No, Most High School Boys Aren’t Conservative

Published

2 years ago

August 4, 2023

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High school boys are now twice as likely to identify as conservative than liberal. Girls, on the other hand, are almost three times as likely to identify as liberal than conservative. This stark gender dividefound in a 2022 University of Michigan survey of high school seniorshas sparked concern from across the political spectrum. A trend of boys becoming more conservative seems to show everything from proof that young men are becoming fascists to the likely fall in marriage rates.

But what if the survey doesn’t spell quite as much doom as it seems to?

Many commenting on the survey failed to notice thatmajorities of both genders responded without identifying a partisan political identity. The source of concern is concentrated among the paltry 23 percent of boys who identified as conservative and 30 percent of girls who identified as liberalleaving just 13 percent of boys identifying as liberal, and 12 percent of girls as conservative. But 64 percent of boys and 58 percent of girls didn’t identify as conservative or liberalinstead, they identified as “moderate,” “none of the above,” or “I don’t know.”

Yes, more boys than girls identify as conservativeabout twice as much, according to the surveyand girls identify as liberal at a rate 17 percentage points higher than their male classmates. But this divide only pertains to a minority of young people.

The survey found that most high school seniors simply don’t have a strong partisan political identitythe majority of them were either unsure of their beliefs or their opinions were more complicated than a two-dimensional left-right dichotomy.

However, this hasn’t kept some from drawing overwrought conclusions from the data.

“Among liberals, the future is female,” wrote psychology professor Jean Twenge of the survey in her book Generations . “And among conservatives, the future is male.”

A Fox News article even insisted that “girls trend overwhelmingly liberal,” despite only one in threeof them identifying as such.

The fervor over the survey’s results seems to play into a larger panic around social media’s apparently pernicious influence on young people. From the left, too much Joe Rogan and Andrew Tate is pushing boys into a cycle of alt-right radicalization. And right-wing commentators argue that social media is causing girls to become depressed liberals.

But in reality, these surveyed high school seniors don’t seem to care all that much about partisan politics, and those that do just happen to have a split along gendered lines. We shouldn’t fret over supposedly polarized young people, particularly when they seem to slightly disfavor your political side. And we certainly shouldn’t suggest, as many have, that government regulation of social media or online speech would do any good for them.

Sports

Love’s DQ gives Smith Xfinity win at Rockingham

Published

2 hours ago

April 20, 2025

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Love's DQ gives Smith Xfinity win at Rockingham

Field Level Media

Apr 19, 2025, 11:50 PM ET

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — JR Motorsports driver Sammy Smith was declared the winner of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday at Rockingham Speedway.

Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love initially was announced as winning the race, but he was disqualified in postrace technical inspection for issues on the rear suspension and credited with a 37th-place finish.

Smith also picked up the final $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus prize of the year at the first Xfinity Series race at Rockingham Speedway in over two decades.

With Love’s disqualification, Alpha Prime Racing’s Parker Retzlaff was promoted to second place, a career best. Harrison Burton, Brennan Poole and Taylor Gray rounded out the top five.

Austin Hill, Josh Williams, Jeb Burton, Daniel Dye and Jeremy Clements completed the top 10.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Justin Bonsignore also was disqualified from the race for three or more lug nuts not safe and secure, dropping the No. 19 Toyota from 36th place to 38th.

The red flag came out after a wreck on the restart with 10 laps remaining. With drivers close on fuel, Kaulig Racing’s Christian Eckes sputtered coming up to speed, causing a multicar incident that swept up Dash 4 Cash drivers Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones. That led to another late-race stoppage.

Jones and Allgaier finished 12th and 21st, respectively. The final Dash 4 Cash competitor, Carson Kvapil, finished 16th.

Love led 53 laps and Ryan Sieg, who finished 18th, a race-best 77 laps.

