Those Who Identify As Feminist Are A Minority

In an article titled "Has Feminism Become a Dirty Word", the Economist and YouGov shared results from a poll they carried out asking both men and women if they were feminists. According to their findings; up to 18 percent of men identify as feminists, and up to 38 percent of women. This is indeed a minority, but it is even more than I had thought. This adds up to 28% of Americans consider themselves feminists, with women twice as likely as men to use that label for themselves. The poll results also show that,

... for women at least, feminism is generational, with the youngest women and those who came of age during the 1970’s feminist movement the most willing to use that label for themselves.

The willingness of women to call themselves feminists depends on their age. Only 28% of women 65 and older say they are feminists (the baby boomers now make up only a small proportion of this older group); 41% of women between the ages of 45 and 64 say they are. This group would have come of age and political awareness during the 1970’s, when the feminist movement was at its most visible and perhaps most active.


The next age group, women between 30 and 44, grew up seeing some of the backlash against the movement, and just 32% in this group call themselves feminists. But now, with what may be a renewed attention to women’s issues (including discussion of women’s role in the workplace, and controversies over funding for contraceptives) the youngest women in this poll, those between the ages of 18 and 29, are just as likely as those between 45 and 64 to call themselves feminists.

Feminism by age

One thing I found interesting was that after the respondents were given a a dictionary definition of “Feminist” - as someone who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes, their stand changed, by almost double!

... 57% then said that they would call themselves “feminists” with that definition. But once again, there were differences between men and women: 67% of women would now call themselves feminists, compared with 47% of men.

Feminism before and after definition

I find this poll, small and restricted as it may be quite intruiging. The original article goes into how democrats and republications identify, and how some conservatists regard the word Feminism as a dirty word, and as an insult in some instances. I have to say that was not too surprising, rather a bit funny :)

So whether male or female, do you identify as feminist? Based on your age, do you agree with the consensus, and if it was just about definitions, would be be tolerant and favorable disposed to identifying as feminsit?