Embargoed until 00.01 on Thursday 14 January 2016
Britons don’t want to be boxed in by gender stereotypes says leading Feminist Charity
- Gender is more fluid than just male and female say almost half of Britons Almost half (44%) of the UK population now believe that gender is not binary but can be
expressed as a range of identities – according to a poll of 8,000 people.
The survey, carried out by Survation (1) for the Fawcett Society in its 150th anniversary year,
asked people their thoughts on whether gender identity is confined to two genders – male
and female (gender binary) or whether gender is more fluid, encompassing a range of
identities.
Women and those aged 18-34 are most likely to think that gender is fluid with almost half
(48%) of women agreeing that gender is a range of identities as opposed to 40% of men and
50% of 18-34 year olds believe that, whilst only 39% of those over 55 do.
Sam Smethers, Chief Executive said:
“The Fawcett Society is campaigning against harmful gender norms and stereotypes which
close down choices and options for children, young people and throughout our adult lives.
“When almost half of people think that we should not be confined to narrow categories of
‘male’ and ‘female’ then it’s time to stop relying on outdated gender stereotypes.
“Retailers are particularly guilty of needlessly marketing products as being ‘for women’ or
‘for men’ especially children’s products as we’ve seen with the Let Toys Be Toys campaign.
This research shows that they need to wake up to the reality of public opinion. People do
not want to be ‘boxed in’.
Commenting on transgender issues Sam Smethers said:
“The profile of transgender issues has risen significantly in recent years with high profile
transwomen such as Kellie Maloney and Caitlyn Jenner talking publicly about their
experiences of gender transition. But we also had prominent feminists such as Germaine
Greer speaking out against the fluidity of gender denying people the right to define as a
gender different from that in which they were born. Significantly, our report shows that this
is a minority view amongst feminists, with 68% of this group agreeing that gender can be a
range of identities.
Ms Smethers continues:
“The Fawcett Society’s vision is of a society in which the choices you can make and the
control you have over your life are no longer determined by your gender, a vision that is
deliberately inclusive of transwomen. Fawcett will remain a campaigning force for women’s
rights and gender equality. That is not undermined by us being inclusive of transwomen.
Commenting on access to services Sam Smethers said:
“Fawcett supports the legal position set out in the Equality Act (2010) which establishes
gender reassignment as a protected characteristic but creates an exception for women only
services, for example allowing them to refuse a male to female trans person access to a
session for women who are victims of sexual assault, if that can be objectively justified and
proportionate. It is about balancing rights and recognising the needs of every service user.”
These findings are part of Fawcett’s ‘Sex Equality – State of the Nation’ report, which will be
published on Friday 15 January 2016 at www.fawcettsociety.org.uk.
- ENDS For more information, a copy of the report, images or interviews contact Fresh Communication on
0845 0945 468:
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Abby Richardson – [email protected] / 07876 378 733
Lisa Boustead – [email protected] / 07720 711 102
Lisa Sutherland – [email protected] / 07801 979 987
1) Survation polled 8,165 UK residents aged 18+ between 30th November and 3rd December
2015. The survey was conducted via online panel. Differential response rates from different
groups were taken into account. Data were analysed and weighted by Survation to the
profile of all UK adults aged 18+. Data were weighted by age, sex, region, household income,
education and past vote. Targets for the weighted data were derived from Office for
National Statistics 2011 Census data and the results of the 2015 General Election.
Because only a sample of the full population were interviewed, all results are subject to a
margin of error, meaning that not all differences are statistically significant. For the whole
sample (8165 respondents) it is 95% certain that the “true” value will fall within the range of
1.1% from the sample result. Subsamples will be subject to higher margins of error.
Survation complies with the rules of the British Polling Association and the MRS Code of
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