Article Summary –
In American politics, the gender gap is widening, with younger men skewing more conservative and younger women leaning more liberal compared to the rest of the electorate. This deepening divide aligns with increased partisan polarization and is linked to three key issues: political affiliation becoming a fundamental part of identity, reduced empathy and cooperation between political parties, and difficulties in finding romantic partners with shared values. This widening divide may also contribute to the declining rates of long-term partnership, marriage, fertility, and child-rearing, which negatively impacts the nation.
Understanding America’s Deepening Political Gender Gap
The long-standing gender gap in American politics, with men generally leaning conservative and women trending Democratic, is increasingly widening among younger generations. Younger men are leaning more rightward than before, while younger women are shifting more leftward, exacerbating the polarization in American politics.
This deepening divide demonstrates the increasing differences between partisan Republicans and Democrats, essentially inhabiting what might as well be different planets. This polarization and its association with gender, leads to three major issues in American politics, spurring even deeper crises in American culture.
The Identity Politics Crisis
Firstly, although American politics has seen a surge in independents, partisan political affiliation has become a much stronger aspect of identity. As discussed in Ezra Klein’s 2020 book, “Why We’re Polarized,” our two major political parties are increasingly associated with various labels of class, culture, and education over the past 40 years.
For instance, as late as the 1980s, there were numerous pro-choice Republicans and pro-life Democrats in Congress. Today, views on controversial issues like abortion serve as a near-ubiquitous litmus test, with political affiliation holding a deeper significance in people’s identities.
The Empathy Crisis
Secondly, the growing monistic culture within our two dominant political groups is making it increasingly difficult for these groups to empathize and cooperate with each other. By 2022, majorities of those identifying with each political party viewed those in the other party as dishonest, immoral, and unintelligent. Moreover, the cultural divide continues to grow, with geographical and cultural markers like the presence of Whole Foods or Cracker Barrel predicting political leanings.
The Partnership Crisis
Thirdly, the disproportionate distribution of men in conservative camps and women in liberal camps contributes to a landscape where heterosexual Americans may find it increasingly difficult to find romantic partners who share their political and cultural values. This furthers an already declining trend in long-term partnerships, marriage, and child-rearing, negatively impacting the entire nation.
Marriage in America has become more of a luxury good over the past decade, with increasing rightward drift of young men and hostility to marriage within feminist circles exacerbating this trend. This rhetoric is contradicted by high marriage rates among left-leaning college graduates but finds unfortunate expression in rising rates of single motherhood among those without college degrees.
In conclusion, while partisan polarization is detrimental to the nation, polarization that increasingly correlates with gender is likely to have even more severe consequences.
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