Study: Half of Gen Z Believes the Gender Binary Is Outdated

Young people know that the future is nonbinary.

Among those polled in a new study, half of Generation Z (and 56 percent of millennials) thinks that traditional gender roles and labels related to the gender binary are outdated.

Additionally, over half of respondents believe that, in a decade, gender stereotypes related to occupation, personality, and products will be far less prevalent than they are today.

The findings were released by the ad agency Bigeye, which polled 2,000 adults from a range of ages, incomes, locations, and gender identities.

There were a few other interesting insights related to gender from the polling. For example, parents ages 18 to 55 are more likely to embrace gender-free early education than parents older than 56. And 73 percent of cisgender moms approve of gender-neutral play. Also, only 45 percent of LGBTQ+ respondents saw themselves represented in today's advertising.

"While the majority of Americans are cisgender, a significant percentage of younger generations believe the notion of identity is fluid and decidedly non-traditional," said Adrian Tennant, lead researcher and vice president of insights at Bigeye. "This study provides a snapshot of the broad, generational spectrum of opinions and beliefs held toward gender identity and expression within the media we consume daily through TV, ads, and online platforms.

"While the majority of older generations remain skeptical of advertising's ability to change perceptions of traditional gender roles, GenX and younger are leading the charge and challenging brands to portray more diverse audiences and expressions."