by Conn Carroll
Published:October 13, 2022
-Washington Examiner
Times are tough out there for liberals, especially women. According to the 2022 American Family Survey, no demographic is unhappier and less satisfied with their mental health than liberal women.
Over 30% of conservative men and women said they were “completely satisfied” with their lives, compared to just 20% of liberal men and 15% of liberal women. The gap between liberals and conservatives was even wider on mental health. Over 35% of conservative men and women said they were completely satisfied with their mental health, compared to, again, just 20% of liberal men and 15% of liberal women.
Looking to explain why liberal women are so unhappy, National Marriage Project Director Brad Wilcox notes that no demographic is happier with their family life than conservative women. Over 60% of conservative women say they are completely satisfied with their family life, compared to 50% of conservative men and just 35% of liberal women.
Wilcox argues that liberal women are unhappy because they believe independence, freedom, and work will make them happier than marriage and family obligations. And that is no doubt a big part of it.
But women, especially young women, have also become far more liberal and far more obsessed with politics than they were a generation ago. As recently as 1998, young (18-29) men and women had essentially the same political views: Just under 30% of both genders identified as liberal. But now, young women have become far more liberal than men, with the latest data showing that 45% of young women identify themselves as liberal compared to just 25% of men. Women are also more politically active than men, with the turnout gap between the two genders growing every election.
The world is a highly imperfect place that needs lots of change. But perhaps young liberal women would be happier if they took Mother Teresa’s advice: “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
