Feminism is not as widely accepted on a global scale as one might think, with only 39 percent of respondents in 31 mostly high and upper-middle income countries identifying as feminists. In contrast, an average of 51 percent disagreed with being described as feminists. Only two countries, India and Spain, had a majority of respondents agree that they saw themselves as feminists. Even when only considering the responses of women, the number of countries where a majority identified as feminists only increased to seven.
In Japan, the country with the lowest percentage of respondents identifying as feminists, only 15 percent of both men and women agreed with the statement. The negative connotations associated with feminism in Japan were highlighted by the fact that 61 percent of respondents overall disagreed with the idea. Similarly, South Korea, the second-lowest ranked country, has faced criticism for its lack of women’s rights and a growing group of men described as anti-feminist or incel.
The backlash against feminism in these countries is driven by economic hardships in developed economies, particularly in East Asia. The surplus of men resulting from previous preferences for sons has also made life more difficult for males in work and personal relationships. Online spaces have become breeding grounds for incel culture, where frustration with these societal changes is vented.
Surveys have shown that a significant percentage of young men in these countries believe in reverse discrimination and harbor negative feelings toward feminism. The Economist recently published an article discussing this backlash and how it is exacerbated by traditional gender roles that are still prevalent in society despite women excelling academically. This highlights the need for continued efforts to promote gender equality and challenge harmful stereotypes associated with feminism.
