Politics, Sex, and Sexuality

The Growing Gender Divide in American Life

By Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky

APRIL 2022
A Project of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
The Growing Gender Divide in
American Life
Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky

A Project of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

Cover Illustration by Danielle Curran

© 2022 by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. All rights reserved.

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) educational organization and does not take institutional
positions on any issues. The views expressed here are those of the author(s).
Executive Summary
The gender divide has been a constant feature of Ameri-
can life, even as the ways women and men differ continue
to evolve. The source of the gender gap in politics, reli-
gion, sex and sexuality, and relationship expectations has
been a source of consistent and sometimes contentious
dialogue.
Some of these differences are long-standing. It has
been well established that men and women approach
sex differently. Men think about sex more often in their
day-to-day lives, and feelings of satisfaction with their sex
lives are more closely tied to the frequency with which
they have sex than it is for women.
In other areas, the gender divide seems to be grow-
ing. Women, especially college-educated women, have
become more Democratic in their politics—and in the
process transformed the party’s politics. Twenty-eight per-
cent of Democrats are now college-educated women, an
increase from 12 percent in 1998. Men without any col-
lege education have increasingly identified as Republi-
can, but by a less substantial degree.
However, conceptions of sex and sexuality have also
undergone drastic changes in recent years. Young peo-
ple express increasing fluidity in feelings of physical attrac-
tion, but these generational differences are much more
prevalent among women. Women are more likely than
men to report physical attraction to both genders. This
is by far most evident among young women. Just over
half (56 percent) of women ages 18 to 29 say they are
attracted to only men, compared to 83 percent of women
ages 65 and older.
1
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
The Growing Gender Divide in American Life
Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky
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. While some differences
between men and women are readily apparent, the
nature of gender differences has been a source of endur-
ing debate. Some of the evident differences are likely
culturally prescribed, while sources of others may lie
more in distinct biological or physiological traits. Recent
research suggests that Americans remain divided over
the sources of gender differences, suggesting that the
issue is likely to remain contested.1 But even as we wran-
gle 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.
Certain differences, such as habits and hobbies, are
not difficult to identify. 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.
Men and women also differ in how often they report
personal insecurities. Women—and young women in par-
ticular—express greater feelings of insecurity about how
they look and how they feel about themselves than men
do. Women also spend a greater part of their day thinking
about God and the amount of suffering in the world.
Despite these enduring differences, what it means
to be a man or woman in American society has evolved.
Notions of masculinity and femininity are changing, and
so is the importance Americans place on embodying
2
traditional masculine or feminine types. For example,
young men today care less about being viewed as
masculine than their fathers and grandfathers do.
Popular understanding of the nature of gender discrim-
ination has also changed. Research continues to show
that in most circumstances, women are far more likely
than men to experience discrimination.2 But an increas-
ing number of men believe they are just as likely as women
to be subject to discrimination based on their gender.
One of the most essential ways men and women dif-
fer is in their approach to and understanding of sex. Men
think about sex far more often than women do and
report somewhat lower levels of satisfaction with their
sex lives. Men are also much more likely to consume por-
nographic content—possibly to their detriment. Ameri-
cans who watch pornography more often report greater
feelings of social isolation and loneliness, lower levels of
self-confidence, and less satisfying sex lives.
When it comes to sexual attraction, the differences
between men and women are notable and growing
larger. Young people express increasing fluidity in feelings
of physical attraction, but these generational differences
are much more prevalent among women. Compared to
women, men are far more likely to be attracted to exclu-
sively women, while for women, physical attraction is more
likely to include both genders. But this is most evident
among young women; just over half of young women say
they are attracted to only men.
 Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky

Figure 1. Most Young Men Have Few or No Female Friends

Most Young Men Have Few or No Female Friends
Percentage of men who say their close friends are . . .

Mostly or All Men About Equal Numbers of Men Mostly or All Women
and Women
18 to 29 Years 51 32 8

30 to 49 Years 43 41 9

50 to 64 Years 35 47 7

65 and Older 32 54 5

Note:
Note: Figures may not add Figures
to 100 may
percent not
due to add to 100Survey
rounding. percent due
of US to rounding.
Adults Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
[N = 2,007].
Source: American Perspectives
Source: American Survey, March
Perspectives 2022.
Survey, March 2022.

Finally, gender differences are increasingly evident in
our politics. Over the past couple of decades, women,
particularly college-educated women, have become
more Democratic in their political preferences. Con-
versely, men without a college degree have become
more supportive of Republicans, although the shift has
not been as pronounced.
The Gender Divide in American Life
In their personal pursuits and hobbies, men and women
spend their time quite differently. More women report
reading a book for pleasure, while men are more likely to
say they spend their time playing video games. Women
are more likely to meditate regularly or think about God,
while men report greater predilection for politics.
Whom men and women spend their time with illus-
trates an even more significant divide. Most friendship
circles are at least somewhat gender-segregated, with
both men and women reporting they have more same-
gender friendships.
The Gender Divide in Friendships. It is fairly com-
mon 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 oppo-
site sex. 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. Women are about twice as likely as men to report
having no close friends of the opposite sex (13 percent
vs. 6 percent).
Patterns of friendship change over time, often as a
result of major life events, such as getting married or
having children.3 Notably, men and women differ in how
their friendship patterns evolve. Men appear to reach
gender parity in their friends as they age (Figure 1). Just
over half (51 percent) of young men (age 18–29) say most
if not all of their close friends are men, while only 32 per-
cent of senior men (age 65 and older) say the same. A
majority (54 percent) of senior men say an equal number
of their close friends are women and men.
Conversely, women typically have more male friends
when they are younger and become more exclusive
as they get older. Less than half (45 percent) of young
women report that their closest friends are mostly or only
women. For older women, close friends include signifi-
cantly fewer men; 57 percent of women age 65 or older
say their close friends are mostly if not all women.
Pastimes, Practices, and Pursuits. How men and
women spend their time varies significantly. Playing video
games has become an increasingly common pastime;
one in three (33 percent) Americans report having played
video games in the past week. But this activity is more
popular among men than women: 38 percent of men
report having played video games in the past week, com-
pared to 29 percent of women.
The gap is even wider among young adults. Nearly
two-thirds (65 percent) of young men say they played
video games in the past week, including nearly half
(48 percent) who played one in the past 24 hours. In con-
trast, only 38 percent of young women report playing
video games in the past week.
While men express more interest in video games,
women report spending a larger share of their free time
reading. Thirty-nine percent of women say they have
read a book for pleasure in the past week, compared to
27 percent of men. Young men are the least likely to read

