Even it out

What is the biggest divide of our time? Many would say generation. Each week brings a heap of stories about the differences between old and young people.

MillennialsPeople who reached adulthood in the early 21st Century. resent BoomersBoomers, or baby boomers, are the group of people between 1946 and 1964. They were born during a baby boom directly after World War Two. for living in a time of growing prosperity. Boomers deplore Gen XPeople born between 1965 and 1980. for their liberal political views. And Gen X mock Millennials for buying too many avocados. All three think Gen ZShort for Generation Z, meaning people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s. spends too much time on their smartphones.

Recently however, researchers have unearthed a new divide: the gulf between young men and women. It might become the defining gap of our time.

Boys and girls, of course, have always been divided. For centuries they were sent to separate schools, played different games and wore distinct clothes - not always by their own choice. But young people's political views were rarely that different across gender. 

Some say this has now changed. The Economist analysed polls from 20 developed countries that asked people aged 18 to 29 to rank themselves on a scale from liberalLiberalism is a school of political thought that stresses individual liberty. Liberals believe that society should not try to impose values or behaviours on individuals but should be tolerant of different lifestyles. A leading exponent of liberal thought was the 19th-century English philosopher John Stuart Mill, the author of the classic work On Liberty. to conservativeHolding traditional values, and in a political context, favouring policies such as private ownership. . It found that young women were much more likely to be liberal. Two decades ago there was no difference.¹

The reasons for the growing gulf are complex. One is education. At the end of British secondary schools, girls are almost 10 months ahead of boys in English. Young women are charging ahead of men in higher educationEducation after you leave school - such as at a university. too. As many as 46% of female students in the EUEuropean Union. An economic and political union of 27 countries. earn a university degree, as opposed to just 35% of male students.

Work is another. Once most high-earning jobs were occupied by men. Women would often take less prestigious work or not work at all. Even in professional careers they would be paid less than men.² Now that all genders are equally eligible for most jobs, men have more competition.

These shifts have caused some men to resent women. Young men seem to be rejecting feminismCalling for women's rights with the aim of achieving gender equality. . In 27 European countries, men under 30 are more likely to believe that "advancing women's and girl's rights has gone too far" than men over 65.

In South Korea, almost 80% of men in their 20s think men are discriminated against. The country's last election saw an anti-feminist win power.³

Social media has fuelled this mindset. The Economist writes: "When homogeneous groups of like-minded people discuss an issue, they tend to become more extreme."⁴ An annoyed man can grow into a furious misogynistA person or being who dislikes and is prejudiced against women.  online - and then bring these views into offline life.

Not everyone agrees that the gulf is so clear. Political scientist Ruth Dassonneville studied 30 countries and found the trends different in each. She says: "I'm not quite sure we're really at a place where we can say there's been dramatic change".

Even if there is a divide, it could be mended. Primary schools could hire more male teachers, who can understand boys' needs. Some research says that boys intellectually mature a year later than girls - so many they should start a year later.⁵

And we could be going through a period of adaptation. Once the idea of a man being a nurse or a primary teacher seems normal, resentment might diminish.

Are boys being left behind?

Yes: It seems clear as day - young men and women are heading in different directions politically, educationally, socially and ideologically. And it is women who are trending upwards.

No: Men have hoarded power, money and status for centuries. Now women finally have the ability to achieve equal status. We are currently at a bumpy stage in this process. But it will level out.

Or... There is a lot of data that says yes. But this could be a temporary trend. And opinions and achievements could grow closer together as young people grow up. We need more to come to a conclusion.