Youth Aspirations

Fewer high school-aged girls see themselves getting married and having kids if they do, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. (Credit: Pexels) Girls today have bigger dreams than getting married and having children, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Fewer high school-aged girls see themselves tying the knot in the future, with 61% saying they want to get married someday versus 83% of girls who were surveyed in 1993. The 22-percentage-point drop reflects shifting attitudes among girls that the age-old fantasy of wedding bells and a white dress may be, well, sort of cringe. “There is a higher appetite for young women today to feel respected, to feel like their mind matters and their heart matters,” Susan Madsen, director of Women and Leadership at Utah State University, said about the research. “I think a lot of young women want to use their intellects, want to go to college, want to learn, want to be doing work that values their minds.” More surprising results: Boys are more likely than girls to say they see themselves getting married, with 74% saying they want to get hitched one day, according to the survey. Fewer 12th graders say they are likely to have children if they do get married, according to the survey, which used data from the University of Michigan. As of 2023, just 48% of high schoolers said they’re very likely to want to have kids, as opposed to 64% three decades ago. And not as many 12th graders think they’ll stay with the same person their whole lives if they do end up getting married.

Youth Aspirations

For More Young Girls, Getting Married And Having Kids Are Seen As Cringe

The Story Exchange

Youth Aspirations

For More Young Girls, Getting Married And Having Kids Are Seen As Cringe

The Story Exchange

Follow