3
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
Figure 2. College-Educated Women Most Likely to Read for Pleasure
Note: Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
for pleasure; only 19 percent say they have done this in
the past week. Twenty percent of young men say they
have never read a book for personal enjoyment.
Frequency of reading also varies significantly between
those with more and less formal education (Figure 2).
Half (50 percent) of college-educated women and four
in 10 (40 percent) men with a college degree say they
have read a book in the past week.4 Women with no
college education (34 percent) are about as likely as
college-educated men to have read a book in the past
week. However, only 15 percent of men without a col-
lege education say they have read a book for pleasure in
the past week.
Women are somewhat more likely than men to report
meditating. Roughly one in four (26 percent) women say
they meditated in the past week, compared to 19 percent
of men.
But larger differences emerge across educational
attainment. Two-thirds (67 percent) of women with a
four-year college degree and nearly six in 10 (59 per-
cent) college-educated men say they meditated at some
point in their lives. In contrast, only 40 percent of men
without a college degree say they have ever meditated.
4
More than half (52 percent) the public report that they
have exercised in the past week, with only modest differ-
ences between men and women. A majority (55 percent)
of men and half (50 percent) of women say they exercised
in the past week. Notably, younger men and women are
not more likely to exercise than are older men and women.
In fact, senior women are more likely to say they have exer-
cised in the past week than young women are (52 percent
vs. 43 percent).
Men consistently report greater interest in discussing
and paying attention to politics, even if they are slightly
less like to vote in elections than women are.5 Seven in 10
(70 percent) men say they follow news about national pol-
itics somewhat or very closely, compared to 57 percent
of women. More than four in 10 (42 percent) women,
including 60 percent of young women, report that they
do not really follow news about national politics.
The Prevalence of Pornography. In the internet era,
online pornography has become ubiquitous. Roughly
six in 10 (58 percent) Americans report having watched
pornography at some point in their lives, including more
than one in four (27 percent) who have watched it in the

Figure 3. Men in Their 30s and 40s Are the Most Likely to Watch Pornography
Men in Their 30s and 40s Are the Most Likely to Watch Pornography
Percentage of men who say they last watched pornography . . .
In the Past Month In the Past Year
18 to 29 Years 44 12
30 to 49 Years 57 12
50 to 64 Years 44 18
65 and Older 26 16
Note: Figures may notNote:
add toFigures may not
100 percent due add to 100 percent
to rounding. Survey ofdue
US to rounding.
Adults Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
[N = 2,007].
Source: AmericanSource: American
Perspectives Perspectives
Survey, Survey, March 2022
March 2022.
past month. But there are massive gender differences in
the consumption of pornography. Men are four times
more likely than women to report having watched por-
nography in the past month (44 percent vs. 11 percent).
Men in their 30s and 40s report the most frequent use
of pornography (Figure 3). A majority (57 percent) of men
age 30–49 report having watched pornography in the
past month, and 42 percent say they have watched it in
the past week. In contrast, 44 percent of young men and
only 26 percent of senior men say they have watched
pornography at some point during the past month.
Even if most Americans do not report engaging in
this activity regularly, exposure to pornography is much
more common today than it was in the past, particu-
larly among women. More than eight in 10 (81 percent)
women age 65 or older say they have never watched
pornography, while less than half (44 percent) of young
women say the same.
The Pornography Problem. The widespread availabil-
ity of pornography online has made it easier to access.
Most young adults say they have watched pornography
at some point in their lives. But regularly watching por-
nography is associated with a number of negative social
outcomes and personal experiences. This association is
more pronounced for men than it is for women.6
Men who report having watched pornography
recently—that is, in the past 24 hours—report the high-
est rates of loneliness. Six in 10 (60 percent) men who
watched pornography in the past 24 hours say they have
felt lonely or isolated at least once in the past week. In con-
trast, fewer than four in 10 (38 percent) men who have
never watched pornography and 49 percent of men
who have watched it but not in the past 24 hours say they
have felt lonely in the past week.
Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky
More Than a Year Ago Never
18 25
16 12
19 18
25 31
Americans who regularly watch pornography also
report more frequent feelings of dissatisfaction with their
personal appearance. Again, this effect is particularly
notable for men. Nearly eight in 10 (78 percent) men
who have watched pornography in the past 24 hours
say they have felt unhappy about their appearance in the
past week. Less than half (44 percent) of men who have
never watched pornography and 61 percent of those
who have not watched it recently say they have felt
unhappy with how they look in the past week.
Men who watch pornography regularly are also more
likely to report they frequently feel insecure: 74 percent
of men who report having watched pornography in the
past 24 hours say they have felt self-conscious or inse-
cure in the past week, compared to 58 percent of those
who have watched but not in the past day. Only 45 per-
cent of men who say they have never watched pornogra-
phy say the same. (See Figure 4.)
Pornography may also contribute to men feeling less
satisfied with their sex lives. Only about a quarter (26 per-
cent) of men who report having watched pornography in
the past day say they are completely or very satisfied with
their sex lives, compared to 41 percent of those who say
they have never watched pornography.
The findings here are not conclusive evidence that
pornography is causing these problems. Rather, these
results show a strong relationship between pornography
use and a variety of negative social conditions and circum-
stances. But it’s quite plausible that Americans who are
lonelier or feel less confident in their appearance more
readily turn to pornography than do those with stronger
social ties and greater self-confidence. Results could also
be due to confounding variables—such as age, gender, or
social class—that are associated with both pornography
use and these particular outcomes.
5
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
Figure 4. Men Who Watch Pornography More Often Feel Lonelier, More Insecure, and Dissatisfied
with Their Personal Appearance
Percentage of men who say they felt ____ in the past week, by how frequently they watch pornography
Never Watched Pornography Watched, Not in the Past 24 Hours
70
60
60
49
50
44
40 38
30
20
10
Lonely or Isolated Unhappy About How They Look
Note: Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
To account for these potentially confounding vari-
ables, we ran four separate logistic regression models
predicting the following: feelings of loneliness, feelings
of personal insecurity, satisfaction with one’s appearance,
and satisfaction with one’s sex life. We find that pornog-
raphy use remains a significant predictor in each of the
four models, even when controlling for important per-
sonal characteristics such as age, race and ethnicity, gen-
der, marital status, income, and education.
The Shrinking Religious Divide Between Men and
Women. Past scholarship has found that women are
generally more active in religious pursuits than men are.7
However, these gender differences are less evident
among young adults, indicating that over time the gen-
der gap in religiosity may narrow or even disappear.
Overall, roughly one in four (27 percent) Americans
attend religious services at least once a week. About
as many Americans (29 percent) report that they never
6
Watched in the Past 24 Hours
78
74
61
58
45
Self-Conscious or Insecure
attend religious services. Men report attending at lower
rates than women do, but differences in weekly ser-
vice attendance are modest (23 percent vs. 29 percent).
Additionally, men are more likely than women to say they
never attend worship services (33 percent vs. 24 percent).
At nearly every age, women report more frequent
religious attendance, with one important exception:
young adults. Young men and women are about equally
likely to say they never attend services (33 percent vs.
31 percent).
Not only do women attend services more often than
men do, but they are also more likely to believe in God
and express certainty in that belief. A majority (55 per-
cent) of women say they believe in God and do not have
any doubts, while less than half (46 percent) of men say
the same.
Despite overall differences in religious belief between
men and women, among young people, men and
women are about as likely to report being completely
 Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky

