A new AWARE survey complicates what we think we know about modern Singaporean men
A new AWARE survey of Singaporean men reveals that traditional expectations regarding masculinity and domestic roles persist despite modern societal shifts. The findings suggest that progress toward egalitarian attitudes is uneven, with many men holding conventional beliefs even while adopting the language of equality.
Why it matters
Understanding these persistent gender norms is crucial for policymakers and social advocates aiming to address domestic labor imbalances and mental health stigmas in modern societies.
A study of more than 1,000 men finds that modern masculinity is less linear than it looks, with old expectations persisting across age and class.
The modern man lives in a very different world from his father or grandfather, but some expectations have barely shifted. He should provide. He should cope. He should keep his emotions under control. He should be dependable, economically useful and difficult to rattle. If he struggles, he should struggle privately.
For decades, this has looked less like ideology than common sense.
A new survey by AWARE , conducted with YouGov among 1,084 men in Singapore, suggests that these expectations remain deeply embedded even as the society around them has changed. The findings resist the comforting story that younger generations, higher education and greater affluence naturally produce more egalitarian attitudes. In several areas, they do not.
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