The Xfinity Series returns to action next Saturday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for the Ag-Pro 300 (4 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

UK

Husband describes ‘horror’ as wife fatally hit by van at golf course after police chase

Published

2 hours ago

April 20, 2025

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Husband describes 'horror' as wife fatally hit by van at golf course after police chase

A husband has described how he watched in “helpless horror” as his wife was fatally hit by a van at a golf course after the vehicle was involved in a police chase.

Suzanne Cherry, 62, died in hospital four days after she was struck on the morning of 11 April, Staffordshire Police said.

Two patrol cars had been following the grey Nissan van in Kingstanding, Birmingham, after receiving reports of suspicious activity, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

They stopped chasing the van when it came off the road and went up an embankment at Aston Wood Golf Club, where it hit Ms Cherry, of Aldridge, Walsall.

In a statement released by police, Ms Cherry’s husband – who was not named – paid tribute to his “beautiful wife” and said her death leaves an “unfillable void” in the lives of her family.

“While enjoying what should have been the safest of one of Suzanne’s many activities, I watched in helpless horror as the life of my beautiful wife and our future together was snatched away in an instant,” he said.

Ms Cherry’s husband said she had “an amazing and infectious zest for life”, adding: “Suzanne leaves a legacy and an unfillable void in the lives of her mother Maureen, her three adult children, two step-children and countless others from her work, her sporting activities and social circle.

“Sue was loved, and will be painfully missed by her entire family and friends, we ask that our privacy at this difficult time be respected.”

Officers from three different forces have arrested six men in connection with the incident.

The IOPC is continuing to investigate the circumstances before the collision.

Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward.

UK

Prince Andrew joins King and Queen at Easter Sunday church service

Published

2 hours ago

April 20, 2025

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Prince Andrew joins King and Queen at Easter Sunday church service

Prince Andrew was among members of the royal family who attended the traditional Easter Sunday service in Windsor.

It is the second year in a row that the Duke of York has joined the King and Queen at St George’s Chapel, appearing to enter the chapel quickly after his eldest brother’s arrival.

Other members of the royal family, including Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice and Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, also gathered outside the church.

William and Kate did not attend the annual service, deciding instead to spend time with their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, in Norfolk before they go back to school.

Crowds wished the King and Queen a Happy Easter as they left the chapel, with two children presenting Camilla with a bunch of flowers, before they were driven away.

Andrew was seen glancing at a member of the crowd, who wished him a “Happy Easter” before the duke walked off with his ex-wife.

The duke has not been pictured at a formal royal family event since last Easter. He missed the royal family’s traditional Christmas gathering at Sandringham amid the controversy surrounding his links to an alleged Chinese spy.

He disappeared from public life after stepping down from official duties in March 2020, following his explosive TV interview with BBC’s Newsnight.

The Easter sermon is traditionally led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but was today led by the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, from York Minster.

Mr Cottrell has temporarily taken over the role after Justin Welby announced he was stepping down in November last year, after an independent review found he “could and should” have reported decades-long abuse of men and young boys by his former friend, the barrister John Smyth QC.

Mr Cottrell has also apologised for his handling of the case.

King’s message of ‘faith, hope and love’

Last year’s Easter Sunday service was the King’s first major public appearance after he announced his cancer diagnosis.

The 76-year-old monarch is still receiving treatment for cancer, and last month, spent a short period of time in hospital after experiencing temporary side effects.

In his Easter message – a tradition he started when he was the Prince of Wales – Charles reflected on the examples of “great cruelty and great kindness” that “daily come before our eyes” – saying they should remind the world of the importance of the “virtues of faith, hope and love”.

Read more from Sky News:
Pope blesses Easter crowds
London-born teenager to become a saint

He shared the message last week ahead of attending the annual Maundy service at Durham Cathedral, where he presented the Maundy recipients – 76 men and 76 women – with two purses: one red and one white, containing Maundy Money.

The ancient tradition traces back to the 13th century and is given to recipients in recognition of outstanding Christian service and work in their local communities.