Figure 5. Older Americans More Likely to Think About Suffering in the World
Older Americans More Likely to Think About Suffering in the World
Percentage of men and women who say they think about suffering every day or most days

Men Women
65 and Older 61 76

50 to 64 Years 45 68

30 to 49 Years 39 57

18 to 29 Years 32 51

Note: Survey of US adults (N = 2,007). Note: Survey of US Adults [N = 2,007].

Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022

confident in their belief in God. Roughly four in 10 young
men (40 percent) and young women (39 percent) report
that they believe in God with complete certainty. Older
Americans are far more likely to affirm this belief, but
the gender gap is especially large among seniors. More
than six in 10 (63 percent) senior women and slightly
more than half (53 percent) of senior men report believ-
ing in God without any doubts.
Women are also significantly more likely than men
to say they think about God in their daily lives. More
than six in 10 (63 percent) women say they think about
God every day or most days, compared to 50 percent
of men.
Again, gender differences are more pronounced
among older Americans. More than seven in 10 (71 per-
cent) senior women say they think about God most if not
every day, compared to 55 percent of senior men. An
identical number of young women (48 percent) and men
(48 percent) report that they regularly think about God in
their day-to-day life, suggesting women may be experi-
encing a greater decline in religious belief than men.
Suffering in the World. Perhaps because women exhibit
a greater inclination to engage in religious pursuits and
more certainty in their religious beliefs, they express
more concern about the amount of suffering in the world.
However, the gender gap in how often men and women
contemplate suffering in the world is if anything larger
than the religion gap: 63 percent of women and less than
half (43 percent) of men say they think about suffering in
the world every day or almost every day.
Notably, Americans who spend more of their time
thinking about God report focusing more of their atten-
tion on suffering in the world. Among Americans who
say they think about God every day, 68 percent say they
spend every day or most days thinking about suffering
in the world as well. In contrast, only 39 percent of Amer-
icans who never think about God say they think about
suffering most days or every day.
Young men appear the least attentive to the idea
of suffering in the world. Less than one-third (32 per-
cent) of young men and more than half (51 percent) of
young women say they regularly think about suffering in
the world.
Older Americans are much more likely to say they
think daily about suffering in the world. More than three-
quarters (76 percent) of senior women and approxi-
mately six in 10 (61 percent) senior men report think-
ing about suffering in the world every day or most days
(Figure 5).
The Growing Gender Gap in American Politics. The
gender gap has been a consistent feature of American
politics. However, there are signs that the political divide
may be growing wider, as women’s political prefer-
ences have shifted significantly over the past couple of
decades. Since the mid-1990s, women have grown more
Democratic and less Republican; a majority of women
now identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party.8
In 1998, women with a college degree accounted for
only 12 percent of all Democrats. Today, more than one-
quarter (28 percent) of Democrats are college-educated
women (Figure 6). While men without a college degree
have not experienced this massive realignment, the share
of men without a college education in the Republican
Party has also increased somewhat, rising to 22 percent
today from 17 percent in 1998.
One possible source of the growing gender divide
in American politics is the increasingly distinct views of
college-educated women. College-educated women
have become among the strongest supporters of the
Democratic Party, a trend that predated Donald Trump’s

7
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
Figure 6. College-Educated Women Make Up a Growing Share of the Democratic Party
Source: Gallup, 1998–2001.
political ascendance. Their views on a variety of political
issues are more liberal than college-educated women
or women without a degree. And their opinions stand in
stark contrast to the political opinions of men without a
college degree.
The Values Gap Between Educated Women and Less
Educated Men. On a range of political issues, the views
of college-educated women and men without a college
degree differ dramatically (Figure 7). Nearly two-thirds
(65 percent) of college-educated women believe it is
more important to prioritize protecting the environment
even at the cost of slower economic growth and some
job loss, a view held by less than half (45 percent) of
men without a college degree. Rather, a majority (51 per-
cent) of men with no college education say we should
prioritize economic growth and job creation, even if the
environment suffers to some extent.
The divide over abortion is also considerable. More
than seven in 10 (72 percent) college-educated women
say that abortion should be legal in most or all cases. Less
than half (43 percent) of men without a college education
agree; more than half (54 percent) say abortion should
be illegal in most if not all cases.
Trump is largely unpopular among the public. But
while men without a college education are not overly
enamored with him, he is far more popular among this
group than he is among college-educated women. Less
than half (48 percent) of men without a college degree
say they have an unfavorable view of Trump. College-
8
educated women are much more likely to express a
negative opinion of the former president: Nearly three-
quarters (73 percent) have an unfavorable view of Trump.
Fifty-nine percent of college-educated women have a
very unfavorable view of Trump.
Most Americans believe that diplomacy is a better
way to ensure peace than the use of military force. How-
ever, there is a wide gap between men without a col-
lege degree and college-educated women. Eighty-five
percent of college-educated women believe good
diplomacy is the best peacekeeping measure. Only
57 percent of men without a college education say
the same.
Masculine and Feminine Identity and
Experiences
When it comes to how American men and women
assess how much they approximate traditional notions
of masculinity or femininity, most do not describe them-
selves as being very masculine or very feminine. Fewer
than four in 10 (39 percent) men say they are very manly
or masculine. Roughly half (48 percent) of men say they
are somewhat masculine, and 11 percent say they are
not too or not at all masculine.
Women have a similar view of themselves when it
comes to femininity. Thirty-seven percent of women
say they would describe themselves as very womanly
or feminine, while roughly half (48 percent) say they are
 Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky

The Political Divide Between College-Educated Women and Non-College-

Figure 7. The Political
Educated Men Divide Between College-Educated Women and Non-College-Educated Men
Percentage who . . .

