Key

YWCA USA

What Women Want 2012: A YWCA USA National

Survey of Priorities and Concerns

Summary of Findings from a Survey among Adult Women

September 2012

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Key Findings

While conventional wisdom suggests that the country is more polarized than ever, 80% of

women agree on 80% of the issues. Regardless of political party, age, or education, women are

united in their belief that it remains a serious time for our economy, our country, and our

families.

American women are multi-taskers and possess a unique ability to worry about multiple

concerns. And, women expect our country’s leaders to demonstrate a capacity to deal with a

large number of competing and interacting priorities.

Personal Concerns

Women express the most intense worry around a cluster of issues: Social Security being there

when they retire; having a medical expense for themselves or their family that they cannot

afford; having affordable and secure health insurance for their families; and a disappearing

middle class. Women usually worry about personal, micro-economics rather than macro-

economics. This data shows that our nation’s problems are so big that they see a strong

interaction between their families’ personal problems and the country’s problems. Indeed, we

see that the top three concerns among women are solidly at the intersection of macro- and

micro-economics, as well as at the intersection of personal concerns and the broader

discussion of policy in our country: Social Security, health care, and the disappearing middle

class.

*Split sample questions

47%46%45%44%41%41%40%37%34%32%31%31%31%28%26%24%20%17%

67%

67%

67%70%

66%64%

65%

61%

59%48%

53%

51%50%

48%45%48%

39%

30%

-24%-20%-24%-17%-21%-25%-23%-26%-26%

-40%-36%

-41%-39%-40%-42%-39%

-48%-59%

32%32%

32%27%

31%34%33%

38%41%

50%

46%

49%49%

51%

54%50%

57%

66%

Social Security being there when you retire

Having a medical expense you cannot afford

Having affordable and secure health insurance

A disappearing middle class

Growing economic gap between rich/poor

Keeping your children safe from drugs, etc

Saving enough for a financially secure retirement

Total family income will not be enough

Making ends meet

Someone in your household will be out of a job

Being able to care for parents as they age

Getting a good-paying job

Being paid less than a man for the same job

Being able to afford your rent or mortgage

Being discriminated against

Mortgage problems or your home losing value

Being able to move up in job

Having affordable and dependable child care

Personal Concerns

Very Somewhat Not at all Not worried

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o Two-thirds of women say they worry about Social Security being there when they

retire (67% very/somewhat worried, 47% very worried), having a medical expense that

they can’t afford (67% very/somewhat worried, 46% very worried), and having

affordable health insurance (67% very/somewhat worried, 45% very worried). They

then look externally and express concern about the disappearing middle class (70%

very/somewhat worried, 44% very worried), which perhaps influences their concerns

around being able to afford retirement and health care.

o Women tend to worry more about major economic concerns rather than day-to-day

problems. Women tend to worry less about having affordable and dependable

childcare (30% worried, 17% very worried), although this concern is higher among

mothers (46% worried overall, 30% very worried). Other issues that women worry

about with less intensity include mortgage problems or their homes losing value (48%

worried, 24% very worried), being able to move up in their job or line of work (39%

worried, 20% very worried), being able to afford their rent or mortgage (48% worried,

28% very worried), and being discriminated against (45% worried, 26% very worried). In

each of these instances, overall worry (very and somewhat worried) drops below 50%,

though these are still important issues.

o The most vulnerable carry the greatest burdens – women who are more likely than

most to worry include parents with children under 18 living at home, those under the

age of 50, and part-time workers. These demographic groups contain some of the most

vulnerable individuals, both economically and socially.

Health care remains a major concern for women, both personally and at the policy

level. Access to health care is seen as both a major vulnerability and a concern, as well as one

of the most important public health issues facing women today. Women continue to see

access, affordability, and quality as major issues. Women view health care as less of a political

issue and more of a personal issue.

Personal worries about retirement savings and access to affordable health care are not new

concerns for women. In the YWCA’s 2008 What Women Want survey, 70% of women said that

a lack of retirement savings would be a major obstacle to progress for women like them in the

next 10 years. About two-thirds (68%) said that a major illness or medical expense would be a

major obstacle.

