We establish that misperceptions are pervasive across the world but vary by a country’s level of gender equality. Perceptions are systematically distorted: false consensus, overweighting of the minority view, and gender stereotyping are ubiquitous. We develop a framework to assess the relative importance of each mechanism, finding that the latter two forces drive the global patterns. These forces may obstruct progress toward equality while also sustaining policies not necessarily favored by most women, especially in the most gender-equal countries.

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