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Candidates should keep millennials’ opinions in mind

The recently released 2015 Millennial, Sexuality, and Reproductive Health Survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute indicates that people of good faith come to different conclusions on issues such as reproductive rights, sexual assault and workplace equality while still finding common ground in the belief that decisions regarding reproduction and women’s health care are foundational to the American way of life.

The report notes that majorities of millennials in all major religious groups, including white evangelical Protestants (76 percent), white Catholics (72) and Hispanic Catholics (68), believe it morally acceptable to use contraception. Additionally, there is broad support for access to contraception and opposition to court mandates that hinder such access. Students of faith generally share these beliefs, echoing positions held by mainline denominations such as the United Church of Christ.

{mosads}Religious millennials are more divided on the legality of abortion. For example, 63 percent of White Protestants believe the procedure should be legal in all or most cases, while 61 percent of Hispanic Protestants believe it should be illegal. White Catholics are evenly split, with 55 percent of Hispanic Catholics against abortion. In essence, no single tradition can claim to be the “Christian” perspective on any of the issues related to sexuality and reproductive health.

Whereas millennial attitudes across the board are largely supportive of women’s freedom to choose in matters of contraception and health care, the statistics on pay equity, workplace discrimination, and sexual violence are disturbing and frustratingly consistent with past trends.

Sexual assault on college campuses is on the rise, and 60 percent of the respondents consider it a problem that school administrations do not adequately address. Notably, white women are significantly more likely than white men to say that sexual assault is very common on college campuses (40 to 26 percent, respectively). There are no similar intensity differences between black and Hispanic men and women.

Female millennials are also considerably more likely to perceive inequities in pay and career opportunities than their mail counterparts are. Less than 50 percent of men believe that women get fewer good job prospects, while 67 percent of women believe this to be the case. Further, 72 percent of women and 56 percent of men believe that women do not receive equal pay for equal work.

It is no coincidence that the demographic that most benefits from the status quo, white males, is also the most likely subset of those surveyed to be unaware of the problems.

While it appears that millennials are becoming more tolerant of women’s rights in areas that impact both men and women, progress toward equity is slower with issues where women are those most affected.

Candidates seeking the presidency, Congress or gubernatorial offices in 2016, and indeed those of us who work in higher education, would be wise to hear the voices of young people concerned about reproductive health, sexual violence, and the inequities women continue to face in the workplace. 

Rampton, PhD, is a professor of history and director of the Center for Gender Equity at Pacific University, Oregon. Currie is the university chaplain and director of the Center for Peace & Spirituality. Views and opinions expressed by students, faculty and staff do not necessarily represent the position of the university. 

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