By Santiago Bracho, Queen Mary University Graduate.
It has been a little over a month since the end of the UK riots, motivated by far-right violence. Currently more than a thousand people have been arrested in connection to the riots, and the majority of the prosecuted (which have been made public) have been men. Is there a link between violent extremism and masculinity?
According to John Burn-Murdoch, chief data reporter and columnist for the Financial Times, observed and analysed Generation Z – people under the age of 30 – for an article on the ‘global gender divide’ in January 2024. Its central claim is that globally across developed nations, Gen Z men are becoming more conservative and women more liberal at an expeditious rate, which he warns could damage social cohesion and create conflict.
There seems to be some truth to that view as gender-reactionary internet communities, such as the “Manosphere”, remain predominantly viewed by young men. Some of the most internationally prominent content creators are British – such as Carl Benjamin, Paul Joseph Watson and British-American Andrew Tate. Although, these remain niche, online-based communities, Sebastian Milbank, Editor of The Critic Magazine, claims “there is a powerful association with voting for right-wing and far-right parties, and being a young man”, suggesting these online subcultures and their effect on polarisation could manifest in political movements and further violence.
The polarisation of young men and women in media narratives
In current media narratives, young men’s rightwards shift, is often blamed on a failure of liberal institutions to attract young men. For example, Paula Surridge, Senior Lecturer in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies at the University of Bristol, has studied UK electoral habits amongst university educated people, and claims “there is something specific about the experience of higher education which produces more liberal values”. Concurrently, British-American political strategist Richard Reeves has commented how young men have been academically performing worse than women for the last decade and are less likely to enter universities. The latest data on university attendance in 2021/2022 shows “57% of higher education students in 2021/22 were female, while men made up 43%”. In a video report by DW News, this was a key factor to explain why as women become more educated, they identify as liberals, yet young men forego academic careers and shift rightwards.
Figures such as the academic Matthew Godwin have claimed this oversight by liberal institutions have made white, working-class men as the “ultimate victims” in the UK, and later claimed the UK riots were a result of this demographic’s ignored issues surrounding migration. Similarly, Mel Stride, Conservative Party leadership candidate has claimed the shunning of white working-class men by society has contributed to the UK riots. These media narratives pose the current divide specifically as an ignorance towards young men by liberal institutions, such as universities. According to the Daily Mail, this polarisation might be behind lowering fertility rates in the UK, showcasing the societal damage that might occur from it.
Is the current media narrative accurate?
However, some reports suggest the divide is truly not as significant as it appears. For example in regards to young men’s current academic low performance, by simply focusing on gender this ignores more diverse factors which contribute to this outcome. In the summer of 2024, the most recent secondary school results in the UK (A-levels) have been the highest results since the 2020 pandemic. However, a London school teacher Nadeine Asbali claims “the gap between the richest and poorest young people is bigger than it has ever been” showing how “in fee-paying schools, nearly half of all grades were A or A* compared to around a quarter of those in academies or comprehensives”. Therefore, the factor of class is being ignored when the focus is on gender. Also, despite women’s increased university participation , a 2021 study in the UK found that very small marginal change has been made in the gender pay gap between men and women in the workplace. Focus, on young men’s academic regression, does not often enough highlight this fact. Therefore, media focus creates a view of the battle of the sexes as a zero-sum game and ignores the shared discrepancies young people have with the educational and employment system in the UK.
Additionally, it could be argued gender political polarisation amongst young people, has not materialised into large political differences. YouGov analysis shows amongst voters aged 18 to 24, 40% of men polled voted Labour, compared to 42% of women. Although, there was more polarisation between men and women regarding votes for the Green and Reform party, these results show for most young men and women, voting habits seem quite similar. This corresponds with the 2018 British Social Attitudes Survey (page 84) which “found that divides are narrowing on a range of issues, such as sex before marriage, same-sex relationships, abortion and gender equality”. In addition, YouGov polls show 75% of Britons wholly opposed the violence in the riots, once again highlighting national unity on key factors, and a respect towards civil politics.
It appears John Burn-Murdoch’s study suggests a gender polarisation in terms of young people’s ideological identity, but not their specific views on political issues. However, other studies such as one by King’s College’s London Policy Institute in 2024 had a more diverse set of questions and it claimed “despite their [young men] generally being more socially liberal [than older men] …young men tend to be more worried about the challenges facing men”. This seems to suggest that anxiety and insecurity are driving factors in polarisation between young men and women, more than strong differences on political issues.
Media coverage should also highlight these arguments. Far too often, the coverage of gender polarisation almost fuels the division in the UK. Evidence shows most young men and women are opposed to the violence political radicalisation tends to bring, seem to mostly vote similarly, and have shared anxieties and fears with the current system. A more nuanced discussion is required, which aims to increase understanding and not further the divide.
Pictures from shutterstock.com
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Media Diversity Institute. Any question or comment should be addressed to [email protected]
