A recent NBC News poll has revealed significant differences between Generation Z men and women on a range of political and social issues. The survey, conducted by SurveyMonkey from August 13 to September 1, included responses from 2,970 individuals aged 18 to 29.
According to the findings, nearly half of Gen Z men (47%) expressed approval of President Donald Trump’s job performance. In contrast, only 26% of women in the same age group shared that view. The gender gap among Gen Z is wider than in the general population; an August Pew Research Center poll showed that 43% of men and 35% of women overall approved of Trump.
On specific policy issues such as immigration and border security, 46% of Gen Z men approved of Trump’s handling compared to just 24% of Gen Z women. Similar divides were seen on trade (42% vs. 23%) and inflation and cost of living (41% vs. 21%).
The poll results follow the outcome of the 2024 election, where young men shifted more toward conservative candidates. In that election, 55% of young men voted for Trump compared with 41% of young women. This marks a notable change from the previous cycle in 2020, when support was at 41% for young men and 33% for young women.
Experts have pointed to factors such as economic anxiety, social media influence, and changing cultural attitudes as possible explanations for these shifts.
The survey also highlighted differences in outlook regarding mental health and workplace equality. Sixty-six percent of young women reported feeling anxious or worried about the future most or nearly all the time, compared to 46% of young men. When asked if gender makes a difference in workplace advancement, 69% of men said it does not matter whether one is male or female; among women, just over half (51%) agreed.
Despite these divides, both groups identified communication, reliability, adaptability, and collaboration as key traits for career success. When ranking personal markers of success from a list provided by researchers, both genders prioritized having a fulfilling job or career, enough money to do desired activities, and achieving financial independence.
However, emotional stability ranked higher among women than men—fourth place versus tenth—and “making your family or community proud” was also valued differently: ninth among women versus fifth among men.
Voting history further influenced views on marriage and children as markers of success. “Among young men who voted for Trump in 2024, the number one marker of success was having children,” while “among young women who cast their ballots for Harris, this was ranked second to last.” Additionally: “young male Trump voters rated being married in fourth place,” whereas “young female Harris voters rated this in eleventh place.”
The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
