An analysis of more than two decades of polling data shows that the number of liberal young women has soared over the past two decades, and their views on key issues have moved further to the left.
Over the past seven years, an average of 40% of women ages 18 to 29 have self-identified as liberal, up from 32% in the previous eight years (under President Obama) and 28% in the eight years before that (under President Bush). According to a Gallup survey.
Analysis of data going back to 2001 has shown that this demographic has always been the most heavily weighted among liberals, but the gap with other demographics is widening.
The difference between the number of liberal young women and liberal young men was just 3 percentage points in the first seven years; now it is 15 points.
While it's nearly impossible to pin the rise in liberalism among young women on a single event or trend, several factors likely influenced the demographic, with the biggest jumps occurring in the past decade.
The #MeToo movement and the recent rise in abortion bans across the country may have contributed to this change.
However, not only are there more liberal women in their 20s, but younger women are also becoming increasingly liberal in their policy views.
“[They] “They're not just identifying as liberal because they like the word, or because it's more comfortable for them, or because someone they respect uses it,” said Lydia Saad, director of Gallup's American Community Survey. “They're actually becoming much more liberal in their views.”
The analysis shows that young women are increasingly leaning left, especially on issues such as abortion, gun control, race relations and the environment.
Since the Obama era, this demographic has become nearly 20 percentage points more likely to support a full expansion of abortion rights, one of the biggest issues in the current election after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The shift could have a powerful impact at the polls if young women — many of whom agree on several key issues — become a solid voting bloc, researchers say.
Women voters under 30 “are not only very unanimous on these issues, but they are also dissatisfied and concerned about the country in these areas,” Saad said.
“The vast majority of women hold this view.”
