🚨 Top results from our new study: Drivers of public opinion - gender edition. Why have women lost their reproductive rights after 50 years? Here's why.
Full report: tinyurl.com/3x3hvn97
Conversation
Replying to
1) Context: The best predictors of vote choice relate to views about race and gender. This is from a survey we did with 538 and YouGov predicting vote in the midterm (btw: post-election polling validates)
1
4
9
2) These five items are the most consistent predictors of opinion across 34 different policy issues. In other words, views toward a changing America are central drivers of opinion.
1
6
13
3) On the surface, most people believe in equality for women and think there's more work to do.
1
2
8
4) But, from the 10,000ft view: the country overall is in the middle on beliefs toward women, gender, and sexism.
1
2
10
5) I.e., the public is not as egalitarian as they (or we) tend to think they are. Here are some of the most striking findings:
1
7
13
6) Views toward women / sexist beliefs are most distinct by party ID - not gender. E.g.:
1
7
16
7) Republicans are feeling resentment and expressing backlash.
2
4
10
8) Just 34% of Republicans think a man who forces his wife to have sex against her will should definitely be prosecuted
9
37
62
9) Big gulfs on the intersection of race and gender. This is one area we've seen recent shifts among Democrats - higher %s disagreeing that women of color have equal opportunities as white women
1
1
9
10) Here's why we say differences are more about party ID than gender. Democratic men look more like Democratic women than other men (or women).
1
5
14
11) There are some gender differences within and across racial/ethnic groups. Black women hold the most egalitarian views; white men least. Exception: gender identity.
1
4
11
12) Does sexism and beliefs toward women relate to abortion views? Absolutely. Pro-choice adults in blue, anti-abortion adults in orange:
1
16
28
13) Here's one of the most stunning findings. I'll track this question for a long time. Agree or disagree: "There are many irresponsible women who will decide to have an abortion up until the moment of birth."
3
14
23
14) Pause a minute there. Half the public thinks there are many women who, at say 39 weeks of pregnancy carrying around an 8 pound baby, decide to have an elective abortion out of irresponsibility. I doubt this scenario applies to a single person on the PLANET, let alone "many"
3
15
65
15) I.e., this belief is not based on reality, it's based on one's views toward women. Here's what those who strongly agree think:
2
8
19
16) This is an enlightening quote from an anti-abortion voter in Texas.
1
5
20
17) But her belief is not about reality - most people who have abortions are at or near poverty, have already have a child, and cite responsibility to care for others and not being able to afford a child as reasons for an abortion. This is about sexism and false stereotypes:
1
8
26
18) And it's sexist views and false stereotypes that are the best predictors of abortion views - not religiosity, gender, education, party ID, ideology, etc.
3
16
18
19) BTW: anti-abortion respondents are more likely to think a male partner knows that abortion is “ending a life or a potential life” (55%) than the woman having an abortion (38%)
1
2
9
20) Why are we here?
1
4
15
21) Here's our take:
2
3
17
22) P.S. Good news - only 3% of adults in our survey think the eggs in women's ovaries have shells on them
4
13
36
23) Bad news: 22% aren't sure. 29% of men say yes or not sure.
1
15
24
24) P.S. What does the future hold? Look to 18 to 29 yos, who are VERY different
2
19
54