A new Gallup poll has revealed significant differences in how American men and women β and Democrats and Republicans β are responding to COVID-19.
Survey says: According to the survey, published last week, women express more fear about contracting the coronavirus and show “a greater propensity to take protective measures against infection” than do men.
- Beliefs: 60% of women say they are “very” or “somewhat” worried about getting coronavirus, as compared to only 47% of men.
- Behavior: 93% of female respondents say they wear protective masks when outside the home, whereas 89% of men say the same.
The politics: Politics, though, swamp gender in predicting Americans’ reactions to the pandemic, the Gallup poll found.
“[T]he average Democratic man is more cautious with respect to COVID-19 than the average Republican woman,” Gallup determined.
- Who’s worried about getting coronavirus?: 77% of Democratic men compared to only 20% of Republican men.
- Who fears they’ll contract COVID-19 while on the job?: 57% of Democratic men; 23% of Republican men.
- On “always practicing social distancing”: 54% of Democratic men say they are always on guard; 19% of Republican men say the same.
- Who’s avoiding going out in public due to COVID? 70% of Democratic men; 31% of Republican men.
- When it comes to small gatherings with family and friends: A majority of male Democrats, 63%, are opting out; 27% of Republican men are saying “no” to get-togethers with family and friends.
- Big crowds: 89% of Democratic men avoid them; same goes for 48% of their Republican counterparts.
- Who’s wearing masks indoors when they can’t socially distance? 90% of Democratic men; 40% of Republican men.
- What about masks outdoors when social distancing isn’t possible? 36% of Democratic men; 10% of Republican men.
Just 5% of Democratic men are ready to resume normal activities “right now,” according to Gallup.
- But fully 64% of male Republicans are ready to get back to business.
Previous research has identified similar trends in how Americans are reacting to the pandemic, which has killed more than 215,000 people in the United States, according to official tallies.
A question of manhood?: Some conservatives have explicitly made the coronavirus a test of manhood, frustrating public-health-minded critics.
According to a 2017 Pew Research Center survey, Republicans value masculinity significantly more than Democrats do.
- A gender gap between the two partiesβ supporters has grown in recent years, Pew found in 2018, with men increasingly leaning Republican and women Democratic.
