In our Prosumer* study “The Future is FeMale”, over 12,000 men and women in 32 countries were surveyed on the issues of gender difference and gender relations, in society, in the workplace and at home. Are we moving towards an increasingly genderless world? How far will gender equality go? Here are the study’s main findings.

·      There’s no need to claim to be a feminist to be one. While few people say they’re feminists, 91% of women and 84% on men agree on the need for equal pay. And overall, a majority of people agree that the world would be a better place if women had more power.

·      Men are no longer the heads of the household.  While equality in the workplace or in politics is still a long way away, things have evolved a lot faster at home. What’s more, only 30% of men and 26% of women believe that a heterosexual relationship works better when the man plays the dominant role.

·      Gender stereotypes are fading... albeit slowly.  Men are less and less from Mars and women are less and less from Venus. We gave each participant a list of 25 personality traits and asked them to classify them as either male or female. The result: overall the traits were distributed equally between the two genders. Of course, certain distinctions remain: everyone still agrees that men tend to be more mechanically minded, and women more sensitive … and even that women are less suited for managerial positions. But the differences are growing smaller, and women are now considered just as creative, hard-working and useful to society as men.

·      Is gender identity just a mental construct?  The mere fact this question can be asked proves that there’s been a radical shift in perception on the subject. Indeed, the majority of women and 4 out of 10 men agreed with the following statement: “I don’t believe in the binary gender model. Gender is a fluid concept, and everyone can be who they want to be”. What’s more, these changes will undoubtedly foster parents’ desire to educate their children in a less gender stereotyped manner.

→ For a more in-depth view, download The Future is FeMale study.

* What are Prosumers? They’re the key influencers and driving elements of the market, who Havas Worldwide and BETC have been studying for over 10 years. Besides their direct economic impact, prosumers play a critical role in the market because they affect the choices made by brands, and the consumption habits of the public. Their behavior is closely monitored as it’s usually mirrored by traditional consumers in the 6-18 months that follow