New York Times Women's Issues Poll, June 1989 (ICPSR 4503)

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This special topic poll, fielded June 20-25, 1989, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. The focus of the data collection was on women's issues in society. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way George H.W. Bush was handling his job as president, what the most important problem facing the country, and whether President Bush was handling that problem well. Opinions were solicited on whether there were more advantages to being a man or a woman in society, what was the most important problem facing American women was, whether men's attitudes toward women had changed for the better in the past 20 years, and whether most men looked at women as equals. A series of questions asked about women's organizations, including whether they had been successful in trying to change the status of women in society, what should be the most important goal to work toward, and whether women's organizations had made any difference in the respondent's life. Respondents were asked questions about the women's movement, including whether the United States continued to need a strong women's movement, what the main obstacle was that women faced in trying to bring about change, whether the women's movement had made things harder for men at work or at home, and whether relationships between men and women were more honest and open than they used to be. Several questions asked which spouse stayed home with a sick child, how understanding the spouse's supervisor was during that time, whether employers are equally willing to give men and women workers with children flexible hours, how many women were getting ahead due to policies designed to advance women, and whether women had to give up too much in the past in exchange for more opportunities. Information was collected on the respondent's jobs and careers, including reasons for working, employment status, expectation of promotion, opinions on supervisors, expected age of retirement, and whether they were meeting the demands placed on them at work and at home equally. Additional topics included abortion, distribution of household chores and child care, spouse's employment status, whether the respondent's mother was employed outside of the home while the respondent was growing up, and environmental protection. Demographic variables include sex, race, age, marital status, whether respondents had any children in the household under 18, household income and personal household income contribution, education level, political party affiliation, and political philosophy.

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