College-Educated Men College-Educated Women Non-College-Educated Men Non-College-Educated Women

20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Believe that abortion should be legal in most or all 43 50 66 72
cases
Support protecting the environment even with
45 48 59 65
some economic costs
Have an unfavorable opinion of Donald Trump 48 52 69 73
Believe diplomacy is the best way to ensure peace 57 61 67 85

Note: Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).

Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022. Note: Survey of US Adults [N=2,007].
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.

Figure 8. Republican Men More Likely Than compared to nearly half (48 percent) of women age 65
Democratic Men to Feel Very Masculine or older.
Republican men are far more likely than Democratic
Percentage of men who describe themselves as ___ masculine men to identify as traditionally masculine (Figure 8).
Very Somewhat Not Too or Not at All A majority (54 percent) of Republican men say they
54
are very manly or masculine, compared to one-third
53
(33 percent) of Democratic men. Notably, women
50 across the political spectrum are roughly as likely to iden-
tify as feminine. Roughly four in 10 Democratic women
(42 percent) and Republican women (39 percent) say
40 39 they are traditionally feminine.
White men are less likely to see themselves as very
33
manly compared to Black and Hispanic men. Only
30 36 percent of White men would describe themselves
as very masculine. A majority of Black men (55 percent)
and Hispanic men (52 percent) say they are very manly
20 or masculine.9

12 Being Viewed as Masculine or Feminine. Most

10
7
Democrat Republican
Note: Figures may not add to 100 percent due to rounding. Survey of US
adults (N = 2,007).
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
somewhat feminine. Fourteen percent of women say
they are not too or not at all feminine.
Self-perceptions of masculinity and femininity among
both men and women vary significantly by age. Young
men are less likely than senior men to say they are very
manly or masculine (32 percent vs. 43 percent). The age
gap is even larger among women. About one in three
(32 percent) young women say they are very feminine,
Americans say being viewed as masculine or feminine
is not an important priority for them. Less than half of
men (44 percent) and women (46 percent) say it is either
somewhat or very important that people see them as
masculine or feminine.
Older women are much more likely than younger
women to say that being viewed as feminine is import-
ant to them. Half (50 percent) of women age 65 or older
say being seen by others as feminine is at least some-
what important, while less than one-third (32 percent) of
young women say the same. Notably, men are no more
likely to say being seen as masculine is important to them
as they age.
Being viewed as masculine is generally more import-
ant among Americans with conservative views (Fig-
ure 9). A majority (55 percent) of conservative men
say it is at least somewhat important that they are

9
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
Figure 9. Conservative Men Place More Importance on Being Seen as Masculine
Conservative Men Place More Importance on Being Seen as Masculine
Percentage of men and women who say it is important to be viewed as masculine or feminine
Conservative
Liberal
Note: Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
viewed as masculine, compared to only 30 percent of
liberal men.
Among women, the ideological divide is somewhat
smaller: 55 percent of conservative women say being
viewed as feminine by others is important to them, com-
pared to 39 percent of liberal women.
Men with lower levels of educational attainment
express more interest in being viewed as masculine or
manly than do those with a college degree. A major-
ity (54 percent) of men with no college experience say
it is very or somewhat important that people see them
as masculine, compared to 38 percent of college-
educated men.
Not Being Masculine or Feminine Enough. Roughly
equal numbers of men and women report that they
experienced criticism growing up for not being appro-
priately masculine or feminine. About one in five (22 per-
cent) men say they were criticized during their childhood
for not acting like a man or not being masculine enough.
Similarly, 21 percent of women also report that they
faced criticism for not acting like a woman or being fem-
inine enough.
There are massive generational divisions in the num-
bers of men and women who say they were denigrated
for not conforming to masculine or feminine ideals.
Although young adults report being criticized more often
than older Americans, young men are especially likely to
report these experiences. Thirty-seven percent of young
men say they were criticized for not acting like a man or
being masculine, compared to only 6 percent of senior
men. Three in 10 (30 percent) young women say they
experienced criticism for not acting like a woman or being
feminine enough, while 11 percent of senior women had
this experience.
Men who faced criticism for their perceived lack of
masculinity faced different forms of social pressure and
abuse, but common themes emerged from these expe-
riences. When asked to describe these experiences,
10
Men Women
55 55
30 39
Note: Survey of US Adults [N=2,007].
some men reported that participating in activities that
were viewed as not sufficiently masculine or failing to pur-
sue masculine activities, like sports, resulted in teasing or
bullying. A 32-year-old man said: “I was bullied in school
for being part of the choir program and doing music.”
Another man said his uncle accused him of being too
feminine because he liked to cook and spend time with
his mother.
Other men report being mocked for their physical
appearance or demeanor. A 41-year-old man reported
that he was “bullied for being effeminate as a kid.” Another
man reported that “people would call me a sissy boy
because I wasn’t as big as them or as strong.” A 28-year-
old man said that he was called “gay” and “feminine” for
being “naturally hairless” and being on the swim team.
For other men, criticism came from more basic manner-
isms, such as the way they crossed their legs.
Finally, some men report that they were criticized for
expressing emotions or not being assertive. A 68-year-
old man said: “I didn’t stand up for myself enough as a
child. Many friends thought I should get in more fights.”
Physical Attraction, Romantic Expectations,
and the Gender Divide over Sex
American conceptions of sex and sexuality have changed
drastically in recent years. According to Gallup, the num-
ber of Americans who identify as something other than
heterosexual has more than doubled in the past decade.
Much of that increase is attributable to the rising number
of young people identifying as bisexual. Consistent with
these results, younger Americans are much more likely
to report being physically attracted to men and women.
But there are considerable differences between men
and women, with young women significantly more likely
than young men to report feelings of attraction to men
and women.
 Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky

Figure
Only10.
56Only 56 Percent
Percent of Young
of Young Women
Women AreAttracted
Are Attracted toto
Exclusively Men Men
Exclusively
Percentage who say they are physically attracted to . . .

