American men under the age of 24 are more likely to oppose homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” than the previous two generations, and a large majority reject “transgenderism”, a study shows.
A December report from the American Institute for Boys and Men, based on data from a 2024 Pew Research Centre study, highlighted a trend towards anti-LGBT views among young men, and noted a growing gender gap.
Among men born in the 2000s, 65% think homosexuality should be accepted by society, down from 72% for those born in the 1990s and 69% in the 1980s, but four points higher than those born in the 1970s. For men born in the 1940s or earlier the figure was 51%.
Asked whether homosexuals should be allowed to “marry”, 71% of men born in the 2000s agreed, lower than those born in the 80s and 90s, but 8% higher than those born in the 70s.
On the question of whether acceptance of people who claim to be “transgender” was a positive change, 44% of the youngest generation agreed, slightly higher than the previous two generations.
On all three questions the gender gap for those born in the 2000s is the largest of any age group, with 82% of young women saying homosexuality should be accepted, 83% approving of same-sex so-called marriages, and 60% agreeing that acceptance of “transgender” people is a positive change.
Ryan Burge, professor of practice at the John C. Danforth Center at Washington University in St Louis, said in the AIBM report that the study showed men were more conservative than women, a trend that was becoming more pronounced over time.
“[The data shows] young men tend to hold more traditionally conservative views on social issues than women their age,” he said.
“Men, regardless of birth cohort, are less socially progressive than women from the same generation. What stands out in these results, though, is that the gender gap is much wider among the youngest adults than among their parents’ or grandparents’ generations.
“It’s also noteworthy that on same-sex marriage and the acceptability of homosexuality, men born in the 2000s are less liberal than men born in the 1990s.”
The report comes after an Australian study found 40% of teenage boys support “right-wing violent extremism”., while a 2025 poll not broken down by age found a growing number of men and women think homosexuality is immoral.
Header image: Young men tear down a homosexual flag in New York (NYPD).
