Small Progress in Gender Equality

Whether a man or a woman is at the head of the state or a company is not relevant for two out of three Germans. 65% have no gender preference for political leaders and 67% for supervisors at work.

Only 16% of respondents explicitly prefer a man and 15% a woman when it comes to politics. 17% explicitly prefer a male leader at work, while 14% prefer a female leader.

However, 49% (60% of men and 38% of women) believe that enough has already been done in Germany regarding gender equality (in 2019, it was 35%).

Almost half of men (45%) and 29% of women are even convinced that the promotion of gender equality now leads to discrimination against men.

52% of men and 64% of women believe that women will not achieve equality unless men also fight for women’s rights.

21% agree with the statement that a man who stays at home to take care of the children is not a real man. Ipsos breaks this number down by generations: only 8% of Baby Boomers agree, but 35% of Millennials, 26% of Gen Z, and 18% of Gen X.

62% of respondents (68% of women and 57% of men) believed that there is indeed an inequality in social, political, and economic rights between the genders.

38% of women and 49% of men believed that gender equality would be achieved within their lifetime.

51% of men and 36% of women felt that too much is expected of men to support gender equality.

29% feared negative consequences if they advocated for gender equality (in 2017, it was 13%).

Nevertheless, 45% of respondents could imagine measures they could take to promote gender equality (8% more than in 2018). Only 13% felt there was nothing they could do to make a difference.