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Hardships

The economic downturn continues to loom over women, and its consequences are writ large

in their concerns. Notably, 41% of women say they have been the primary breadwinner in

their home in the last four years. Women report that they have experienced hardships ranging

from postponing medical care to losing a job or falling behind in rent or mortgage

payments. However, as we saw earlier in their personal concerns, even women who have not

directly experienced hardships are worried about these issues. Most importantly, women did

not have to have personally experienced a particular hardship directly to be worried about it.

o The most commonly cited hardships include not getting or postponing medical care due

to a lack of money or insurance, of which one-third (33%) have experienced or have had

a member of their household experience in the last two years. Similarly, 32% reported a

reduction in their hours, wages or tips. Nearly one-quarter (24%) had a job loss in their

household in the past two years.

Racial Differences in Women’s Personal Concerns and Experiences

Women of different races experience life in the U.S. somewhat differently. African Americans,

Latinas, and Asian/Pacific Islander women are more likely to experience racial or ethnic

discrimination. Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American women experience more gender-

based prejudice. They also express different worries and have experienced different hardships.

o African American women tend to worry about the economy, and are more likely to have

experienced hour, wage, or tip reductions (34% have experienced in the last two years).

o Latinas worry more about health care, possibly because they are the most likely to have

not received or have postponed medical care due to a lack of money or insurance.

o Additionally, Latinas are more likely than their counterparts to experience hardships

overall. Hispanic women were more likely than most to have experienced five of the

seven hardships queried, with their top hardships being not getting medical care (43%)

and having their wages, hours or tips reduced (42%).

o Asian/Pacific Islander women worry most about the economic gap (41% very worried),

the disappearing middle class (36% very worried), and making ends meet (39% very

worried). They are the most likely to have experienced wage reductions (38% have

experienced in the past two years).

o Like Latinas, Native American women are concerned about health care, and they also

have not gotten or have postponed the care they need because of finances or insurance

status. Native Americans were most likely to not receive or postpone medical care

(36%), followed by having their hours, wages or tips reduced (32%).

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Experiences with Prejudice or Discrimination

Yes, have experienced discrimination

because (of)…

All

Women

African

American

Latinas Asian/Pacific

Islander*

Native

American*

You are a woman 32% 40% 27% 43% 42%

Your race or ethnicity 25% 56% 44% 52% 35%

Your physical appearance 19% 32% 14% 14% 22%

Your age 17% 24% 13% 12% 20%

Your religion 12% 10% 6% 7% 18%

Your sexual orientation 7% 17% 4% 5% 12%

Solving the Economic Crisis

Women want the private sector – especially small business – and government at all levels to

help solve the country’s economic problems. When asked which entity has the greatest ability

to spur growth in the economy, more women volunteer “all of the above” as a response than

women who choose any one option (30% all of the above).

o About one in five (22%) see a role for small business, while one-third see a role for

government – state and local governments (12%), Congress (11%), or the president

(nine percent). Six percent say major corporations, while two percent say Wall Street.

o In general, women expect our elected officials and economic institutions to be able to

address the myriad of concerns and priorities women are facing.

28%

3%

5%

17%

11%

13%

14%

28%

3%

6%

12%

14%

15%

14%

21%

3%

9%

12%

19%

6%

18%

21%

1%

6%

6%

19%

12%

27%

All of the above (30%)

Wall Street (2%)

Major Corporations (6%)

The President (9%)

Congress (11%)

State and local government (12%)

Small business (22%)

Which Has Greatest Ability to Spur Economic Growth?

Native American Asia Pacific Islander Latina African American

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The 2012 Presidential Election

In the presidential election, women prefer President Barack Obama to Governor Mitt

Romney. African Americans and Latinas in particular favor the president by wide margins. Party

identification drives women’s attitudes in the presidential contest: Democrats overwhelmingly

support President Obama (by an 83 point margin), while Republicans favor Governor Romney by

similarly immense margins (82 points in favor of Governor Romney). However, Democratic

women show more intensity for their candidate than Republican women – 75% of Democrats

support Obama strongly, compared to 58% of Republicans who support Romney strongly.