Women Only Mostly Women, but Men Too Men and Women Equally Mostly Men, but Women Too Men Only Other

8 4 12 8 4 3 42 5
3
5 9

9
19

75 56
91 83

Men 18 to 29 Years Old Men 65 and Older Women 18 to 29 Years Old Women 65 and Older

Note: Figures may not add to 100 percent due to rounding. Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.

Americans Say Men, More Than Women, Have

Figure 11. Americans Say Men, More Than Women, Have Unrealistic Expectations in Dating
Unrealistic Expectations in Dating
Percentage who agree that when it comes to looking for a romantic partner . . .

Men Women All Americans

50 55 60 65 70 75
Most men have unrealistic
expectations for women 64 69 74
Most women have unrealistic
expectations for men 53 57 59

Note: Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).

Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.

Generational Changes in Physical Attraction. Young women express considerable flexibility in

Most Americans are attracted exclusively to people of
the opposite gender, but feelings of physical attraction
are changing for both men and women. Women in par-
ticular report more flexibility in their feelings of physical
attraction. Overall, 86 percent of men report they are
physically attracted to only women. Nearly eight in 10
(79 percent) women report they are attracted to exclu-
sively men. Notably, men are more likely than women to
say they are attracted to only the same gender (5 percent
vs. 2 percent).
Patterns of physical attraction are considerably dif-
ferent across generations, especially among women.
(See Figure 10.) Three-quarters (75 percent) of young
men say they are attracted to only women, compared to
91 percent of senior men. The generation gap is even
larger among women: 56 percent of young women
report being attracted to only men, compared to 83 per-
cent of senior women.
whom they feel attracted to. Nineteen percent of young
women report being attracted to mostly men but women
too. Nine percent say they are physically attracted to both
men and women equally. Three percent say they are
attracted to mostly women but men as well, and 4 per-
cent say they are attracted to exclusively women.
Expectations of Romantic Partners. Most Americans
believe that people have unrealistic expectations when
it comes to looking for a romantic partner. However,
both men and women say that more men have unrealistic
expectations than women do (Figure 11).
Overall, nearly seven in 10 (69 percent) Americans
believe that when it comes to dating, most men have
unrealistic expectations, including nearly two-thirds
(64 percent) of men and almost three-quarters (74 per-
cent) of women. A majority (57 percent) of Americans
also say that women have unrealistic expectations for
men. More than half (53 percent) of men and nearly

11
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
six in 10 (59 percent) women say that women have
unrealistic expectations when it comes to finding a
romantic partner.
The Sex Divide Between Men and Women. There
are yawning divisions between men and women over
how often they think about sex and sexual activity. Nearly
half (47 percent) of men report that they think about sex
most days or every day. In contrast, only about one
in five (19 percent) women report thinking about sex
this frequently.
Although sexually suggestive or explicit content is
frequently featured in advertising, television programs,
and movies aimed at young people, young men actu-
ally are less likely to report thinking about sex than are
men who are somewhat older.10 Four in 10 (40 percent)
young men say they think about sex most days if not
every day. In contrast, a majority of men age 30–49
(56 percent) and men age 50–64 (51 percent) report
that they think about sex most days or every day. Thirty-six
percent of senior men say they think about sex this often.
Across the board, women report spending far less
time thinking about sex, and generational divisions are
somewhat different. Fewer than one in four (24 per-
cent) young women say they think about sex most days
or every day. Similar numbers of women age 30–49
(27 percent) report that they spend time thinking about
sex regularly—at least most days. Women age 50–64
(18 percent) and age 65 or older (8 percent) report
thinking about sex less often.
Men who describe themselves as more masculine
report thinking about sex and sexual activity more often.
A majority (54 percent) of self-described “very mascu-
line” men say they think about sex most days if not every
day, compared to only 39 percent of those who say they
are not masculine. Notably, women who describe them-
selves as more feminine do not report thinking about
sex much more often than those who do not describe
themselves as more feminine (23 percent vs. 16 percent).
Educational differences are evident in how often men
think about sex. A majority (54 percent) of men with a
college education say they think about sex most days or
every day. In contrast, only about four in 10 (42 percent)
men without a college degree report that they think
about sex this often. Educational attainment does not
appear to have any bearing on how often women think
about sex.
Views About Premarital Sex. While most Americans
do not believe it is important to wait to have sex until
12
one is married, a large minority support this view. Nearly
four in 10 (39 percent) Americans say it is important to
abstain from having sex until one is married.
Opinions of premarital sex differ only modestly
between men and women. More than four in 10 (42 per-
cent) women say it is important to wait, compared to
35 percent of men.
Americans with lower levels of educational attainment
are much more likely to say it is important to abstain
from sex until one is married. Close to half (48 percent)
of women without a college degree—and 41 percent of
men without a degree—say it is important to wait. Only
about one in three college-educated women (35 per-
cent) and men (31 percent) say the same.
American attitudes about premarital sex also differ
significantly between those who are married and those
who have never been married. Nearly half (48 percent)
of married women say it is important to wait to have sex
until marriage. Four in 10 (40 percent) married men also
agree. In contrast, fewer than three in 10 never-married
women (29 percent) and never-married men (29 percent)
believe it is important to hold off.
There are massive religious differences in views about
premarital sex (Figure 12). A majority (69 percent) of
White evangelical Protestants and Black Protestants
(54 percent) say it is important to wait to have sex until
after marriage. Fewer than four in 10 (39 percent) Catho-
lics—including identical numbers of White and Hispanic
Catholics—and approximately one in three (34 percent)
White mainline Protestants say waiting to have sex until
marriage is important. Only 13 percent of religiously
unaffiliated Americans believe it is important to abstain
from sex until one is married.
The Sex Lives of Married and Single Americans.
Perhaps not surprisingly, single Americans—that is, those
who have never been married and are not currently in
a committed romantic relationship—report having sex
much less frequently than married Americans do. Nearly
half of married men (48 percent) and women (47 per-
cent) say they had sex in the past week.11 In contrast, fewer
than one in 10 single men (9 percent) and single women
(5 percent) say they had sex in the past seven days. Roughly
four in 10 single men (38 percent) and single women
(38 percent) report that they have never had sex.
Differences between married and single Americans
emerge in not only frequency of sex but also overall satis-
faction. In general, married Americans report having more
satisfying sex lives than do those who are single. Both
married men and women report higher levels of
 Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky

Most Evangelical Christians Say It's Important to Wait Until Marriage to

Figure 12. Most Evangelical Christians Say It’s Important to Wait Until Marriage to Have Sex
Have Sex
Percentage who agree or disagree with the statement "It's important to wait to have sex until after you are
married."

