Increasing Attitudes of Biological Determinism in Youth

Abstract

This paper investigates changes in attitudes towards gender and sexual fluidity and binaries, gender roles, and reproductive restrictions among different age cohorts. There is a historical trend towards increasingly progressive attitudes amongst different age cohorts, whereby the youngest generation is typically the most progressive. Currently, there is a regression in progressive attitudes among youth with increased support for biological determinism. 
 
 Supported by research from academic sources, this paper discusses how individual attitudes are formed and change between generations. Focusing on increasing attitudes supporting biological determinism, this paper investigates the consequences dominant social attitudes have on self-identity formation. Through linking biological determinism to reproductive rights, this paper discusses the importance of bodily autonomy for identity formation.
 
 The feminist interpretations of data presented in this paper hope to invoke consideration about the possible consequences of an increasing trend toward regressive attitudes. Overall, this paper alludes to where internalized misogyny comes from and how it can hinder self-identity development. Despite youth being in an unprecedented time of access to information and knowledge, they have not reported the expected results of increasingly progressive attitudes towards gender and sex. This paper calls the reader to re-examine the direction of our social discourse, attitudes towards gender and sex, and the expectation for increasingly progressive attitudes.