Gender in atheism
Why does it appear that more men are openly agnostic/atheist than women? There are definitely more men using this site.
5
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Probably because it is women that were raised to raise their kid(s) under religion and it is their duty to raise kids in the faith, so that coming out will take longer. Also, my generation is using other social media, not this forum so much-- the site tends to skew in the 40+ range-- and we do have higher numbers of atheists and non-believers than boomers and Gen X'ers do.
demifeministgal
Level 8
Dec 12, 2019
0
Proll'y for the same reason that little boys from day one in school are expected to be outgoing and know that their opinions will be valued, whereas little girls are told to raise their hands and follow orders. we learn to shut up, and until we get to the point where we can say, "fuck that", nothing changes.
Note that a lot of the postings from women on this site are from those no longer birthing children. It gives us sort of a reverse power set.
Ellen-SoCal
Level 5
Dec 5, 2019
6
We do run high to feminist women here. Granted there are a few who aren't who stand out but that's okay too - it makes the cookie far more interesting to have some nuts in it too!
That is something I have noticed also. What women are on here tend to be a little older, very few young members, whilst there seems to be a fair amount youngish male members ( under 40? Under 35?).
Unofficial but my observations. Perhaps church and mothering ( therefore age also) are more likely to be intertwined. I mean really, how many young mom's have the energy and mind space to contemplate the bigger picture?
@twill Except that young women are statistically putting off or not having kid(s) at all AND have higher rates of atheism/agnosticism than men. So I would say the picture is more complex than just kids.
@demifeministgal Except ....
"Probably because it is women that were raised to raise their kid(s) under religion and it is their duty to raise kids in the faith, so that coming out will take longer. Also, my generation is using other social media, not this forum so much-- the site tends to skew in the 40+ range-- and we do have higher numbers of atheists and non-believers than boomers and Gen X'ers do"
@twill Well it is both. There are age/generational trends after all. And since this site skews older, it will be representative of mothers/grandmothers and such. It is a complex and nuanced thing. 
There are more men on every dating website. I don't think it has a thing to do with the numbers of atheist/agnostic women.
RavenCT
Level 9
Dec 5, 2019
5
I Googled it:
Men make up 52.4 % of online dating users compared to 47.6% who are women.
Of course, in my experience, not all women are very serious about dating either. Just try getting a response from one on a dating site......So IDK if they should all count if they are not serious. The women on here seem serious and truly wanting to connect, dating,social or otherwise
@twill Add to that on regular dating sites they artificially inflate their member numbers keeping known scammers - this site doesn't. I think that messes with the numbers too.
Here the numbers are (at least) two men to every woman. That's going by a simple search for male and female members.
When I have a really bored day I'll do some math and get more numbers. Anyone can do it with a member search though.
Your question reminds me of a similar one that popped up in our 5 am DD coffee circle: why are there so few women philosophers?
We came up with an answer; women have real-life work to get on with. No time to develop and discuss philosophy.
By the way, that group consisted of 7 guys and 2 women and some hairy issues were raised and debated. We all came about an hour before work to the only Dunkin Donuts (open all night) in the county.
But back to your issue: I still think, women have more real-life stuff to deal with and don't make a big deal out of being atheist or agnostic It's just another thing we are, like-kind to animals or multi-lingual
Just this old atheist's opinion.
Spinliesel
Level 9
Dec 6, 2019
3
Yes; Western philosophy is pretty much the writings of "dead white men."
Also to a degree philosophy is a done deal, with most of the big ideas being delt with already in the past, before women had any equal rights.
Yeah, and then you get Ayn Rand, an embarrassment in any gender
BTW it's really easy to get these numbers - do a member search - make it broad - first do it for men - then for women.
I made the parameters worldwide and the ages 18 to 99 level 2 and up. (A lot of level ones never return).
85 pages of Women
229 pages of Men
That does not account for folks who are agender, Trans, non-binary, gender-fluid, asexual, intersex, queer/questioning etc....
But it gives you a broad idea of the stats.
Someone should probably recheck that though - I'm pooped! [agnostic.com]
RavenCT
Level 9
Dec 6, 2019
4
CS60:
OK, I did a general search of members using age and level 2 and above and everything else was “any” and came Up with over 15,000 members.
@CS60 You also need to widen to 'all countries' - here for 'anything' (unless you only want the dating figures) and then narrow by male and then a second time for female.
We have near 100K plus members currently.
I use that interface daily for scammer hunting... It likes to reset itself too. 
I got 110 pages of women, 353 pages of men. At 40 per page, that comes out to 18,520. But site stats show over 100,000 members, so this method clearly does not work.