Agree Disagree
White Evangelical Protestant 69 30

Black Protestant 54 45

White Catholic 39 59

Hispanic Catholic 39 60

White Mainline Protestant 34 65

Unaffiliated 13 86

Note: Figures may not Note:

add to Figures maydue
100 percent notto
add to 100 percent
rounding. Survey ofdue to rounding.
US Adults Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
[N=2,007].
Source:
Source: American AmericanSurvey,
Perspectives Perspectives
MarchSurvey,
2022.March 2022.

Figure 13. Single Men Are the Most Dissatisfied with Their Sex Lives
Single Men Are the Most Dissatisfied with Their Sex Lives
Percentage who say they are _____ with their sex lives

Completely or Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Not Too or Not at All Satisfied

Married
Men 36 31 31

Women 40 34 25

Single, Never Married

Men 16 22 59

Women 29 26 39

Note: Figures may not add to 100 percent due to rounding. Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
Note: Figures may not add to 100 percent due to rounding. Survey of US Adults [N=2,007].
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.

satisfaction. Forty percent of married women and 36 per-
cent of married men say they are very or extremely satis-
fied with their sex lives. Single men appear particularly
unhappy with their sex lives: Only 16 percent of single men
report they are satisfied. Nearly six in 10 (59 percent) single
men say they are not too or not at all satisfied with their sex
lives. (See Figure 13.)
The greater feelings of dissatisfaction among single
men about their sex lives are particularly notable given that
single men are not less likely to report having sex than sin-
gle women are. Roughly two-thirds of single men (65 per-
cent) and single women (66 percent) report that they have
not had sex in the past 12 months.
What About Unmarried Americans in Relationships?
Not all unmarried Americans are single. Americans in
committed romantic relationships, but who have never
been married, report having more frequent sex than
married Americans do. Roughly six in 10 (58 percent)
Americans in a committed romantic relationship say they
had sex in the past week, compared to 47 percent of
married Americans.12
Unmarried Americans in committed romantic rela-
tionships also report being somewhat more satisfied in
their sex lives than married Americans do. Slightly less
than half (46 percent) of Americans who are in a relation-
ship say they are completely or very satisfied with their
sex lives, compared to 38 percent of Americans who
are married.

13
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
Figure 14. Three-Quarters of Republican Men Say White Men Are Too Often Blamed for America’s
Three-Quarters of Republican Men Say White Men Are Too Often Blamed for
Problems
America's Problems
Percentage of each group who agree or disagree that "White men are too often blamed for problems in American society"
Republican Men
Republican Women
Democratic Men
Democratic Women
Note: Figures
Note: Figuremay notadd
may not addtoto
100100 percent
percent due todue to rounding.
rounding. Survey of Survey
US Adultsof[NUS adults (N = 2,007).
= 2007]
Source: American Perspectives Survey,Source:
MarchAmerican
2022. Perspectives Survey, March 2022
Masculinity, Gender, and Changing Gender
Roles in Society
American society is debating over and revising many
long-held social norms and gender roles. Although most
Americans do not appear overly alarmed at the prospect
of these impending social changes, some Americans
register greater concern. More than half of men believe
that society is becoming too feminine, and many express
concerns about the extent to which White men are being
blamed for society’s woes. Conversely, young women
are most likely to embrace changing gender roles and
social norms as positive signs of progress.
Discrimination Against Men. Despite little evidence
that men experience persistent discrimination,13 roughly
four in 10 (41 percent) Americans say that discrimination
against men has become as big a problem as discrim-
ination against women. Most (57 percent) Americans
disagree with this statement.
There is a predictable gender divide in views about
the pervasiveness of discrimination against men in Amer-
ican society. Nearly half (48 percent) of men say discrim-
ination against men is equally prevalent among men and
women, while about one-third (36 percent) of women
say the same. The gender gap in perceptions of discrim-
ination against men is largest among young adults. Young
men are more than twice as likely as young women to
view discrimination against men and women as equally
problematic (52 percent vs. 25 percent).
Overall, more than four in 10 (44 percent) Americans
agree that White men are too often blamed for prob-
lems in American society today. A majority (55 percent)
of Americans reject this statement.
Views differ starkly along racial lines. Half (50 percent)
of White Americans, including 57 percent of White men
14
Agree Disagree
75 25
60 40
26 74
20 78
and 43 percent of White women, agree that White men
are too frequently criticized for problems in American
society. Fewer than four in 10 Hispanic (39 percent) and
Black Americans (27 percent) say the same.
The view that White men are unfairly blamed is partic-
ularly pronounced among Republican men (Figure 14).
Three-quarters (75 percent) of Republican men and
60 percent of Republican women believe White men
are too often blamed for problems in American society.
Only about one-quarter (26 percent) of Democratic men
and one in five (20 percent) Democratic women share
this view.
Is American Society Too Feminine? Americans are
somewhat divided over whether modern society has
become “too soft and feminine.” Close to half (45 percent)
of the public believes American society has become too
feminine, while a majority (54 percent) reject this idea.
Men are more likely than women to see American
society as too feminine. Slightly more than half (52 per-
cent) of men compared to 40 percent of women agree
that American society has become too soft and fem-
inine. A majority (58 percent) of women disagree with
the statement.
Men who consider themselves very manly or mascu-
line report being much more concerned about these
shifts in American society. Roughly six in 10 (61 percent)
very masculine men agree that society today is too soft
and feminine, compared to about half (48 percent) who
consider themselves somewhat masculine and roughly
a third (34 percent) who say they are not too or not at
all masculine.
There are sharp partisan differences in views about
whether American society has become too soft and
feminine. Seventy-eight percent of Republican men
and 65 percent of Republican women agree with this

