A new survey by the Survey Center on American Life has revealed that Gen Z women are leaving the church at higher numbers than men, a shift from the historical norm of men leaving at higher numbers. Amongst Baby Boomers, 57 percent of those who have left organized religion are men, while 43 percent are women. For Gen Z those numbers are nearly flipped, with 54 percent being women and 46 percent being men. The Survey Center also found that a higher percentage of Gen Z women identified as “nones” or did not identify with a specific faith.  Thirty-nine percent of Gen Z women identified as “nones” while 34 percent of men did. The study also found that the number of men leaving the church is actually slowing down. The data was collected from 5,459 American adults in 2023.

In exploring some of the possible causes of the shift, the Survey Center suggested higher identification with feminism, liberal positions, and the sense that churches don’t treat men and women equally. Sixty-one percent of Gen Z women identify as feminists, a higher rate than past generations according to the Survey Center. Across all age groups interviewed, 18-65+, women believed churches do not treat men and women equally at higher rates than men. That gap was highest in young women 18-29, with 65 percent believing churches were unequal. There are many Protestant denominations and the Catholic church which currently do not put women in positions of leadership within the church. The issue of abortion could also be drawing a wedge between women and the church, with most churches holding that life begins at conception. A 2022 General Social Survey found that 54 percent of young women believe abortion should be available without any restrictions. The Survey Center also noted the growing number of young women identifying as LGBTQ+, with nearly 30 percent identifying as something other than straight.

The number of young women growing more liberal seems to be only increasing as a recent study showed that high school girls are becoming more liberal while high school boys are becoming more conservative. After noting how women have been the main source of volunteer help in churches and how the loss of women from congregations could greatly impact a church’s ability to operate, the Survey Center also warned about the permanence of disaffiliation. “None of this is good news for America’s places of worship. Many of these young women are gone for good. Studies consistently show that people who leave religion rarely come back, even if they hold on to some of their formative beliefs and practices.”