Examining Gendered Perceptions on Environmental Spending in the United States: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This research aims to highlight the relationship between gender and perceptions of environmental spending by asking: How does gender relate to one’s perception of spending on protecting and improving the environment in the United States? This area of research is important because, as climate change continues to escalate, women and other marginalized groups disproportionately suffer from the adverse effects. Understanding and highlighting differences in the stances of men, women, and other genders on environmental issues helps work towards a more just and sustainable society. This research was conducted using 2022 data from the General Social Survey, with the preliminary findings analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Gender and perceptions of spending on protecting and improving the environment were used as the independent and dependent variables, respectively. The relationship between these two variables was analyzed using the chi-square test. The results did not quite support the original hypothesis, but there was convincing evidence of a statistically significant relationship between gender and perceptions of environmental spending. Specifically, males were more likely to think that “too much” was being spent on the environment compared to women.