Fact Check: "Women ages 18 to 30 are 30% more liberal than their male peers."
What We Know
Recent polling data indicates a significant political ideology gap between young women and young men. According to the Harvard Youth Poll, a survey conducted in Spring 2025, young women (ages 18 to 29) are increasingly identifying as liberal, with 40% of them describing their political views as such. In contrast, only 25% of young men in the same age group identify as liberal. This translates to a 15% gap in liberal identification between the two genders.
Further analysis from Gallup supports this trend, noting that young women have become more liberal over the past several years, while the political views of young men have remained relatively stable. Specifically, Gallup reports that 27% of women aged 30 and above identify as liberal, compared to only 20% of men in the same age group, reinforcing the notion that the gender gap in liberalism is pronounced among younger voters.
Analysis
The claim that "women ages 18 to 30 are 30% more liberal than their male peers" requires careful examination of the data. The statistics from the Harvard Youth Poll indicate that 40% of young women identify as liberal compared to 25% of young men, which indeed reflects a 15% difference in their political ideologies. However, the claim of a "30% more liberal" comparison may stem from a misinterpretation of the data.
To clarify, the percentage difference in identification does not equate to a 30% increase in liberalism but rather a 15% gap in identification rates. The assertion might be more accurately framed as young women being 60% more likely to identify as liberal compared to young men (40% vs. 25%), but this is not the same as being "30% more liberal."
Moreover, the New York Times highlights that the political landscape for young women has shifted significantly since 2016, with various social movements and political events influencing their liberal views. This shift is corroborated by Gallup's findings, which indicate that young women are more politically engaged than their male counterparts, further contributing to their liberal leanings.
While the sources used are credible and provide substantial evidence of the trend, the interpretation of the percentage difference needs to be clarified. The sources are reputable, with the Harvard Youth Poll being a well-regarded survey of young Americans' political opinions, and Gallup being a trusted polling organization.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim that women ages 18 to 30 are significantly more liberal than their male peers is supported by credible polling data. While the specific phrasing of "30% more liberal" may not accurately reflect the percentage difference in identification rates, the underlying trend of young women being more liberal than young men is indeed true. The data shows a clear and significant ideological gap between the genders in this age group, with young women leading in liberal identification.
