We recently asked Gen Z women from both sides of the political aisle to share their views on conservatism growing in popularity among their male peers. Their points of view on why this shift is occurring were wide-ranging; here's what they had to say:
1. "I'm a Gen Z teen who lives in a very small southern town, meaning I get to experience and see the young men who dedicate their lives to Trump. I believe they are shifting more toward the right side because it's giving them a chance to still be in control."
2. "My boyfriend's very right-leaning; however, a lot of his friends feel that the current way political and social discourse is going, there's a lot of focus on uplifting marginalized voices, and at times, this can make them feel like their perspectives are being overlooked or dismissed."
"They feel like their voices, especially as white straight men, are often stereotyped in ways that make them feel blamed for issues. While it's important to address inequality and amplify marginalized voices, I also think it can feel a bit isolating for them, like they are being viewed as a problem by one side of the political spectrum. I feel like that would inadvertently push them toward the opposite side where they might feel more welcome, regardless of whether it aligns with their views or not."
—Anonymous
3. "So many males are angry and want something to blame. Fox News has told conservatives that if they're not sex gods with $100 million in the bank and abs of steel, it's because of immigrants, welfare, feminism, liberals, etc."
"It's so much easier to point at everything else rather than growing up, learning to be kind, honest, humble, thoughtful, and that not everyone is going to make big bank, marry well, retire well, and live a fulfilling life."
4. "I’m a high school girl, and I have noticed the majority of boys in my generation are leaning conservative. I honestly don’t blame them; the other side seems to hate them!"
"Young men are being blamed for mistakes that were made before they even were born, but there are so few moderate role models. They are forced to listen to extremists like Andrew Tate just to feel like they have value!"
5. "Humor is often taken too far. Dark humor is becoming a trend, especially among young men, and while even I find it funny from time to time, there has to be a limit."
6. "There are no major left-leaning podcasts, YouTube channels, or social media pages. The current loneliness epidemic is having younger generations often only finding social solace online. Conservative right-winged social media, podcasts, YouTube videos, and news (opinion) channels are dominating the younger male audience."
7. "I think Trump makes guys feel powerful and sexually dominant by putting women back 'in their place' in society. What other avenues do young men have in society to feel powerful?"
"There are few 'good' jobs left. Not everyone has what it takes to be a doctor or a lawyer. Do you think the 23-year-old guy working at the local gas station feels powerful? Most young people stuck working dead-end jobs feel like losers. Trump offers them a different version of society where they get to be strong, powerful, and the most important people in the room."
—Anonymous
8. "Social and emotional issues are on the rise, including subjects like LGBTQ+ rights, women's rights, racial equality, and more. While these issues are important, and (some) men will agree they are important, they do not understand their role. They often think: 'Anyone can do what they want to do, why should I care?'"
"Sometimes, people seeking to educate and spread awareness do it in a judgmental, accusatory way, calling those who don't understand ignorant, and often making them feel devalued. This then causes men who have the potential to learn and understand to turn to the people who understand their mindset, which is the far right, who are wildly against these issues. While this, in my opinion, is not the only contributing factor, I do believe it is a significant one that is important to understand and change."
—Anonymous
9. "As a mom of an 11-year-old boy, it is hard to go against what they see online, like women in gyms yelling at men for looking at them and that sort of thing."
10. "My ex-boyfriend fell down a TikTok rabbit hole of anti-women content, where guys preach that women should stop being independent and go back to 'worshipping men.' It’s wild how many Gen Z guys are buying into these flashy, toxic narratives, blaming women for everything. Relationships should be about respect, not outdated roles. Honestly? It’s just sad, but hey, that’s why he’s an ex."
—Anonymous
11. "My male friends believed wholeheartedly that Democrats were going to send them to war. So, they voted for Trump. Even though they thought he wasn't a good person."
—Anonymous
12. "From the outside view, straight white males get the worst deal in current society. Those guys can't win. They are told that they're all 100% racist, misogynistic, and transphobic. They're told that they're the more unsafe option compared to a bear."