For one thing, the photo option isn't working. It appears to default to being checked and the results reflect that. I was able to add "&has_photo=0" to the results URL, but results still fall short at around 59,000, about 4 times more men. But those are results for men and women combined. Adjusting gender to any results in around 99,000, close to the total. We have a lot not claiming either of those two genders. So maybe the premise of the original post is a bit off in the first place.
@CS60
@Admin Any thoughts on the search function? Particularly the has_photo parameter. Are any other params being processed incorrectly?
@CS60 I click on the Agnostic A next to Post - than the stats can be found over to the right on that page - you have to click them open:
Online Now: 183
Total Members: 101,926
New This Week: 656
Posts This Week: 2,445
In Groups: 1,655
Comments This Week: 16,274
Messages This Week: 13,301
Photos This Week: 2,657
@RavenCT it could be correct if you figure a large percentage who joined but did not stay, or never returned after a few visits. That's what happens on Meetup sites all the time, I administer one.
I don’t know why but the 2 secular groups I have been in there were far more men than women
Marcie1974
Level 8
Dec 5, 2019
3
You find this surprising?
It is not just atheism or agnosticism, it is the plight of women don't you see?
Anytime a man decides something people accept it, even if they reject the idea, they accept the right of a man to hold it.
Women face a double, triple whammy with almost everything. It becomes not can you do it, but can a woman do it, with these ideas the folks do not believe US anyway, double that for women. There are literally thousands of cultural and traditional bias, entrenched in the society, which women face everyday that men do not.
I do not think there are less women atheists, just that a lot of them decide not to be public because of the fallout they face.
Thankfully there are a lot of women who do not care today and are both outspoken and public, so I expect those numbers to keep rising.
Davesnothere
Level 7
Dec 8, 2019
2
Could it women have been conditioned for thousands of years by men who would beat/kill them for disagreeing with them? Its still like that in the middle east.
Travis1
Level 4
Dec 7, 2019
4
You are exactly right. I was just giving the worst possible examples of where this ignorance is still tolerated.
Women are more interested in community and fellowship. Consequently, even atheist women continue to participate in church activities.
JacarC
Level 8
Dec 6, 2019
3
I can't speak for other women, but absolutely nothing about the assumptions you've made here apply to me.
Jacar, really? And you were doing so well......
No we don't! Homer fading voice
@demifeministgal Do the research. Really!
@demifeministgal, @AnneWimsey Anne, you know i do not post something i have not researched.
This is NOT derogatory. Women are more interested in working in groups. Women are more nurturing.That is why women are the majority of nurses, teachers, and now, general medical practitioners. Women are genetically designed to take care of the tribe. This is a good thing. Cuz men are not designed to do so.
Agriculture is most likely an invention of women: survival of the tribe,...
This is a good thing. But, it also means, women are more likely to be involved with religious/church/community activities, even when they disagree with the stupid parts.
@Jacar you knowi might have to yield a smidgen on this. As much as I Hate generalizations, I have always noticed that whether it is a bowling league or any other gathering, it is the women who make plans to celebrate whatever holiday is at hand, if an all-Male gathering, zip, zilch, nada.....
@Jacar There is research that shows atheist women are more likely to continue to participate in church activities? Like, outside of bible belt areas? Care to point one in the direction of that peer-reviewed research? o.O
Nope. I have all kinds of ways to satisfy my interests in community without ever entering a church. Also, I know as many men who demonstrate an interest in community as I do women. That's not a gender thing.
@Deb57 Good for you . . BUUTTT "The differences between the genders is clear and consistent."
@AnneWimsey . . .PEW research: why-are-women-generally-more-religious-than-men/
@demifeministgal "The differences between the genders is clear and consistent."
[psychologytoday.com]
@pasha-one-nine Good for you.
"The differences between the genders is clear and consistent."
[psychologytoday.com]
@Jacar Butr that biological difference does not warrant a difference in the rights men and women should enjoy.
@Deb57 BINGO!
@Jacar Nice try. But you literally did not answer my question. Your research shows women are more religious than men, NOT IF ATHEIST/AGNOSTIC WOMEN ATTEND CHURCHES MORE THAN MEN. Good luck finding research to support that wild hypothesis.
@demifeministgal . . . It's called extrapolation. A real mathematical concept.
To suggest that women as a group are completely different because of one variable is just plain stupid.
@demifeministgal, @Deb57 . ,. . NEVER::::: Men and women are EQUAL under the law. BUT they are NOT THE SAME. The lefties repeatedly demand that both words have the same definition.
@Jacar Biologically we are not the same. Obviously. We are also not equal under the law, and conservative America is doing their damndest to worsen that situation. There are many ways in which the way women and men have been conditioned, by generations of tradition, that have rendered women in intellectually and emotionally superior to men. The more traditions are shifting, the more evident this has become.
