Why are American atheists a bunch of white guys?

[historia]

According to Pew: Americans who identify as atheist are 68% men and 78% white.

American Christians, by comparison, are 48% men and 66% white, which is nearly identical to the national average.

Questions for debate:

Why are American atheists disproportionately male?

Why are American atheists disproportionately white?

[2ndpillar2]

Why are American atheists disproportionately male?

Why are American atheists disproportionately white?

Considering some of the other things that correlate with atheism like higher education (mentioned at the page you linked) and higher income (addressed by another Pew study), I suspect that the correlation with white men is based on social and economic privilege rather than something innate that somehow gives white men a keener insight into the nature of religion. I'd guess that controlling for things like education level would cause much of the race and gender gap to disappear.

If we want atheism to be more representative, the answer is to increase overall access to education and decrease income disparities based on gender and race.

There are more women in college, and with higher degrees then men. How does that correlate? Women with the same job, have been shown to have a higher pay rate. Now because women and Canadian prime ministers choose different job categories, such as interpretive dance, they generally have a lower salary, except in the case of Canadian prime ministers.

[Difflugia]

There are more women in college, and with higher degrees then men. How does that correlate?

Since higher education level does correlate with areligiosity, all that means is that there's another variable with a larger impact (level of education disparity isn't as great between genders as it is between ethnicities). Interestingly, I supplied one. Perhaps income isn't the reason for the gender difference, either, but arguing against one variable doesn't invalidate a multivariate analysis.

Did you know that voting Republican is positively correlated with income and negatively correlated with level of education even though income and education are positively correlated with each other? Noodle that one.

Women with the same job, have been shown to have a higher pay rate.

That would be interesting if it were true, but it would still have absolutely nothing to do with the discussion at hand. Even if every woman that wanted a better paying job had one, that still wouldn't affect a correlation strictly by income.

It's not actually true, but it would be interesting if it were.

Now because women and Canadian prime ministers choose different job categories, such as interpretive dance, they generally have a lower salary, except in the case of Canadian prime ministers.

That is deliciously offensive in a peculiarly conservative way that is both demeaning and victim-blaming.

Let's say that despite these defects, you're actually right, though. Maybe the gender and race correlations aren't because of education or income. What do you think is responsible for the disparity? It would take a lot to convince me that there's something innate that makes particular combinations of race and gender more religiously credulous, but there's certainly something (or perhaps several independent "somethings") about the experience of being a woman or racial minority in the US that does so. What do you think that is?

[DrNoGods]

[Replying to 2ndpillar2 in post #2]

Female "atheist" are often feminist, and don't align with men, and often call themselves witches. They actually have a god, as atheist actually have gods, and apparently it is the devil, who apparently lives on the moon, for they often howl at the moon. They just are not interested in a law giving God. They are more into housekeeping, as they often carry brooms, probably to clean up after the orgies they make up in their minds.

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[nobspeople]

According to Pew: Americans who identify as atheist are 68% men and 78% white.

American Christians, by comparison, are 48% men and 66% white, which is nearly identical to the national average.

Questions for debate:

Why are American atheists disproportionately male?

Why are American atheists disproportionately white?

In regards to the male question, probably a lot of the same reasoning as to why men don't tend to go to the doctors as often as women (as the claim is).
In regards to the white question, probably has a lot to do with the history of white people and religion within the USA. In other words, their lives are so much better than minorities, historically, that there was little need to 'rely' on something other than themselves for support. Additionally, more white people seems to have had chance for extra education, which seems to lend less of a need for 'support outside one's self'.
Those are all opinions of mine based on experience.

[TRANSPONDER]

That could all be spot on. But the message I'd like to pass on on it that Atheism is not really a white boys' club. Women and non -whites are not only welcome but are much wanted, especially if they can provide an online voice.

[otseng]

Female "atheist" are often feminist, and don't align with men, and often call themselves witches. They actually have a god, as atheist actually have gods, and apparently it is the devil, who apparently lives on the moon, for they often howl at the moon. They just are not interested in a law giving God. They are more into housekeeping, as they often carry brooms, probably to clean up after the orgies they make up in their minds.

Moderator Comment

Please do not make negative, unsupported, blanket statements.

Please review the Rules.


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Moderator comments do not count as a strike against any posters. They only serve as an acknowledgment that a post report has been received, but has not been judged to warrant a moderator warning against a particular poster. Any challenges or replies to moderator postings should be made via Private Message to avoid derailing topics.