More than half (52 percent) of women report that most if not all of their close friends are women, while 40 percent of men say most or all of their close friends are men. It is fairly common for both men and women to say their close friends are of the same gender, but men’s friendship groups are generally more likely to include someone of the opposite sex. Most friendship circles are at least somewhat gender-segregated, with both men and women reporting they have more same-gender friendships. Whom men and women spend their time with illustrates an even more significant divide. Women are more likely to meditate regularly or think about God, while men report greater predilection for politics. More women report reading a book for pleasure, while men are more likely to say they spend their time playing video games. In their personal pursuits and hobbies, men and women spend their time quite differently. Conversely, men without a college degree have become more supportive of Republicans, although the shift has not been as pronounced. Over the past couple of decades, women, particularly college-educated women, have become more Democratic in their political preferences. But this is most evident among young women just over half of young women say they are attracted to only men.įinally, gender differences are increasingly evident in our politics. Compared to women, men are far more likely to be attracted to exclusively women, while for women, physical attraction is more likely to include both genders. Young people express increasing fluidity in feelings of physical attraction, but these generational differences are much more prevalent among women. When it comes to sexual attraction, the differences between men and women are notable and growing larger. Americans who watch pornography more often report greater feelings of social isolation and loneliness, lower levels of self-confidence, and less satisfying sex lives. Men are also much more likely to consume pornographic content-possibly to their detriment. Men think about sex far more often than women do and report somewhat lower levels of satisfaction with their sex lives. One of the most essential ways men and women differ is in their approach to and understanding of sex. But an increasing number of men believe they are just as likely as women to be subject to discrimination based on their gender. Research continues to show that in most circumstances, women are far more likely than men to experience discrimination. Popular understanding of the nature of gender discrimination has also changed. For example, young men today care less about being viewed as masculine than their fathers and grandfathers do. Notions of masculinity and femininity are changing, and so is the importance Americans place on embodying traditional masculine or feminine types. Women also spend a greater part of their day thinking about God and the amount of suffering in the world.ĭespite these enduring differences, what it means to be a man or woman in American society has evolved. Women-and young women in particular-express greater feelings of insecurity about how they look and how they feel about themselves than men do. Men and women also differ in how often they report personal insecurities. Men spend more time playing video games and report a greater interest in politics, while women are more likely to pick up a book or meditate. But even as we wrangle over why men and women approach politics, sex and sexuality, and relationships differently, there is evidence that in some places the gender gap is growing larger.Ĭertain differences, such as habits and hobbies, are not difficult to identify.
Recent research suggests that Americans remain divided over the sources of gender differences, suggesting that the issue is likely to remain contested. Some of the evident differences are likely culturally prescribed, while sources of others may lie more in distinct biological or physiological traits. While some differences between men and women are readily apparent, the nature of gender differences has been a source of enduring debate. In American society, the debate over the degree to which men and women are different continues to serve as a cultural and political flash point.