In the past few years, gender equality has resurfaced as a major issue in the U.S. public sphere. The 2016 presidential election fueled a massive Women’s March, one of the largest protests in U.S. history, in January 2017. An anniversary Women’s March took place across the country in January 2018. The #MeToo movement erupted in 2017 and continues through today. Discussions ranging from parental leave to the gender pay gap and sexual harassment in the workplace have made front-page headlines and sparked national debates—but the voices of adolescent girls and boys on these issues have not often been heard.
How do American adolescents feel about gender equality? Are they more progressive than the adult population on gender roles? Do they think equality exists between boys and girls? Men and women? What shapes their views? Does playing with gender-specific toys or having a mom in a traditional gender role relate to their opinions on equality? What gender-related societal pressures do they perceive and internalize? Has the #MeToo movement made an impact?
In an effort to explore the answers to these and other questions and provide a starting point to ensuring girls everywhere are valued and provided equal opportunities, Plan International USA commissioned PerryUndem to conduct an extensive public opinion study of U.S. adolescents, ages 10 to 19, on issues and experiences related to gender equality.
The goal of the research is to provide a resource for policymakers, media, and others who want to understand how children are internalizing inequality and how their views may take shape.