An Asymmetrical Gender Revolution: Five Cohorts of Dynamics of Gender Role Ideology in China

Yingchun Ji, Shanghai University
Feinian Chen, University of Maryland

Using data from 2010 Chinese General Social Survey, this study examines to what extent gender ideology has changed by cohort, and how gender ideology is related to marital status and education level. Using Paula England’s “uneven gender revolution” approach, we further examine how these dynamics are conditional on one’s gender. Our preliminary findings are mixed. Consistent with the “uneven gender revolution” perspective, we have found that younger cohorts of women are becoming more progressive in terms of gender ideology while younger men did not make any improvement. Educated women are more gender egalitarian; whereas education does not necessarily make men more progressive. Contrary to our expectation, marriage women are less gender egalitarian, but married men are more progressive, compared to their single counterparts.