A new study published in the British Journal of Social Psychology suggests that while most White men in New Zealand do not perceive themselves as victims of discrimination, a small but significant minority believes they are increasingly being treated unfairly because of their race and gender. Drawing on ten years of data from a large national panel, the study provides evidence that these perceptions have become more common in recent years among a particular subgroup of White men.
Social movements promoting racial and gender equality have gained global visibility over the last decade, prompting both public support and political backlash. Some conservative voices argue that efforts to address structural inequalities have gone too far and now disadvantage groups traditionally seen as privileged—such as White men.
Despite the growing prominence of these claims in political discourse, there has been relatively little empirical research into how White men themselves perceive discrimination over time. Most existing studies focus on one point in time, often in specific political or ideological contexts. The researchers behind this study aimed to fill that gap by examining whether perceptions of reverse discrimination among White men have changed over a significant time period and by identifying the types of individuals most likely to feel this way.
“In recent years, political leaders have used claims that White/European groups (particularly men) face discrimination. These narratives have influenced social policy and movements, including drastic effects on equity, diversion, and inclusion policy in many Western countries,” explained study author Kieren Lilly, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for Social Science Research at the University of Queensland.
“Our aim in this study was to determine exactly who among white men feels discriminated against, whether this has changed over time, and how these feelings relate to their political attitudes. By identifying who these people are, our hope is that we can address the root causes of these feelings and ultimately promote support for positive social change.”
For their study, the researchers used data from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study, a nationwide longitudinal survey that follows tens of thousands of participants over time. The researchers focused on 20,486 White men who completed one or more waves of the survey between 2014 and 2023. Each year, participants rated the extent to which they felt discriminated against because of their ethnicity and gender.
To analyze the patterns in these responses, the research team used a statistical method that groups people based on how their answers changed over time. They found that most White men (about 83 percent) consistently reported low levels of perceived discrimination throughout the ten-year period. This group, labeled the “Enfranchised” class, generally held favorable views of minority groups, supported progressive policies, and reported relatively high levels of well-being.
Two smaller subgroups, however, reported very different experiences. The first, labeled the “Disenfranchised” class, made up around 8.5 percent of the sample. Members of this group consistently reported moderate levels of perceived discrimination and tended to feel financially insecure. They were more likely to believe that their ethnic group was economically disadvantaged and showed higher levels of psychological distress. These individuals also scored higher on measures reflecting a desire for group-based social hierarchy and were more likely to hold conservative beliefs.
“An important takeaway is that most white men do not feel discriminated against based on their race or gender – this is a really encouraging finding in a world where narratives of reverse racism and sexism are prevalent in politics,” Lilly told Psypost. “That said, our findings also show that there are groups of white men who do feel discriminated against. Addressing these feelings requires tackling the underlying causes of poverty and status concerns, which can affect how people interpret their position in society.”
The second subgroup, the “Radicalized” class, represented about 8.8 percent of participants. Unlike the Disenfranchised group, members of this class started with low levels of perceived discrimination but reported sharp increases over time, especially after 2016. This timing coincides with major political and cultural events, including Donald Trump’s election, the #MeToo movement, and global protests against racial injustice.
Members of the Radicalized class tended to be younger and economically secure, often owning homes. They expressed stronger support for right-wing political parties and viewed progressive social movements more negatively. Despite their relative privilege, they reported increased feelings of alienation and reduced well-being over time.
“The changes we see in feelings of discrimination among some groups of white men are very pronounced – practically, this shows us the importance of tailoring interventions to reduce prejudice and feelings of discrimination to specific groups,” Lilly said. “It is also important to note that political beliefs were a much stronger predictor of feelings of discrimination than any demographic factors like age or education.”
Further analysis showed that both the Disenfranchised and Radicalized classes differed from the Enfranchised group not just in their perceptions of discrimination but also in their social and political attitudes. They were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, express negative views toward immigrants and minority groups, and oppose gender equality initiatives. They also reported higher levels of psychological distress, suggesting that these beliefs may be tied to broader issues of dissatisfaction or anxiety about their place in society.
The study offers one of the most comprehensive examinations of perceived discrimination among White men to date, but the authors note some limitations. The measures of perceived discrimination were based on single items, which do not capture the full complexity of these experiences. For example, they do not indicate whether people feel discriminated against in specific settings, such as at work or in education, or which groups they believe are responsible.
Additionally, the study’s design does not allow researchers to pinpoint exactly why individuals’ perceptions changed. Although the timing suggests that societal events and political messaging may have played a role, further research is needed to test these connections more directly.
Another consideration is that the study took place in New Zealand, a country known for its relatively egalitarian social policies. The patterns found here may look different in countries where political polarization or economic inequality is more pronounced. Still, the emergence of these trends in a relatively peaceful and equitable society may suggest that similar patterns could be even more prominent elsewhere.
One potential interpretation the authors caution against is the idea that White men cannot face discrimination. The findings do not suggest that all claims of discrimination are false or politically motivated.
“I think there may be a misconception that we believe white men cannot experience discrimination,” Lilly said. “This is not the case; our findings demonstrate that many of the white men in our sample struggle with economic precarity and other forms of marginalization. It is also important to note that many right-wing political leaders use economic concerns to attract support from both working-class and more privileged white men. Our study highlights that some white men misattribute their economic concerns to race or gender, and that this can have severe consequences for women and ethnic minority groups.”
The researchers plan to explore these issues further, particularly the role of political messaging and media narratives in shaping feelings of discrimination among advantaged groups. They also aim to investigate potential strategies to reduce these perceptions, especially given the political influence such narratives can have.
“I intend my future work to further examine the role of discrimination narratives in right-wing social movements, as well as effective interventions to address them,” Lilly explained. “We are at a critical point in human history where social progress for women, ethnic minorities, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ people (among many others) is being challenged, and I believe now more than ever in the value of research in understanding and addressing the root causes of movements aiming to reverse this progress.”
The study, “Rise of the alt-White? Examining the prevalence of perceived racial and gender discrimination among White men from 2014 to 2023,” was authored by Kieren J. Lilly, Chantelle Kimberley, Zoe Bertenshaw, Joaquín Bahamondes, Chris G. Sibley, and Danny Osborne.
