Feminism remains widely popular, particularly among younger women, even as conservative influencers promote traditional gender roles.
As conservative organizations are carefully curating messaging about femininity, marriage and traditional values, the data tells a different story: Feminism remains remarkably popular, especially among young women.
That reality stands in sharp contrast to the messaging on display at gatherings like Turning Point USA’s Young Women’s Leadership Summit, held earlier this month in San Antonio, Texas. The conference brought together over 2,000 attendees and conservative influencers including Erika Kirk, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Alex Clark and others. Rather than focusing primarily on policy, speakers emphasized faith, motherhood, wellness, femininity and what many described as the failures of modern feminism.
The summit reflects a growing strategy among conservative organizers to attract young women through lifestyle content rather than traditional political organizing. The “pink pill pipeline” is a pathway that introduces conservative politics through wellness culture, dating advice and discussions about traditional gender roles.
Yet while anti-feminist rhetoric has gained visibility online, research continues to show that young women remain one of the strongest constituencies for feminism.
As of 2025, 58 percent of women globally identify as feminists, and in the United States, 51 percent of people across genders identify as feminists.
Among Gen Z women, that number climbs to 53 percent, compared with just 32 percent of Gen Z men, highlighting a growing gender divide among young Americans.
… Gen Z is not abandoning feminism. If anything, young women are helping shape its next chapter.
The findings challenge the narrative that young women are turning away from feminism and are turning towards the “tradwife” phenomena. In fact, younger women consistently report higher levels of feminist identification than older generations. While 39 percent of Baby Boomer women identify as feminists, the figure rises to 53 percent among Gen Z women.
Polling also suggests that perceptions of feminism depend heavily on how the question is asked. Only 29 percent of American women identified as feminists when simply asked whether they considered themselves one. However, when given a definition of feminism as “someone who advocates and supports equal opportunities for women,” 61 percent of American women identified as feminists.
The discrepancy suggests that many women support feminist principles even if they do not always embrace the label itself.
A 2020 Pew Research survey found that 61 percent of American women said the term “feminist” describes them at least somewhat well, including 68 percent of women ages 18 to 29. The same survey found that majorities of both Democrats and Republicans support equal rights for women, even when they do not identify as feminists.
At the same time, many women continue to experience gender inequality in their daily lives. Around 40 percent of American women report experiencing discrimination or unfair treatment because of their gender. More than half of U.S. women said men have it easier than women. However, globally, 87 percent agree that equality between women and men should be the norm.
Feminism or feminist-ideals continue to resonate with younger generations. While conservative influencers increasingly promote traditional gender roles as a path to fulfillment, many young women continue to see equality as relevant to their lives and futures. The evidence suggests Gen Z is not abandoning feminism. If anything, young women are helping shape its next chapter.
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