Utopia and Dystopia on the Future of Women from the Perspective of Young Men and Women: A Qualitative Study

OpenAlex · English

This study aimed to examine the perspectives of young men and women regarding utopia and dystopia in relation to the future of women. This qualitative study was conducted between April and December 2023. The study sample consisted of 37 participants (17 women and 20 men), selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers, exploring positive (utopian) and negative (dystopian) visions about women’s futures. Women and men reported that a utopian future for women would include equality of rights and the right to life, the abolition of the concept of chastity and the virginity taboo, and freedom. Their dystopian visions, on the other hand, included a world where women’s rights are restricted, where they face violence such as femicide and forced marriage, and where societal pressures-such as the virginity taboo and the concept of chastity-hinder their freedom and equality. These dystopian projections reflect concerns that gender inequality, patriarchal norms, and violence against women will persist in the future. The study reveals that young people’s imaginaries of the future are shaped by both hopes for progress and fears of continued oppression.