared with 8 per cent among Baby Boomers.

Forty-three per cent of Gen-Z also believe that men today feel pressure to appear “physically tough,” and 24 per cent contend that women should not appear “too independent.”

“It is deeply concerning to see traditional gender norms persisting today, especially when so many people appear pressured by social expectations that do not reflect our genuine values,” said Heejung Chung, Director at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s Business School.

Ipsos CEO Kelly Beaver stated that the survey results demonstrate a current “renegotiation” of male and female gender roles.

“Particularly among Gen-Z, our data reveals a fascinating duality. They are the group most likely to believe that career-successful women are more attractive to men, yet simultaneously the most likely to agree that women should obey their husbands and that women should not appear too independent,” Beaver said. “This duality in perspective opens vital dialogue about how gender norms are being reshaped, highlighting the complex relationship between modernity and tradition.”