Young men are rising up against abortion, with more than a third now believing it should be illegal, in stark contrast to older male generations who overwhelmingly support abortion access.
Key Takeaways
- Only 46% of young men aged 16-34 believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared to 80% of men aged 55-75, revealing a significant generational shift.
- The sharp divide comes as Parliament prepares to vote on amendments that could decriminalize abortion and potentially enshrine it as a human right.
- Labour MPs are split on approach, with competing amendments being introduced to address abortion rights in different ways.
- The changing attitudes among young men could signal future challenges to abortion access despite current broad support across the general population.
- Some lawmakers attribute young men’s shifting views to the influence of online “manosphere” communities promoting traditional values.
Young Men Reject Liberal Abortion Stance
A startling new Ipsos poll has revealed a major shift in abortion attitudes among young men in the UK, with only 46% of males aged 16-34 believing abortion should be legal in most or all cases. This stands in dramatic contrast to the general population, where 71% support legal abortion access. Most concerning to liberal abortion advocates is that more than a third of young men now actively believe abortion should be illegal, signaling what could be a significant cultural shift on reproductive issues after decades of increasingly liberal attitudes.
The survey highlights a stark generational divide, with 80% of men aged 55-75 and 75% of men aged 35-54 supporting legal abortion. This reversal of the typical pattern, where younger generations typically hold more progressive views than their elders, represents a potential sea change in public opinion that could have far-reaching implications for abortion policy. The timing is particularly significant as Parliament prepares to vote on amendments that could fundamentally alter abortion law in the UK.
Competing Amendments Set Stage for Legislative Battle
Currently, abortions in England, Scotland, and Wales are legal within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, requiring approval from two doctors. The upcoming parliamentary vote on the Crime and Policing Bill features competing amendments addressing abortion rights. Labour MP Stella Creasy has proposed an amendment to officially designate abortion as a human right, similar to provisions already established in Northern Ireland, which would significantly strengthen protections for abortion access and prevent future restrictions.
“Those [who are] complacent that abortion access is supported in this country don’t understand the culture war is chipping away at all women’s rights, including healthcare,” said Labour MP Stella Creasy.
Meanwhile, Labour’s Tonia Antoniazzi has introduced a more narrowly focused competing amendment that would prevent the prosecution of women for terminating pregnancies in England and Wales. Parliamentary sources indicate Antoniazzi’s amendment is more likely to gain widespread MP support, as it avoids the more controversial human rights designation while still providing protections. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) has expressed concerns about Creasy’s broader amendment and has urged MPs to withdraw support for it.
Cultural Shift Among Young Men Raises Alarm
The surprising poll results have sparked debate about what’s driving young men’s more conservative views on abortion. Some liberal commentators point to the rise of the “manosphere,” an online community of hypermasculine influencers who often promote traditional values and gender roles. The shift is particularly noteworthy because it runs counter to the typical pattern of younger generations holding more progressive views than their elders on social issues.
“This is one poll. It’s important to recognise that this poll, just like every other on abortion, shows that the country as a whole remains staunchly pro-choice,” said Labour’s Tonia Antoniazzi.
Ipsos pollster Kate Duxbury emphasized the complexity of public opinion on abortion, noting that while there is broad support overall, views on specific aspects like time limits are far more divided. The poll found that about half of voters consider the current 24-week limit “about right,” with the remainder split between those who believe it should be shorter or longer. For conservative advocates who support life beginning at conception, the shifting attitudes among young men represent a potential opening for future restrictions on abortion access.
Implications for Future Abortion Rights
The generational divide revealed in this poll could have profound implications for the future of abortion rights in the UK. While current overall public opinion remains largely supportive of abortion access, the changing attitudes among young men suggest that this consensus may not persist indefinitely. The current efforts to strengthen abortion protections through legislation can be seen as an attempt to safeguard these rights against future shifts in public opinion and potential political pressure to restrict access.
“The only way we can stop women being targeted in this way and ensure they have safe and legal access is to designate abortion a human right as we have in Northern Ireland, and only new clause 20 to the policing bill will do that,” said Labour MP Stella Creasy.
For pro-life advocates, the poll results offer a glimmer of hope that cultural attitudes may be shifting in their favor, particularly among the younger generation of men who will eventually become lawmakers and policy influencers. The intense debate surrounding these amendments highlights that abortion remains a deeply divisive issue despite decades of legal access, and that assumptions about the permanence of current abortion rights may be premature. As President Trump has consistently emphasized, abortion policy should reflect the will of the people through their elected representatives.
