Let’s be real, for our generation, we don’t believe in strict gender norms. Blessed be the times we live in, we are growing up without the societal pressure to conform to the binary understandings of femininity and masculinity — and we’re absolutely loving it.
Over on TikTok, cisgendered boys are embracing their femininity with maid outfits, mini-skirts and crop tops; vintage thrift circles are breaking down the gendered barriers of fashion; and there’s a growing young and celebratory community of non-binary and trans superstars—👸Aj Clementine👸 superiority, anyone?
WATCH: Aj Clementine on ignorance
So, it should come to no surprise that a new study claims that 50 percent of Gen Z believe that traditional gender norms are yesterday’s problem.
The new US-based survey was conducted by ad agency Bigeye, and asked 2000 Americans of varied generations a series of questions about gender identity and gender representation. These ranged from what types of clothes they wear to how they identify, to whether children would be more open to working in a broader range of occupations as adults if they were given gender-neutral toys to play with.
And, while the new survey is US-focused, we can’t deny that we’re obsessed with the results. According to the study, half of our gen think gender roles and binary labels are outdated, and just over one half of respondents (54 percent) agree that ten years from now, we will associate gender with stereotypical personality traits, products and occupations much less than we do today.
WATCH: Harry Styles wears a full face of makeup for magazine cover
“We are shifting our understanding of the gender binary and younger generations are becoming more open to that,” one Gen Z respondent said. “This will grow as time goes on.”
“I already see a change in the way products are marketed,” wrote another. “Improvements and inclusivity are better in today’s society than in the past.”
The survey also found that less than one-half of Gen Z primarily wear clothes designed for women, with the majority more likely to wear clothes designed for women or men depending on how they feel that day. We really woke up and chose to wear a baggy pair of men’s pants today with a cute femme blouse, and we love that for us.
The Gen Z response harks back to Harry Styles’s iconic Vogue photoshoot, where the former Watermelon Sugar singer sported a series of femme-presenting clothes like soft white dresses, despite identifying as the gender he was assigned at birth—male. You can read the full report here.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