"There's no aton or path to salvation for them. The world is saying they're the boogeymen, and we like to keep them that way. Is it any wonder that they're turning toward a side that doesn't want to keep them as a permanent fall guy? The men in my life are amazing, and it breaks my heart to see what modern society is doing to them. I don't know if it's just the cascade effect from third-wave feminism, but something has to change. The men and boys in our lives are struggling, and the right-wing seems to be the only team willing to engage them as thinking people. I know lifelong Democrats who are new Trump voters because of the alienation and general derision they see. They're perfectly reasonable people who have traditionally voted with the left and genuinely care for others. Still, even the most compassionate man can do the cold math and change his vote when their party and the base demonize them at every opportunity."
—Anonymous
13. "I think more young men are voting conservative because they feel that society has labeled them 'toxic' for long enough. They want a party that will respect and value not just women and nonbinary people, but also men."
14. "Men are shifting right because 'modern feminism' isn’t about equality anymore; it’s about who has more power."
"All the men in my life who are conservative are married, have great relationships with their wives and kids, and are super involved parents. The ones that swing way left are the most sexist people around. They will go after my husband for being an involved parent and tell me how well I 'trained' him because straight, conservative men can't just be good parents and partners. No wonder men don't want to subscribe to that ideology!"
—Anonymous
15. "After having conversations with my moderate guy friends, I feel like they don't care about stuff unless it directly affects them. So when talking about liberal policies, they don't see the personal benefit, but with conservative policies, they see more of a personal gain, so they vote for the conservatives."
16. "They are losing the feeling of being the 'big strong hero' and feel just plain old equal."
"They want to be considered the 'hero,' but don't realize that with being the hero, women lose a lot of the things we have been working toward. When I can vote, I will be making sure to vote for the person who realizes that having women in power isn't threatening."
—Anonymous
17. "I think the Democratic Party has made cis-het men feel alienated by not caring about any issues that really pertain to them. The issues that seem to matter most to the left are social issues that impact minority communities. Those issues are important, but vilifying and alienating men helps no one."
—Anonymous
18. "I've had an ex-boyfriend tell me that he struggled in the relationship because 'he wasn't the more successful one.' There's a narrative that historically men have been the more traditionally successful ones in relationships financially, educationally, and professionally because women haven't been allowed to pursue these things fully until the last few decades, and in many places still can't."
19. "America was built on the backs of men, who are now supposed to be ashamed of themselves for just being men. The left tries to fit everyone in some little box labeled with toxic names, and young men are sick of it."
"I have a conservative husband who treats me as a partner. The fact that the other side tries to make me feel bad for loving my husband, who is a provider, protector, and nurturer, is exactly why Trump was voted in. STOP PUTTING PEOPLE IN BOXES AND PLAYING VICTIM! We are all lucky to be born in a country where we have those freedoms."
—Anonymous
20. "I, as the oldest part of Gen Z (turning 28 this year), believe the rise of conservative views amongst Gen Z men is due to the fact that men, particularly white men, may feel overlooked in society."
"For a majority of history, the world has catered to them; for once, they are having to put in the footwork that minorities and women have been putting in since the beginning of time. This may feel like oppression if you are used to the field always being in your favor when, in reality, it's no longer heavyweight vs. featherweight; you actually have to get up and fight (work) for what you want. In turn, they can look at the 'woke culture' of modern society as the culprit and wish to conserve the relics of the past they have never lived in or experienced."
—Anonymous
21. "I was born in 2000; my husband was born in 1998. From what we've seen, a lot of young men have realized that women are not dependent on men anymore. They see that women can have a career, live on their own, and be happy without having a boyfriend or being married. So why would women waste their time with a man who doesn't treat them well or doesn't actively improve the quality of their lives? For a lot of men, it's easier to say that women demand too much or have too high standards rather than learn to be a good partner."
"They don't like that being shallow, selfish, or lazy is now affecting their chances of finding a partner. So their genius solution is to blame women for becoming more independent rather than realize the real problem is that they don't treat women well."
—Anonymous
And finally...
22. "We're living in a time where women, trans, and nonbinary people are taking up positions of power more than ever before, feeling more comfortable breaking traditional gender norms."
"With that comes a realization for cis men that they are losing power in their society. So, aligning with a political side that strips everyone else of their rights and liberties makes sense to them. We need more feminist men."
—Anonymous
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. If you want to hear from Gen Z men on this topic, check out our post here.
Responses have been edited for length/clarity.
