The 28% Shift: Why Modern British Women No Longer Aspire to be Men

The socio-political landscape of the United Kingdom has undergone a seismic transformation over the last century, fundamentally altering how individuals perceive their own gender and place in society. A comprehensive longitudinal analysis recently released by the Policy Institute at King’s College London reveals a profound shift in female identity. In 1937, a staggering 37 percent of women reported that they would have preferred to be born a man—a figure that has plummeted to just 9 percent in 2024. This dramatic decline serves as a primary metric for the success of decades of feminist advocacy, legal reforms, and the gradual dismantling of systemic barriers that once made the female experience one of inherent disadvantage.

Progress and the Narrowing Gap of Gender Desirability

While the desire for gender transition among women has evaporated by nearly 30 percentage points, the male perspective has remained remarkably static across nine decades. In the late 1940s, only 4 percent of men expressed a desire to be women; today, that figure sits virtually unchanged at 5 percent. Researchers suggest this asymmetry highlights that while the "cost" of being a woman has decreased significantly due to improved agency and economic freedom, the perceived social incentives for men to switch roles have not seen a corresponding rise. The data underscores a society moving toward a state where gender is no longer a primary determinant of one's aspirational happiness or life quality.

The Domestic Revolution and the Persistence of the Second Shift

The evolution of the British household offers a granular look at this societal pivot. In 1947, one in four men admitted to contributing absolutely nothing to domestic labor, a stance that has become socially taboo in the modern era, with only 4 percent of men making the same claim today. However, professional journalists and sociologists point out that the "mental load" and physical labor remains unbalanced. Despite the rise of the "involved father" and the domestic partner, current data from the Office for National Statistics confirms that women still dedicate approximately three-and-a-half hours daily to unpaid work, including housework and caregiving. This remains nearly a full hour more than their male counterparts, indicating that while the desire to switch gender has faded, the structural inequalities of the home have been modernized rather than eliminated.

Economic Priorities and the Death of Job Security

Beyond gender, the King's College study captures a fundamental shift in the British psyche regarding labor and education. The post-war era of the 1940s was defined by a desperate craving for stability, with 73 percent of the population prioritizing job security over high wages. In the volatile economy of 2024, that sentiment has fractured; only 41 percent now value security above all else, while 46 percent prioritize the highest possible earnings to combat the rising cost of living. This shift toward financial pragmatism is mirrored in the classroom, where the casual attitude toward education in 1937—where only 21 percent of people believed in the necessity of homework—has been replaced by a high-pressure academic environment favored by 68 percent of the public.

The Co-Educational Consensus and Health Evolution

Social integration has seen perhaps the most unified progress. The Britain of 1937 was deeply divided on the merits of co-education, with the population split almost evenly between segregated and mixed-gender schooling. Today, that debate has been effectively settled, with 76 percent of the public supporting integrated education. Professor Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute, notes that these trends reflect a broader move toward a more capable and active citizenry. From a surge in the ability to swim and maintain physical fitness to the increased domestic participation of men, the data paints a picture of a nation that has shed its rigid Victorian hangovers in favor of a more flexible, though increasingly competitive, modern identity. Yet, amidst this whirlwind of change, some human elements remain untouched by time; the study concludes that 40 percent of Britons, regardless of the era, still find the simple act of getting out of bed in the morning to be their greatest daily struggle.