Figure 15. Young Women Are More Likely to Say Social Changes Are Good for Society
Young Women More Likely to Say Social Changes Are Good for Society
Percentage who say that the following are good for society
Young Women All Americans
Men becoming more comfortable expressing 86
their feelings and emotions to others 70
More fathers staying home with children so their 56
spouses can work full-time 34
55
More women serving in the military
41
35
More children having gay or lesbian parents
14
Note: Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022. Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022
statement, compared to only 25 percent of Democratic
men and 20 percent of Democratic women.
Changing Social Norms and Practices. Americans
generally feel more upbeat than discouraged about
changing gender roles in American society, although a
significant proportion of the public believes these
changes will make little difference. About a third (34 per-
cent) of Americans say more fathers staying home with
children so their spouses can work full-time is good for
society. Roughly half (53 percent) say this won’t make
much difference, and about one in 10 (11 percent) would
characterize this as a negative development.
Americans are somewhat more positive about the
rise of women serving in the military. Roughly four in 10
(41 percent) say that more women serving is a positive
trend, while roughly half (47 percent) feel neutral about
this change. Only 10 percent of the public sees the
increase of women serving in the military as negative.
Americans overwhelmingly support men becom-
ing more comfortable publicly expressing their feel-
ings. Seven in 10 (70 percent) Americans say that men
becoming more comfortable expressing their feelings
and emotions is a positive development. About a quar-
ter (26 percent) say this change does not really make
much difference, while only 3 percent say this is a nega-
tive development.
Americans feel less positive about the rising number
of gay and lesbian parents. Only 14 percent say more
Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky
Note: Survey of US adults [N = 2,007]
children having gay or lesbian parents is a positive soci-
etal development. About half (54 percent) say it doesn’t
make much difference, and roughly three in 10 (31 per-
cent) say this is a negative trend. Views are somewhat
less negative today. In 2015, four in 10 (40 percent) Amer-
icans said the rising number of gay and lesbian parents
was a negative trend.14 However, Americans are not any
more likely today to say this is a positive development.
Republican men are uniquely concerned that more
children have gay and lesbian parents: 62 percent of
Republican men say this is a negative change in American
society. Less than half (44 percent) of Republican women
agree. Significantly fewer Democratic men (22 percent)
and Democratic women (14 percent) say the growing
number of children raised by gay and lesbian parents is
bad for society.
Young women appear uniquely optimistic about
changing gender norms and roles in American soci-
ety (Figure 15). The vast majority (86 percent) of young
women say it is good that men are becoming more
comfortable expressing their feelings and emotions.
Majorities of young women also say it is good for more
men to stay home with children (56 percent) and to have
more women serve in the military (55 percent). They are
also more than twice as likely as the general public to
say it is good for more children to have gay or lesbian
parents (35 percent vs. 14 percent).
15
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality
Loneliness, Life Satisfaction, and Personal
Happiness
Two years of quarantine, illness, and loss have undeniably
taken their toll on the American public. Even so, many
Americans do not believe they are in worse shape today
than they were before the pandemic. But the prevailing
feeling among the public is not overly upbeat. Americans
express general feelings of satisfaction with their health
and personal life, but feelings of insecurity and frustra-
tions persist.
Pandemic Life Changes and Personal Happiness.
Even as most Americans no longer believe COVID-19 is a
critical issue facing the country, a significant portion of the
public has not recovered from the pandemic’s social or
financial toll.15 Nearly one in four (24 percent) Americans
say their lives today are worse than they were at the start
of the pandemic. Notably, roughly as many (28 percent)
Americans say they are in better shape than they were
two years ago. Nearly half (47 percent) of Americans
report there has been no change in their lives since the
start of the pandemic.
Most Americans generally believe they are about as
happy as they could expect to be given their current sit-
uation. Roughly two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans say
they are about as happy as they expect to be. Six percent
say they are happier than they should be given how things
are going, and 28 percent say they are less happy than
they ought to be.
Women are generally more likely to believe they are
less happy than they should be given what’s happening
in their lives. Roughly one in three (32 percent) women
and one-quarter (25 percent) of men say they feel less
happy than they should.
Women who have never been married are among
the most likely to feel this way. Forty percent of never-
married women and 32 percent of never-married men
say they are less happy than they should be. The gen-
der gap is also evident among married Americans,
although overall they are less apt to feel this way. One
in four (26 percent) married women say they are less
happy than they should be, compared to 19 percent of
married men.
Feelings of Satisfaction: Life, Health, and Sex.
Americans are largely split on how they think things are
going in their lives. Thirty-eight percent of Americans say
they are very or completely satisfied with the way things
are going in their lives. Forty-three percent report feeling
16
somewhat satisfied, while roughly one in five (18 percent)
say they are not too or not at all satisfied.
Americans express similar feelings of satisfaction with
their personal health. Roughly four in 10 (37 percent)
Americans say they are very or completely satisfied with
their personal health. Forty-one percent are somewhat
satisfied with their personal health, and 21 percent say
they are not satisfied.
Americans are somewhat less upbeat about their
sex lives, although feelings are more polarized. About
one-third (35 percent) of Americans report being very
or completely satisfied with their sex lives. Three in 10
(30 percent) Americans report being somewhat satis-
fied, and nearly one in three (32 percent) say they are
not satisfied.
Women are somewhat more likely to report feeling
satisfied with their sex lives than men are (38 percent vs.
32 percent). Notably, frequency of reported sexual activ-
ity is closely associated with feelings of satisfaction with
one’s sex life. However, this relationship is considerably
stronger among men than women.16 Nearly seven in
10 (68 percent) men who say they have not had sex in
the past 12 months report being unsatisfied with their
sex lives, compared to less than half (48 percent) of
women who report the same.
The Connection Between Personal Satisfaction and
Satisfaction with Country. Few Americans report feeling
satisfied with how things are going in the country today.
Only 4 percent say they feel very or completely satis-
fied, 20 percent say they feel somewhat satisfied, and
three-quarters (75 percent) say they are not satisfied with
the present state of things.
Despite widespread feelings of pessimism about
the state of the country, for many Americans, these feel-
ings barely affect how they feel things are going in their
own lives. However, among liberals, there is a stronger
connection between how they feel about what’s hap-
pening in the US and their personal feelings of satisfac-
tion with their lives. Half (50 percent) of liberals who
report feeling completely or very satisfied with their per-
sonal lives are also at least somewhat satisfied with how
things are going in the country. In contrast, even conser-
vatives who feel completely or very satisfied with their
personal lives feel strongly negative about the state of
the country.
Personal Insecurities. Many Americans report regu-
larly struggling with feelings of insecurity or report feel-
ing unhappy with their physical appearance. About

