Who Supports and Who Opposes Misogynistic Candidates? The Generational–Gender Paradox
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The rise of misogynistic politicians has become a salient issue in transnational political research. In Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election, Ko Wen-je—labeled by the media as a misogynistic candidate—garnered disproportionate support from young voters while facing lower support from female voters. This pattern presents a paradox: both young voters and female voters are typically associated with higher gender equality consciousness, yet they diverge in their support for a candidate perceived as misogynistic. This study addresses this contradiction by revisiting modern gender gap theory and proposing a revised "gender-generation gap" framework. Using a mixed-methods approach combining a survey experiment and representative survey data, the study investigates how gender, generation, and gender consciousness influence voter responses to misogynistic candidates. Experimental results reveal a significant gender gap in candidate support among voters aged 20-39, with young women particularly unwilling to support candidates making misogynistic remarks. Survey analysis further shows that among voters aged 20-29, women are more likely than men to support the Lai-Hsiao ticket over the Ko-Wu ticket—an inverse pattern compared to older cohorts. These findings suggest a generational intersection of gender gaps and point to a potential widening of gender polarization among younger voters, signaling a trend with significant implications for democratic cohesion and electoral politics.
