A new poll has found that only a third of young British women hold a positive view of men, pointing to a growing generational gap in attitudes and perceptions between younger women and older demographics.

According to the findings, just 35 per cent of British women under the age of 25 said they hold a positive view of men, with only 11 per cent describing their view as very positive. The data suggests that women under 30 are three times more likely to hold a negative view of men compared with older age groups.

The research was carried out by Merlin Strategy for the New Statesman, and highlights how attitudes among young women differ significantly from both their male counterparts and older women. It also suggests that women aged between 18 and 30 are among the most politically progressive groups in the UK.

The poll indicates that young women are increasingly sceptical about a range of social and economic issues. They are significantly less likely to feel positively about capitalism than young men, with a gap of around 26 percentage points. They are also more likely to believe the economy does not work in their favour and are more pessimistic about their future financial prospects, even in cases where young men are statistically more likely to face unemployment.

The findings also suggest that young women are less likely to expect to earn more than their parents, with a 21 point gap compared to young men. Researchers noted that more privileged women, particularly those in middle class professions, expressed higher levels of pessimism about being valued by society and about their long term success than working class respondents.

The study also found that under 25s are twice as likely as young men to say they do not want children, reflecting wider shifts in attitudes towards family life, financial stability and long term planning. Some respondents also expressed concerns about political pressures influencing reproductive choices, particularly in relation to debates around government policy and social welfare.

While the poll focused on attitudes towards men, researchers also explored broader cultural and political outlooks, finding that young women are more likely to identify as progressive and more likely to report dissatisfaction with current societal structures.

Commentary around the findings has linked the results to wider online discourse, including growing conversations about gender relations and the rise of gendered digital subcultures. Some analysts have pointed to the emergence of the so called “femosphere”, a term used to describe online spaces where women discuss dating, relationships and gender dynamics, often through a more critical or sceptical lens.

Reactions to the poll have been mixed, with some interpreting the findings as evidence of widening mistrust between young men and women, while others argue it reflects broader economic pressures, shifting expectations and changing social norms rather than purely gender based attitudes.

One commenter said, “Feminism has won. Look for love elsewhere fellas, you will not find it here.”

Another wrote, “Tbh many men are meh.. even when you look at the statistics of who commits more sexual and domestic abuse, the numbers speak for them selves.”

A third added, “Don't always blame social media, some of us have genuinely had real bad experiences.”

The research adds to an ongoing debate about generational divides in the UK, particularly among Gen Z, where attitudes towards politics, relationships and identity continue to diverge sharply across gender lines.