@Jacar That's a fancy way of saying you assumed. Your research did not support your hypothesis or conclusion. You should retract it or admit it is just a fanciful thought you have about atheist/agnostic women that has no basis in reality or facts.
@demifeministgal It is so amazing that the lefters refuse to understand any science that contridicts their wishful thinkings. Time to buy a vowel.
@demifeministgal, @Deb57 We are all equal under the law. It just does not always get decided appropriately. But to insist that women and men want the same things and are capable of the same things is just plain stupid. Don't you agree?
@Jacar Well, I do have a little difficulty trying to pee standing up, but other than that, I haven't found anything physical that I can't do as well or better than my fairly athletic former husband, and goodness knows my IQ would wrap around his six or seven times.
@jacar you did not provide any scientific evidence or data supporting your claim that agnostic/atheist women flock to religious institutions. Stop lying
@demifeministgal I did provide links to those who do the science and research.
That you are ignorant of these things is a reflection of the crap you were told.
Men and women are different. Women like to work in groups. Men, less so.
Opposing reality is clearly a mark of the science-deniers who reside at the left-pole.
@Jacar cool strawman. IT is quite reflective of your lack of reading comprehension skills. You are like a religious preacher. You think if you repeat a false claim over and over that will make it true. So we will conclude you are incapable of substantiating your claim and are full of BS or hot air.
Basically this is BULLSHIT: "even atheist women continue to participate in church activities."
When I look at the people on this site who live near me, women out number men at about ten to one.
I do think that the men make posts more often though. I think that is partly cultural in that unfortunately women are taught in most cultures to remain silent... which comes mostly out of the influence of patriarchal religions.
snytiger6
Level 9
Dec 6, 2019
3
Oh yes, my father beat me into submission as I child, I was timid and flinched when people touched me as a teen. Thank goodness for good friends and time. I’m much better now, but like many people have to make a conscious effort not to dwell on those times.
this sites promotes itself as a dating site, so it attracts more man.
They come for the girls, they stay for the community.
If you market the site as an old style social network based on forums instead of time line you will never convince people to join XD.
Pedrohbds
Level 7
Dec 6, 2019
2
They come for dating but they stay for all the rest... The ones who bother to look around.
That or we hook them with adorable cats or memes.... ?
I never saw it as such, it was the name that drew me in
Men are more outgoing about their internal worlds, women don't "advertise" as much.
that's why more men are "open" about it.
Most social groups are populated by men seeking women, not the other way around, that's why social groups have a higher number of men.
Women are socially conditioned to be less expressive, that goes back to "open".
Men suck and women are marginalized, that's why openness and assertiveness are seen as "male" qualities.
HereticSin
Level 7
Dec 5, 2019
3
From observation, I think religious women leverage the social ties and associated benefits a lot more than religious men do.
Religion gives you an instant community for distribution of labour such as with childcare in a way the secular community really hasn't been able to match.
Allena
Level 6
Dec 5, 2019
2
True, that. The only free transportation service for cancer patients that will cross the township lines to take me to my hospital appointments is a Catholic Charity. I suddenly feel a great deal friendlier toward Catholics.
I never mention I'm an agnostic nonbinary person, in case they have a problem with it, but the paperwork I filled out to qualify for the rides only stipulated need.
BTW this is where basic site stats are - click on the A in the upper left corner - than (see screenshot below) - which is over to your right....
Click where the arrow indicates - and you have the stats.
RavenCT
Level 9
Dec 6, 2019
1
Also this is the Browse member interface: "Browse Members
there doesn't seem to be as much gender/atheism pressure here in Canada.... although women still have barriers to cross...
blzjz
Level 7
Dec 6, 2019
1
Will be interesting to see how this pans out with the influx of immigrants from the top 10 countries and their offspring (China, India, Latin America, etc.).
Men seem to have a higher opinion of their own worth than most women do of themselves. Thus men are often less prone to yielding their will and lives to some unknown entity, once they no longer believe the hell and brimstone threats.
Women seem more accustomed to knuckling under to get along with the more powerful. It's a good way to stay alive among potentially dangerous men, and women also seem eager to believe that someone will take care of them if they behave correctly.
birdingnut
Level 8
Dec 5, 2019
1
Hmmm. Come to think of it there are more men than women in our Free Thinker group. My wife is Atheist but she doesn't attend or post. Maybe they are just more secretive not necessarily more religious.
rogueflyer
Level 8
Dec 5, 2019
1
Or social conditioning has taught them that in social groups they won't be taken as seriously/won't be as respected.
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