Younger Women Most Often Say They Feel Unhappy with Their
Figure 16. Younger Women Most Often Say They Feel Unhappy with Their Appearance
Appearance
Percentage who say they have felt unhappy with how they look at least a few times in the past week
18 to 29 Years
30 to 49 Years
50 to 64 Years 27
65 and Older 21
Note: Figures may not add to 100 percent due to rounding. Survey of US adults (N = 2,007).
ote: Figures may not add to 100 percent due to rounding. Survey of US Adults [N=2,007].
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
Source: American Perspectives Survey, March 2022.
four in 10 Americans say that in the past week they have
felt self-conscious or insecure (37 percent) or unhappy
about how they look (40 percent) at least a few times.
Women are more likely than men to report feeling
self-conscious or insecure (Figure 16). More than four in
10 (44 percent) women say they have felt self-conscious
or insecure at least a few times over the past week. Thirty
percent of men report feeling the same. These feelings
are especially acute among young women. A majority
(56 percent) of young women say they have felt self-
conscious or insecure multiple times in the past week;
44 percent of young men say they have felt this way
as often.
Women also report experiencing feelings of unhap-
piness with how they look far more than men do. Half
(50 percent) of women say they have felt unhappy with
how they look at least a few times in the past week. Less
than one-third (31 percent) of men say they have felt
this way.
Young women are especially likely to feel unhappy
about their appearance. A majority (56 percent) of
young women say they felt unhappy with how they
looked at least a few times in the past week—and nearly
About the Authors
Daniel A. Cox is the director and founder of the Survey
Center on American Life and a senior fellow in polling and
public opinion at the American Enterprise Institute.
Beatrice Lee is a research assistant at the Survey Center
on American Life.
Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, and Dana Popky
Men| Women
|
39 56
35 57
45
41
one-third (32 percent) say they felt this way every day
or nearly every day.
Notably, young men also report feeling dissatisfied
with their appearance: 39 percent of young men say
they were unsatisfied with their looks at least a few times
in the past week.
Conclusion
We don’t have to agree on the nature of gender or the
sources of gender differences to appreciate that men
and women have distinctive experiences and perspec-
tives. In important ways, such as their political orienta-
tion, men and women appear to be moving further apart,
but this trend is not universal. When it comes to religious
practice and belief, there are signs that men and women
are converging toward lower levels of commitment and
a greater propensity for doubting. A better appreciation
of the ways in which men and women differ, as well as
the places where they do not, may ultimately help dimin-
ish misconceptions and reduce stereotypes, leaving all
of us better off.
Dana Popky is a research assistant at the Survey Center
on American Life.
17
Politics, Sex, and Sexuality

Notes

1. Kim Parker, Juliana Menasce Horowitz, and Renee Stepler, “On Gender Differences, No Consensus on Nature vs. Nurture,”
Pew Research Center, December 5, 2017, https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2017/12/05/on-gender-differences-no-
consensus-on-nature-vs-nurture/.
2. Kim Parker and Cary Funk, “Gender Discrimination Comes in Many Forms for Today’s Working Women,” Pew Research Center,
December 14, 2017, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/12/14/gender-discrimination-comes-in-many-forms-for-todays-
working-women/.
3. Daniel A. Cox, “The State of American Friendship: Change, Challenges, and Loss,” AEI Survey Center on American Life, June 8,
2021, https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-state-of-american-friendship-change-challenges-and-loss/.
4. For the purposes of this report, “college educated” refers to Americans with at least a bachelor’s degree, while “those without a
college education” refers to those with a high school diploma or less. Respondents with some college education, a degree from a
vocational school, or a two-year degree were excluded from this report.
5. Ruth Igielnik, “Men and Women in the U.S. Continue to Differ in Voter Turnout Rate, Party Identification,” Pew Research Center,
August 18, 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/08/18/men-and-women-in-the-u-s-continue-to-differ-in-voter-
turnout-rate-party-identification/.
6. Because men are disproportionately likely to report watching pornography and limited sample sizes of women frequently report
watching pornography, we limit our analysis in this section to men. Comparing the correlations between frequency of pornography
watching and reported feelings of loneliness and isolation, insecurity, and unhappiness with appearance, we find that pornography is
much more strongly correlated with these variables for men than for women.
7. Caryle Murphy, “Q&A: Why Are Women Generally More Religious Than Men?,” Pew Research Center, March 23, 2016, https://
www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/03/23/qa-why-are-women-generally-more-religious-than-men/.
8. Pew Research Center, “Wide Gender Gap, Growing Educational Divide in Voters’ Party Identification,” March 20, 2018, https://
www.pewresearch.org/politics/2018/03/20/1-trends-in-party-affiliation-among-demographic-groups/.
9. The sample includes fewer than 100 male Black respondents (N = 92).
10. Tom Reichert, “The Prevalence of Sexual Imagery in Ads Targeted to Young Adults,” Journal of Consumer Affairs 37, no. 2
(Winter 2003), https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=googlescholar&id=GALE|A112133125&v=2.1&it=r&sid=AONE&asid=
c3039a36.
11. In this analysis, “single” refers to those who have never been married and are not currently in a committed romantic relationship.
12. Americans who have never been married and are currently in a committed romantic relationship are not analyzed by gender
because the sample size is too small.
13. Parker and Funk, “Gender Discrimination Comes in Many Forms for Today’s Working Women.”
14. Kim Parker et al., Multiracial in America: Proud, Diverse and Growing in Numbers, Pew Research Center, June 11, 2015, https://
www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2015/06/11/multiracial-in-america/.
15. Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies, “Study #220137: NBC News Survey,” NBC News, March 2022, https://
www.documentcloud.org/documents/21554083-nbc-news-march-poll.
16. There is a much stronger positive correlation between frequency of sexual activity and reported feelings of satisfaction among
men (R = 0.49) than among women (R = 0.33).

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