WASHINGTON, D.C. -- This International Women’s Day, 优蜜传媒surveys reveal a significant gender disparity in perceptions of respect and dignity for women across 144 countries, including the United States. In 93 of these countries, women are much less likely than men to feel that women are treated with respect and dignity.
In the U.S., an 18-percentage-point gap separates women and men on this issue. In 2024, 49% of women, compared with 67% of men, believe that women in the U.S. are treated with respect and dignity. This marks a sharp decline over the past decade, with men's perceptions decreasing by nine percentage points since 2015, and women's perceptions dropping by 17 points -- effectively doubling the gap between them.
The U.S. stands out globally not only for this decline but also for the growing divide in how men and women perceive the issue.
How the U.S. Compares Globally
In terms of overall perceptions, the 58% of Americans who currently say women are treated with respect and dignity ranks the U.S. near the bottom of the list of wealthy OECD countries (31 out of 37 surveyed). While not the lowest (fellow OECD member Türkiye is the lowest in the world, at 21%), the figure ties the lowest ever recorded for the U.S., underscoring a continued decline in public confidence regarding women's treatment.
The U.S. has also seen one of the largest increases in its gender perception gap compared with the world. Out of 130 countries surveyed in both 2011-2012 and 2023-2024, the U.S., with a 13-point increase, recorded the sixth-largest overall increase in disparity between men’s and women’s views. Among younger respondents (aged 15 to 44), the U.S. ranked third in terms of the largest growth in the gender gap.
Countries with sizable increases in gender perception gaps include North Macedonia, Albania and Greece in Southeast Europe; Singapore and Australia in Asia-Pacific; Mauritius in sub-Saharan Africa, and the Dominican Republic, Bolivia and Honduras in Latin America.
Conversely, some countries have moved in the opposite direction. For example, fellow OECD members Germany, Austria, France, Luxembourg and Estonia in Europe, along with Algeria and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East and North Africa, saw their gender gaps shrink during the same period.
Gender Gap Expands More Among Younger Than Older Americans
The disconnect between women and men is most striking among younger Americans.
- Among those aged 15 to 44, the gender gap expanded from two points (75% vs. 73%) in 2011-2012 to 22 points (63% vs. 41%) in 2023-2024 -- a 20-point increase.
- Meanwhile, for Americans aged 45 and older, the gap grew more modestly, from nine points (83% vs. 74%) to 15 points (71% vs. 56%) -- a six-point increase.
What Does This Mean for the U.S.?
Over the past decade, national conversations in the U.S. about gender roles, workplace equality and safety have intensified. Movements such as #MeToo have brought heightened awareness to issues of sexual harassment and assault, potentially shifting how women assess respect and dignity in society. At the same time, political and legal battles over reproductive rights, pay equity and workplace discrimination have fueled debates over gender equality.
While U.S. men as well as women have become more likely to doubt that women are treated with respect in the U.S., the growing disparity in their views suggests women are more aware of or sensitive to the factors driving this change.
This trend could have significant implications for policy, workplace dynamics and cultural conversations. If women increasingly sense that respect for women is lacking, while men do not see the issue in the same way, conflict or misunderstanding could ensue.
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