Every relationship is different, but new research suggests many young men may share surprisingly similar expectations about how their girlfriends should behave.
Generation Z—typically defined as those born between 1997 and 2012—has a reputation for reshaping dating norms, reportedly having less sex than older generations, and favoring nicotine pouches over vapes.
Now, a fresh survey indicates that a notable number of Gen Z men also believe women in their lives should follow their instructions.
On Thursday (March 5), researchers from the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s Business School in London and the UK market research firm Ipsos released concerning findings ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8.
The report outlined perceived “societal views” drawn from 23,000 men and women across 29 countries, including the UK and India.
Respondents spanned multiple generations—Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z—with an expert warning that some of the outcomes could be particularly “damaging”.
According to the IWD 2026 survey, nearly one-third (31 percent) of men born in the late 1990s through the early 2010s said wives should always obey their husbands.
In addition, 33 percent said husbands should always have the final say on major decisions.
Women respondents were far less supportive of those views, with 18 percent of Gen Z women reportedly agreeing that they should yield to their partner’s wishes.
Among Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964), 6 percent also expressed the view that a spouse should “obey” their partner.
Other notable results included 24 percent of Gen Z men saying women shouldn’t seem “too independent or self-sufficient”; 21 percent endorsing the idea that “real women” should never initiate sex; and 59 percent saying men are expected to “do much to support equality”.
Meanwhile, 41 percent of Gen Z men reportedly said women with successful careers are more attractive to men.
Overall, the survey’s authors concluded that younger people tend to be more likely than older generations to hold “traditional views on decision-making within a marriage”.
Professor Heejung Chung, Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s Business School, said that it was ‘deeply concerning to see traditional gender norms persisting today’.
“Our data reveals a striking gap between people’s personal views, which are far more progressive, and what they imagine society demands of them,” she continued.
“This gap is particularly pronounced among Gen Z men, who not only appear to feel intense pressure to conform to rigid masculine ideals, but in some cases seem to also expect women to retreat to more traditional ways of being.”
Julia Gillard, Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at the institution, added that it was ‘troubling to see that attitudes towards gender equality [were] not more positive, particularly among young men’.
“Not only are many Gen Z men putting limiting expectations on women, they are also trapping themselves within restrictive gender norms.”
Gillard also said she wants continued efforts to challenge the narrative of a “zero-sum game” where only women benefit from gender equality.
“We need to ensure everyone is taken on the gender equality journey, with a clear understanding of why it benefits all of society. This report provides sorely needed knowledge on global gender equality trends.”