A growing number of young American women are contemplating a life outside the United States. A Gallup poll conducted in November revealed that 40 percent of women aged 15 to 44 would move abroad if they had the opportunity – a tenfold increase since 2014. This desire is unique to this demographic, as it is not shared by other American groups or young women in other developed economies.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did this trend of young women wanting to leave the US begin?
According to Gallup, the trend began in the summer of 2016, shortly after Donald Trump became the Republican nominee for president.
Is political dissatisfaction the only reason women are considering leaving the US?
While the poll indicates a connection to political views – with a 25-point gap between those who approve and disapprove of the country’s leadership – the desire to leave is also linked to factors like work-life balance, childcare costs, and access to healthcare, as highlighted in a recent BBC article.
What is the connection between the desire to leave the US and the “trad wife” phenomenon?
The article suggests both the desire to expatriate and the rise of “trad wife” influencers represent a form of escapism, a search for ways to reconcile work and family life in a way that feels unattainable in the current American landscape.
The poll data suggests a correlation between political dissatisfaction and the desire to emigrate. Gallup found that the trend began in the summer of 2016, shortly after Donald Trump became the Republican nominee for president. While the desire to leave continued during the Biden presidency, there remains a significant 25-point gap between those who approve of the country’s leadership and those who do not.
However, the reasons extend beyond politics. A BBC article highlighted the experiences of women seeking a different lifestyle. One 31-year-old moved from Los Angeles to Lisbon in 2021, citing a desire for a better work-life balance and a different cultural experience, stating she felt “more like a whole person again” in Portugal.
The challenges of childcare and reproductive rights are also driving this trend. The BBC article featured a 34-year-old who relocated to Uruguay after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, expressing fear over the increasing control of women’s bodies. The US currently has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, and childcare costs can consume an entire parent’s salary, often forcing women to leave the workforce.
This has led some women to explore alternative paths, including the “trad wife” lifestyle popularized on social media. While seemingly different from expatriation, the article draws a parallel, suggesting both represent a desire to escape the pressures of American capitalism and find a way to integrate work and family life without sacrificing either. Both fantasies, the author notes, offer a way to have a job and a family without one ruining the other.
As the backlash to movements like Me Too continues, and with little apparent change following significant political and social events over the past decade, the article suggests a growing sense of resignation. The question becomes: if there’s no clear path to progress, why not seek a different environment?
Could this trend lead to a significant demographic shift in the coming years? It’s possible that continued dissatisfaction with the political and social climate in the US could fuel further emigration among young women. Will the “trad wife” fantasy gain further traction as a response to these challenges? It remains to be seen whether this represents a temporary escape or a lasting shift in societal values. What steps, if any, could be taken to address the concerns driving this desire to leave?