Priorities for Our Leaders

Women’s concerns about the economy translate into the priorities they hope to see our

leaders tackle, and women maintain their ability to multi-task by embracing many priorities at

once. An overwhelming majority want to see the next president and Congress address the

financial crisis in the U.S., unemployment, and Medicare and Social Security. Many news

reports indicate the country is polarized, but 80% of women agree on 80% of the priorities and

issues.

o To women, the financial crisis in the U.S. is a top priority; 82% say this should be a top

priority for the next president and for Congress. Three-quarters believe that Medicare

and Social Security (75% top priority), and that unemployment including layoffs and jobs

sent overseas (74% top priority) should be a top priority.

o Comparing this year’s top priorities among women to their priorities in the YWCA’s

What Women Want 2008, we see some similarities. In 2008, women could only indicate

if they thought an issue should be a top priority, a lower priority, or not a priority. This

year, they could distinguish between the top priorities, middle priorities, lower priorities

and issues they thought were not a priority. The financial crisis (92% top priority in

2008) and unemployment (84% top priority in 2008) were also top concerns for the next

president and Congress during the last presidential election cycle. Health care reform

resonated in 2008 as well (79% top priority in 2008), although of course this was before

the Affordable Care Act was conceived and signed in to law. It is significant that, four

years later, women still want health care reform to be a top priority for our leaders.

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Priorities for the Next President and Congress

Top Priority All

Women

African

American

Latinas Asian/Pacific

Islander

Native

American

The financial crisis in the U.S. 82% 76% 78% 73% 80%

Medicare and Social Security 75% 78% 79% 76% 86%

Unemployment including layoffs and jobs sent

overseas

74% 76% 76% 66% 68%

Government spending 69% 49% 59% 79% 67%

The budget deficit 69% 68% 66% 61% 62%

Quality and cost of education 66% 77% 72% 70% 62%

Health care reform 64% 69% 65% 65% 67%

Terrorism and national security 64% 69% 57% 53% 65%

Taxes 57% 59% 61% 52% 53%

Violence against women in the U.S. 57% 72% 64% 55% 56%

Supports for small business 50% 49% 46% 45% 49%

Reproductive health care* 40% 55% 41% 41% 34%

Immigration 38% 32% 47% 33% 35%

Abortion* 33% 37% 26% 24% 31%

*split sample question

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Congressional Action

Women also want to see Congress take action on civil rights and economic issues. Not

surprisingly, the issues that directly impact women, preventing violence against women and

equal pay, earn the highest levels of intense agreement. But women also express broad and

deep support for Congress taking multiple actions to extend middle class tax cuts, pass hate

crimes legislation, expand assistance for small businesses and pass comprehensive immigration

reform. The latter is one of the issues that is most polarized by partisan lines.

*split sample question

o Women show strong support for renewing the Violence Against Women Act. We found

that women express similar levels of agreement toward renewing the Violence Against

Women Act (69% strongly agree, 84% agree overall) and without a reference to the

provisions to include protections for lesbians and immigrant women (74% strongly

agree, 89% agree overall). Regardless of their political affiliation, three-quarters or

more women agree that Congress should take action on this issue.

o Nearly three in four women strongly agree that Congress should take action on

strengthening equal pay laws for women (72% strongly agree, 88% agree overall). Equal

pay is another issue that crosses party lines: 95% of Democrats, 77% of Republicans, and

85% of Independents agree that Congress should take action on this issue.

o Discrimination is a major issue for women, and it manifests itself not only in support for

equal pay but also in support for hate crimes legislation. There is also broad and deep

89%

88%

84%

85%

85%

83%

83%

87%

72%

74%

72%

69%

68%

64%

59%

55%

55%

45%

Renew VAWA*

Strengthen equal pay laws for women*

Renew VAWA including lesbians andimmigrants*

Pass hate crimes legislation*

Extend tax cuts for the mdidle class*

Pass legislation to end racial profiling*

Comprehensive immigration reform includingviolence protections*

Expand loans/assistance for small business*

Comprehensive immigration reform*

Issues Congress Should Take Action On

Agree strongly/somewhat Agree strongly

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support for passing hate crimes legislation. When passing hate crimes legislation is tied

to protecting people from becoming targets based on race, sex, gender, religion,

ethnicity, age, disability or sexual orientation (68% agree strongly, 85% agree overall), it

outperforms a less specific policy goal of passing legislation to end racial profiling,

reduce hate crimes and increase education on racism (59% agree strongly, 83% agree

overall). Being more specific about the actual policy and those impacted helps to build

support among women for passing hate crimes legislation.

o Regarding actions Congress could take to stimulate the economy, women show more

intense enthusiasm for extending tax cuts for the middle class (64% strongly agree, 85%

agree overall) than they do for expanding loans and assistance for small business (55%

strongly agree, 87% agree overall), though vast majorities of every group support both.

