90 Percent of Young Women Say the Poor Economy Impacts Daily Life and 84 Percent Say Key Life Decisions in Jeopardy As 12.6 Percent Are Unemployed

Only 37 percent of Millennial women say today’s leaders represent their interests, while 78 percent plan to vote in the presidential election

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Generation Opportunity, the largest non-profit, non-partisan organization in the United States engaging and mobilizing young Americans (18-29 years old) on the important economic issues facing the nation, released new polling data today on Millennial women as the 2012 presidential election nears. Since its launch in June of 2011, Generation Opportunity has amassed a following of over 4 million fans on Facebook and is actively organizing Millennials across the country through grassroots tactics, voter registration, and voter turnout efforts.

“These numbers tell the story of a very stark reality being played out in the daily lives and long-term plans of young women. Today’s sad reality is one of limited economic opportunity and a lack of jobs, both of which are direct results of this president’s failed policies and stubborn pursuit of a policy agenda that is clearly rolling back the progress that our mothers and grandmothers worked hard to achieve. After generations of women fought for equality and access to opportunities not long ago reserved solely for men, it should come as no surprise that young women simply want the opportunity to create a future for themselves, to contribute to their communities, and to ultimately make the country a better place for generations to come,” said Amber S. Roseboom, Executive Vice President of Generation Opportunity and a former Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Office of Personnel Management.

“The policies of this president and his administration are making these opportunities fewer and fewer and are denying an entire generation opportunities to be independent and to contribute to and plan for a better future. Young women in particular, after inheriting a legacy in which greater opportunity is not just a right, but an expectation, will not sit idly by and let it slip away. Very clearly, young women do not feel their views are represented in Washington, and they plan to make their voices heard in the upcoming presidential election.”

For Generation Opportunity, the polling company, inc./WomanTrend conducted a nationwide online survey of 1,003 adults ages 18-29 between July 27 and July 31, 2012.

Randomly selected online opt-in panel participants were sent an invitation to the survey via email which included a secure link to the online questionnaire. Quotas were used to ensure the survey was representative of the larger 18-29 year old nationwide population with regard to race, region, and gender. The data were NOT weighted.

The overall sampling margin of error for the survey is ±3.1% at a 95% confidence interval, meaning that the data obtained would not differ more than 3.1 percentage points in 95 out of 100 similar samples obtained. Margins of error for subgroups are higher. Women comprised 49% of the total sample for this study.

• 90% of 18-29 year old women changed some aspect of their day-to-day lives because of the current state of the economy (Accepted multiple responses) (Randomized):
  • 65% - reduced entertainment budget;
  • 56% - reduced grocery/food budget;
  • 48% - cut back on gifts for friends and family;
  • 43% - skipped a vacation;
  • 40% - driven less/relied more on public transit;
  • 39% - taken active steps to reduce home energy costs;
  • 32% - tried to find an additional job;
  • 27% - changed living situation (moved in with family, taken extra roommates, downgraded apartment or home);
  • 27% - sold personal items or property (cars, electronic appliances, or other possessions);
  • 18% - skipped a wedding, family reunion, or other significant social event;
  • 2% - other, specified;
  • 8% - none of the above (accepted only this response);
  • 2% - do not know/cannot judge (accepted only this response).
• 84% of Millennial women have delayed or might not do at least one major life event due to the current state of the economy (Accepted multiple responses) (Randomized):
  • 40% - buy my own place;
  • 35% - go back to school/getting more education or training;
  • 31% - pay off student loans or other debt;
  • 29% - change jobs/cities;
  • 28% - start a family;
  • 25% - save for retirement;
  • 22% - get married;
  • 13% - none of the above (accepted only this response);
  • 3% - do not know/cannot judge (accepted only this response).
• 62% of young adult women believe the availability of more quality, full-time jobs upon graduation is more important than lower student loan interest rates.
• 75% believe that the lack of job opportunities is shrinking the American middle class.
• Only 37% believe that today’s political leaders reflect the interests of young Americans.
• 78% of 18-29 year old women plan to vote in the election for President this year.

Last month, Generation Opportunity released the non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) unemployment data for Millennials for July 2012:

• The youth unemployment rate for 18-29 year olds specifically for July 2012 is 12.7 percent (NSA).
• The youth unemployment rate for 18-29 year old African-Americans for July 2012 is 22.3 percent (NSA); the youth unemployment rate for 18-29 year old Hispanics for July 2012 is 14.0 percent (NSA); and the youth unemployment rate for 18–29 year old women for July 2012 is 12.6 percent (NSA).
• The declining labor participation rate has created an additional 1.715 million young adults that are not counted as "unemployed" by the U.S. Department of Labor because they are not in the labor force, meaning that those young people have given up looking for work due to the lack of jobs.
• If the labor force participation rate were factored into the 18-29 youth unemployment calculation, the actual 18-29-unemployment rate would rise to 16.7 percent (NSA).

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY

Generation Opportunity is a non-profit, non-partisan 501 (c)(4) organization that seeks to engage everyone from young adults, to early career professionals, college students, young mothers and fathers, construction workers, current service men and women, veterans, entrepreneurs, and all Americans who find themselves dissatisfied with the status quo and willing to create a better tomorrow.

Generation Opportunity operates on a strategy that combines advanced social media tactics with proven field tactics to reach Americans 18-29. The organization’s social media platforms – “Being American by GO,” “The Constitution by GO,” “Gas Prices Are Too Damn High,” “Lower Taxes by GO,” “Keep Texas Awesome,” “Jersey Proud,” and “We Like Small Government” on Facebook – have amassed a total fan base of more than 4 million. The pages post links to relevant articles and reports from sources ranging from the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO), to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Brookings Institution, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, and The Heritage Foundation.

Read about Generation Opportunity here; visit “Being American by GO” on Facebook here, “The Constitution by GO” on Facebook here, “Gas Prices Are Too Damn High” on Facebook here, “Lower Taxes by GO” on Facebook here, “Keep Texas Awesome” on Facebook here, “Jersey Proud” on Facebook here, and “We Like Small Government” on Facebook here.

For our Spanish-language page – Generación Oportunidad – click here.