Are Gen-Z As “Woke” As We Think They Are?
Gen-Z are known as being a woke generation, but is that true?
We’ve looked into different topics and our research gives some interesting insights!
The Environment
Do Gen-Z care about the environment? Well, our research showed mixed results. 50% of the students we asked said that it’s very important to them that a brand cares about sustainability, whereas 43% said it was quite important and only 7% said it wasn’t important at all. Meanwhile, a big 78% said they’d be put off from buying from a brand due to animal cruelty and another 75% agreed that environmental harm would put them off a brand too.
When it comes to Gen-Z’s personal habits, our research showed that in a bid to help the environment 80% used less plastic, 77% recycled more, 58% donated clothes and 50% used a food waste bin. In contrast, only 19% said they’d become vegan or vegetarian, which goes against the stereotype that veganism is super popular with students.
LGBTQIA+ Rights
When it comes to the LGBTQIA+ community 97% of students said that they understood what it means to be transphobic or to discriminate against someone’s gender. Interestingly when asked if educational environments are safe spaces for trans students/those who identify differently 55% said yes and 45% said no. So, while Gen-Z recognises the importance of safe spaces they don’t necessarily agree that their uni or school is doing the best they can to promote an inclusive environment.
Interestingly, a massive 93% of students we surveyed said that they thought there was a generational divide between how different age groups view gender identity and LGBT issues so clearly, Gen-Z are a much more accepting generation than older generations have been in the past!
Racism And Equality
When it comes to equality, our research shows that 78% of students would not support a brand that discriminated against minorities, with 77% agreeing that poor treatment of workers and 68% saying sexist marketing would also put them off. Since last June when the BLM movement was brought into more mainstream media, 47% of students said they would like to support more Black-owned businesses with 35% agreeing they would not support brands that have been linked to racism.
Activism
Gen-Z has also been actively involved in activism, both in-person and online. Since last summer, 74% of students said that they had signed a petition, 63% had raised awareness with friends and 62% with family, 8% had attended a protest and 21% had made a donation, in relation to the Black Lives Matter movement.
So is Gen-Z woke? The answer is yep! Our research shows interesting results, but Gen-Z does seem to be more liberal and accepting than previous generations, which is a great sign for achieving a more understanding and tolerable world and achieving equality across all minority groups.