Research
Most U.S. adolescents believe in gender equality, but they don’t believe we’ve achieved it. A new national survey of 1,037 U.S. adolescents ages 10 to 19 finds overwhelming support for gender equality, along with persistent concerns about sexism, online harassment, AI-generated abuse and unequal opportunities for girls.
Conducted by the nonpartisan research group PerryUndem for Plan International USA, the study explores how young people view gender equality in 2026 and how attitudes have changed since 2018.
On International Day of the Girl, Plan International USA released āListening to U.S. adolescents on gender & equality,ā a new national study examining how young people ages 10 to 19 view gender equality today. The research builds on our landmark 2018 study āThe State of Gender Equality for U.S. Adolescentsā and sheds light on how a generation shaped by social media, COVID-19 and rapidly evolving technology is experiencing gender inequality in real time.
The message from young people is clear: They overwhelmingly support gender equality. Yet many believe women and girls still face barriers, discrimination and unequal opportunities in everyday life.
At a glance
Key findings
94% of young people support gender equality.
Nearly all adolescents surveyed agree that men and women should be treated equally. Eighty-four percent say they want equal numbers of women and men in leadership posts across work, politics and public life.
Most say gender equality hasnāt been achieved.
Nearly two-thirds of adolescents (64%) say women have not yet achieved full equality in work, politics and life. Older girls are among the most likely to recognize ongoing inequality. Nearly half (46%) of boys ages 10 to 13, however, believe women have already achieved equality.
Support for gender equality in leadership is strong, but intensity has declined.
While 84% of adolescents want equal representation in leadership, the percentage who strongly agree has fallen significantly, from 58% in 2018 to 44% in 2026.
Authenticity and peace outrank conventional milestones and goals.
Seventy-nine percent of young people overall say being their true selves is very important; 74% say having enough money is very important; and 72% say āfeeling at peace.ā Among older girls exclusively, 84% say feeling at peace is very important, 16 points higher than boys their age (68%). Feeling at peace is very important to 79% of girls versus 66% of boys overall. Marriage (25%) and children (23%) rank last.
Interest in running for office is declining.
Twenty-one percent of young people surveyed have considered becoming a politician or running for office, compared with 33% in 2018.
Perceptions of equality differ by race.
Forty-five percent of white adolescents say full equality exists, compared with 29% of Latino, 28% of Black and 23% of Asian-American and Pacific Islander young people.
Black adolescents stand out for leadership and optimism.
Seventy percent see themselves as leaders, versus 45% of other adolescents; 54% say others see them as leaders, versus 38%; and 69% are very hopeful about achieving their goals, versus 53%.
Girls face more pressure even on traits traditionally coded as masculine.
Across ages 10 to 19, 61% of girls versus 48% of boys feel pressure to be emotionally strong; 48% versus 41% to solve problems without help; 39% versus 31% to hide sadness or anxiety; and 65% versus 53% to be confident.
Perfection and appearance produce some of the widest gender gaps.
Weekly worries include not being perfect, reported by 46% of girls versus 24% of boys; appearance, 65% versus 45%; comparing themselves with others, 47% versus 28%; and mental health, 40% versus 27%.
Girls who play team sports report better mental health, see themselves as leaders.
Among girls ages 14 to 19, those who participate in team sports report stronger mental health outcomes than those who do not. Thirty-six percent of girls who play team sports rate their mental health at the lower end of the scale, compared with 46% of girls who do not participate. Among girls, participation in team sports is correlated with seeing themselves as leaders and considering a career in politics.
Harassment and sexism are common.
Seventy-nine percent of girls report hearing boys make sexualized or demeaning comments at least once a month, and more than half hear them weekly or more often.
AI and tech create new threats.
Nonconsensual image sharing and AI-generated nude content are already affecting many young people’s lives. Among adolescents ages 14 to 19, 20% of girls and 8% of boys know someone who shared nude images of girls without consent.
Young people donāt trust institutions to keep them safe online.
Only 14% of adolescents trust social media companies to take sexual harassment and assault seriously. Just 20% trust government institutions to do so. Among social media users, 80% of girls versus 64% of boys have taken at least one listed protective action. Fifty-three percent of girls versus 32% of boys blocked someone because they felt unsafe; 60% versus 40% changed privacy settings. By contrast, 93% trust their parents or guardians.
What you can do
Why it matters
Since our previous study in 2018, young people have experienced extraordinary social and technological change. They are growing up in a world shaped by pandemic disruptions, constant connectivity, misinformation, algorithm-driven content and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.
Adolescence is a pivotal phase in human development, and these forces influence young people deeply. Yet young people are often excluded from conversations and decisions that affect them most. To create a more equal future, we must listen to their experiences, understand their concerns and invest in solutions that help them thrive.
To jumpstart and sustain this work, Plan International USA is advancing āBecause I Am a Girl.ā This global movement is for girls’ safety, education and ability to shape their own futures.
About the study
āListening to U.S. adolscents on gender & equalityā is based on a nationally representative survey of 1,037 adolescents ages 10 to 19, conducted from April 28 to May 5, 2026, through Ipsos KnowledgePanel. Its margin of error Ā± 3.5 percentage points.
The nonpartisan research firm PerryUndem conducted the study. Researchers also conducted focus groups with girls and boys ages 14 to 17 to better understand how young people discuss and interpret issues of gender equality.
Where relevant, findings are compared with Plan International USA’s 2018 survey of 1,006 adolescents ages 10 to 19.
Download fact sheets
Overview
Youth overwhelmingly support gender equality, but most still donāt see it
Authenticity
'Being myself' ranks first among life goals for U.S. adolescents
Sports
Girls who play on teams report better mental health than those who donāt
Leadership
Adolescentsā interest in running for office and desire for gender parity among leaders are waning
Online safety
Girls report routine online harassment that worsens their mental health
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