Health Care

In this country, women are 80% of health care decision-makers. Women also make up 80% of

the voters who say that positions on health care are a major criteria in how they vote.

Women’s top public health concerns reflect their personal concerns around health care: one

of the two most important issues for a third of women is access to affordable, quality health

care, including mental health care (29% say this is one of the two most important public

health issues for women). Screening for breast cancer and other cancers (21%), as well as

uninsured women (20%) are also important health issues for women.

Racial Differences in Attitudes toward Priorities and Policies

Again, race influences women’s perspectives.

o African American (77% think education should be a priority); Latina (72%), and

Asian/Pacific Islander women (70%) want to see education as more of a priority.

o Latinas are more likely than others to say that immigration should be a top priority and

they show stronger support for Congress taking action on issues that impact immigrant

populations. They also are the most likely to say that the number of women without

health insurance is a top health issue, reflecting their personal anxiety about the issue.

o Compared to other races, Asian/Pacific Islander women have more of a focus on

Congress prioritizing government spending (79% say it should be a top priority for

Congress, the highest of any of the priorities tested).

o African American and Latina women show more intensity than others around

strengthening equal pay.

o Native American women are more engaged than women of other races on Congress

passing hate crimes legislation (74% strongly agree) and they are even more likely than

other subgroups to say that access to health care is a top public health issue for women

when it includes mental health care.

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Even though there is some divergence on priorities for women of different races, Medicare and

Social Security is at or near the top of women’s priorities across racial subgroups. Older Latinas

(over age 50) and African American women are more concerned with Medicare and Social

Security than their younger counterparts.

Conclusions

It may seem like the country is deeply divided, but 80% of women agree on 80% of the priorities

and issues.

In this period of sluggish economic recovery and heightened awareness as the elections

approach, women say that the economy and jobs are the top problem, but they also have a

truly broad agenda for their elected officials. Women want their elected officials to focus on

many issues that have affected them, could affect them and their families and that affect their

communities.

Women are great multi-taskers and worry about many issues. Women hope to see our leaders

intervene to alleviate the financial crisis, strengthen Medicare and Social Security, and curtail

unemployment. These issues manifest themselves in women’s worries about Social Security’s

solvency, health care expenses and the disappearing middle class.

Health care remains both a personal concern and a policy priority. Access to affordable, quality

health care is the most important public health policy facing women today.

Women will support the next president and Congress if they show leadership on equal pay;

protecting women from violence; defending people from crimes based on their race, sex,

gender, religion, ethnicity, age, disability or sexual orientation; and extending tax cuts for the

middle class.

When it comes to the fixing economy, women see a role for both the private sector and all levels

of the public sector – from the president to local governments.

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Methodology

Lake Research Partners and the polling company, inc./WomanTrend designed and administered this

survey, which was conducted by telephone using professional interviewers. The survey reached a total

of 1,430 adult women nationwide, with oversamples of 100 African American women, 100 Latinas, 100

Asian/Pacific Islander women, and 100 Native American women. The base sample consisted of 1,000

interviews, which included interviews via 200 cell phones. The survey was conducted from August 27 to

September 4, 2012.

Data in the base sample were weighted slightly by race, age, educational attainment, party

identification, and region to reflect the attributes of the actual population. Data in the African American

oversample were weighted slightly by age; the Latina oversample by age, region, and educational

attainment; the Asian/Pacific Islander oversample by age, region, and educational attainment; and the

Native American oversample by age and region. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 2.6%.

About the YWCA USA

The YWCA is the voice for every woman. For over a century, the YWCA has spoken out and taken action

on behalf of women and girls. The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and

promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Over 2 million people participate each year in

YWCA programs at more than 1,300 locations across the U.S. Worldwide, the YWCA serves more than

25 million women and girls in 125 countries. For more information, visit www.ywca.org.

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YWCA USA

THANKS ITS 2012

SURVEY SPONSORS

Susan Packard Orr, Telosa Software

United Nations Foundation, Girl Up!

Francie and John Pepper