A new survey is highlighting a striking cultural divide between young men and women when it comes to what defines a “successful” life, with young male conservatives putting family at the top, while women, even conservative ones, rank it much lower.
According to a poll of nearly 3,000 young adults conducted by SurveyMonkey and NBC News, Gen Z male Trump supporters listed “having children” as their most important measure of success, followed by “having a job or career you find fulfilling.” NBC’s analysis noted, “Where the cultural differences between Gen Z men and women get particularly stark is when the breakdown includes who they voted for in the 2024 election.”
Female Harris voters prioritized “having a job or career you find fulfilling” first, then “having enough money to do the things you want to do,” and “having emotional stability.” Notably, “being married” and “having children” were among their least-chosen answers.
Even among conservatives, women ranked family life lower than men. “The top six answers for female Trump supporters were: ‘Achieving financial independence,’ ‘having a job or career you find fulfilling,’ ‘owning your own home,’ ‘being spiritually grounded,’ and ‘having enough money to do the things you want to do.’ Last among the top six was ‘having children,’” according to LifeSiteNews.
This split challenges assumptions about younger generations’ values. NBC News observed that the results “undercut previous claims that Gen Z is too focused on social media and becoming a YouTube star or other social media ‘influencer.’” All four groups surveyed ranked “fame and influence” dead last among 13 options.
The poll also highlighted a striking gender gap in anxiety about the future. Among all men, only 19 percent said they felt anxious “all the time,” compared to 33 percent of women. Another 33 percent of women reported feeling anxious “most of the time.”
Commentators quickly weighed in on the findings. Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh wrote, “Having children was the most important thing to men. It was least important to women. Tells you everything you need to know.” Inez Stepman of the Independent Women’s Forum noted the trend goes beyond liberal women, saying, “Interesting that children were still considerably lower on the list, behind financial stability etc, for women who voted for Trump.”
For Catholics, these results present both a challenge and an opportunity. The Church teaches that marriage and family are a vocation — a path to holiness and fulfillment, not just a lifestyle choice. As St. John Paul II wrote, “The future of humanity passes by way of the family.” Evangelization efforts aimed at Gen Z may need to reframe marriage and parenthood not as burdens but as a source of deep joy and meaning — a true measure of success in God’s eyes.
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