Narratives of Feminism among Gen Z Filipino Women
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2024.0574Keywords:
Filipino women, Generation Z, Modern feminism, Phenomenological study, Thematic analysisAbstract
Research on Gen Z women's perspectives on modern feminism is scarce in the Philippines despite its unique patriarchal culture. This study fills the gap by exploring how Filipino Gen Z women navigate work and family dynamics through a feminist lens. Using a phenomenological descriptive approach, the research involved fourteen (n=14) co-researchers in Bacoor, Cavite, aged 20–26. Data were collected through semi-structured online interviews, selected via snowball sampling. A combination of latent narrative and thematic analysis was employed to analyze the responses. The findings reveal that Gen Z Filipino women perceive modern feminism as central to promoting (1) gender equality and inclusivity and (2) women's empowerment and autonomy. However, they face significant challenges, including (3) enduring stereotypes and (4) societal and cultural expectations that hinder the full realization of feminist ideals. Despite these barriers, respondents view feminism as (5) a transformative force capable of reshaping societal norms and advancing genuine gender equality. This study contributes to the understanding of how global feminist ideals intersect with local traditions in the Philippines, offering insights that may inform policies and initiatives aimed at fostering gender equality in culturally conservative contexts.
Downloads
References
Agdagdag, F. M., Arazo, M. S., Casalme, H. M., Detablan, A. L. M., Libanan, J., & Maravilla, R. R. (2024). An in-depth analysis of the reasons behind the women of 4th year Gen Z tourism students at Far Eastern University’s reluctance to have children. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications, 6(11), 127–134. http://ijmrap.com/wp- content/uploads/2024/05/IJMRAP-V6N11P93Y24.pdf
Alfonseca, K. (2023, March 8). The feminist movement has changed drastically. Here’s what the movement looks like today. ABC News. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/22mtjtxa
Barcelona, A., Gopez, D. R., Mariano, T. A., Pedreña, J. J., & Santiago, J. L. (2022). Leadership levels and personality traits of female managers in select industries in the Philippines.
International Journal of Economics, Business and Management Studies, 9(2), 120–134. https://doi.org/10.55284/ijebms.v9i2.747
Bermal, M. L., Gaerlan, P., Suarez, J., Alberto, R., & Arcinas, M. (2022). Mothering practices of Filipino Generation Z: Correlations with personal characteristics and state of well-being.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research, 3, 1100–1108. https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.03.06.14
Bielen, M., & Kubiczek, J. (2020). Response of the labor market to the needs and expectations of Generation Z. E-Mentor, 86(4), 87–94. https://doi.org/10.15219/em86.1486 Blazina, C. (2024). Young women are out-earning young men in several US cities. Pew Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/2uf37whe
Cudis, C. (2019, March 5). List of laws protecting women in PH. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063739 Dagooc, E. M. (2023, September 13). Job portal warns employers to brace for Gen Zs. Philstar.com. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/3apt7rd8
Del Mundo, J. (2022). The complex view of women in power in the Philippines. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/yey7cv46 Di Meglio, F. (2023). Is Gen Z lazy? Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/2s6dhkbm
Dugan, S. (2023). Why fertility rates are falling for younger women — and what it could mean for the DU community. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/zs9xkyax Flores, D. N. (2024, October). Filipino Gen Z workers pursue financial stability, social impact at work—study. Philstar.com. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/mr3w8bx7
Hega, M., Alporha, V., & Evangelista, M. (2017). Feminism and the women’s movement in the Philippines: Struggles, advances, and challenges. Retrieved from https://library.fes.de/pdf- files/bueros/philippinen/14072.pdf
Kelly, J. (2023). Gen-Z is labeled as ‘difficult’ in the workplace, but there’s more to the story. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/3kva4hwv
Lu, M. R. V., Esquivias, J. P. A., Zafra, M. A. G., & Weempowerasia, P. (2021). Women in the Philippine c-suite: National study. Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/item/2022320331/ Madrona, D., Empuerto, E. & Cabahug, M. (2023). The Values of Filipino Millennials and Zoomers. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 14(3), 1-7.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8409777
Feger, A. (2024, February 23). Generation Z: Latest Gen Z news, research, facts 2023. Insider Intelligence. Retrieved from https://www.insiderintelligence.com/insights/generation-z- facts/
Motin, D. (2024). South Koreans blame feminism for demographic collapse. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/29nv9eun
Parker, G., Durante, K. M., Hill, S. E., & Haselton, M. G. (2021). Why women choose divorce: An evolutionary perspective. Current Opinion in Psychology, 43, 300–306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.07.020
Robinson, B. (2024). Gen Z careers the worst to manage, 45% of hiring managers say. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/9hr223a2
Racolța-Paina, N., & Irini, R. (2021). Generation Z in the workplace through the lenses of human resource professionals – A qualitative study. Quality - Access to Success, 22, 78–85. https://tinyurl.com/4unxfyad
Rodriguez, A.B. (2017). Women in the workplace: The impact of earning potential, empowerment, and the work-life balance (MA thesis). The City University of New York.
Saladino, T. (2020). The impact of generational differences between Generation Z to Generation Y on community college degree completion: A comparative analysis (Dissertation). St.
John’s University, New York City, U.S.A
Samson, O. (2017, January 26). Pinoy Gen Z harder to impress–study. BusinessMirror. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/kntttfdz Santosh, G. (2024). How women leaders are breaking barriers and shaping the future. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/yeywtkv6
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
