THE GENDER-GAP IN CANADA - NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DONT

We examine Canadian attitudes between 1965 and 1990 to determine the m agnitude and direction of attitudinal change on traditional gender gap producing issues. We discover growing differences in aggregate attitu des towards force and violence and social welfare, but not feminism an d equality. The greatest gender gaps appear among young, university-ed ucated, and employed people. Furthermore, gender gaps on feminist issu es appear with controls for these variables. We conclude that changing gender gaps result from the interaction of role change and socializat ion by the women's movement and suggest that youth, education and paid employment combine to create a gender consciousness among women.