More Americans say being a man helps than hurts a person’s ability to get ahead in the United States these days, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. By contrast, more Americans say being a woman hurts rather than helps.
Six-in-ten U.S. adults say being a man helps a lot or a little when it comes to a person’s ability to get ahead in the U.S., compared with 14% who say it hurts (either a lot or a little). Some 67% of women say being a man helps a person’s ability to get ahead at least a little, including 48% who say it helps a lot. By comparison, 52% of men say being a man helps, and 28% say it helps a lot.
Women younger than 30 are more likely than women ages 30 and older to say being a man helps a person get ahead (76% vs. 64%). Women with a bachelor’s degree or more education are more likely than those with some college or less education to say that being a man helps (79% vs. 61%). Among men, there are no differences in views by these education levels.
HELPS OR HURTS
There are also partisan differences on whether being a man helps or hurts a person’s ability to get ahead. Among Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP, 43% say being a man helps, 22% say it hurts, and 34% say it neither helps nor hurts. By comparison, 77% of Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party say being a man helps.
White and Black Americans
Among both White and Black Americans, women are more likely than men to say being a woman hurts a person’s ability to get ahead. However, there are no differences on this question between Hispanic women and men.
POLITICAL AFFILIATION AND GENDER GAPS
When looking at party affiliation, Republicans’ views are mixed. Similar shares of Republicans say being a woman helps (33%) and hurts (31%) a person’s ability to get ahead, while 35% say it neither helps nor hurts. Among Democrats, a majority (68%) say being a woman hurts when it comes to getting ahead.
GENDER DISPARITIES WITHIN POLITICAL PARTIES
There are again large gender differences among Republicans and smaller ones among Democrats. Republican women are about twice as likely as their male counterparts to say that being a woman hurt (43% vs 21%). In turn, 41% of Republican men say being a woman helps, compared with 23% of Republican women. Among Democrats, majorities of men and women say that being a woman hurts, but women are more likely than men to say this.
