By: Jordyn Bradley, W*SS Social Media & Graphic Design Intern
Who doesn’t love the weather when the sun is shining and the temperature is a perfect 72 degrees, with a slight breeze? Weather warm enough to go without bundling up in a multitude of layers. Primarily weather that you expect to find in spring or the end of summer, not in November, especially in Michigan. Although I enjoy this warmer than usual weather as much as the next person, I can’t help but to be plagued by the thought of our climate crisis because we all know that this is not normal for November to be this warm.
Often when the topic of the climate crisis is discussed, many people just think about the melting ice caps, heat waves, frequently occurring natural disasters, and especially the poor polar bears. Most of the people leading these discussions, especially in political settings are white cisgender men, who are rich and do not experience the climate crisis the way non-cisgender white men do. Everyone is not identically afflicted by climate change. According to UN Women, “climate change is a “threat multiplier.” Women already face social, political, and economic issues and the climate crisis exacerbates it.
For instance, think about the extreme weather events. Women are not as likely to survive these disasters. They often have not received the same information on how to remain safe or are able to seek relief assistance after the fact. In some cases, women are unable to escape areas prone to these misfortunes as they are forced to stay behind with children or family that depends on their care. (“How gender inequality and climate change are interconnected”).
Robin Leichenko and Karen O’Brien extend an analysis on the double standard women experience during times of crisis in their book titled ‘Climate and Society: Transforming the Future’. The patriarchy enables men to leave during natural disasters whereas women are not awarded that privilege. Men are often not questioned about their family and not held accountable for their family during refuge.
Even in the aspects of labor, the climate crisis makes it difficult for women who work in agricultural based societies. Agricultural work is already feminized and women are often expected to partake. However in many areas, especially in impoverished countries, a worsening climate causes crops to become unpredictable, initiating economic pressure for women as their survival depends on the success of their labor (“How gender inequality and climate change are interconnected”).
As we open discussion to how women are impacted by the climate crisis, it is imperative to acknowledge not every woman is experiencing the same implications. Gender disparities are beyond white cisgender women and white cisgendermen. If we don’t address the systems under an intersectional lens, then women of color, elderly women, migrants, disabled, and the LGBTIQ+ community are continuously neglected when discussing how we even begin to deal with climate change. For instance, according to Maggie Diaz “queer people of color are more likely to experience the negative impacts of climate change due to factors like poverty and poor housing. In addition, trans and gender non-conforming people are at higher risk for heat-related illnesses due to hormone therapy and other medical treatments” (“The Intersection of Climate Change and the LGBTQ+ Community”). Climate change legislation often does not consider the health or social stress of marginalized communities.
In spite of how distressing this emergency is, things are being done to combat this. While we have acknowledged these issues of climate crisis and gender disparities, it is essential that we notice movements and the people behind them that have been working to take action, particularly ecofeminism. Leah Thomas examines in her book titled ‘Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet”, how Ecofeminism is a derivative of feminism that analyzes the connection between women and the earth (Thomas). Women alongside nature are devalued which correlates to the current oppressive systems that are in place. Ecofeminism is more than just a movement, but a philosophy. For hundreds of years in a variety of cultures, there has always been a link between nature and women. Thomas further extends how Ecofeminism notes this and upholds that the most effective way to battle our environmental emergency is to honor how much gender inequality and climate compare. Not only does this branch of feminism combat climate change, but all environmental issues such as clean water, pipelines in indigenous lands, etc.
While acknowledging the ecofeminist movement, we must also recognize the women behind it. Notable ecofeminist,Vandana Shiva is considered a “‘a world-renowned environmental thinker, activist, feminist, philosopher of science, writer and science policy advocate”’(Navdanya International). Shiva has worked in Asia to promote better policies that implemented more “sustainable living and agriculture”(“Vandana Shiva”). Simultaneously, Shiva “articulates the problems caused by corporate domination and to foster the development of realistic solutions” (“Vandana Shiva”). Shiva is only one of the many activists that continue to uphold the ecofeminist movement.
With all of this in mind, I hope my thoughts today have inspired at least one person to realize how important addressing gender disparities is when discussing our climate crisis! If this brief piece has motivated you, I encourage you to think of ways we can work towards recognizing and eliminating these issues. What is the next plan of action? More importantly, how soon can we start?
Sources:
Diaz, Maggie. “The Intersection of Climate Change and the LGBTQ+ Community.” Greener Ideal, 21 July 2022, https://greenerideal.com/news/politics/climate-change-an-lgbtq-issue/.
“Explainer: How Gender Inequality and Climate Change Are Interconnected.” UN Women – Headquarters, https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories.
Leichenko, Robin M., and Karen L. O'Brien. Climate and Society: Transforming the Future. Polity Press, 2021.
Park, Alice. “How Climate Change Exacerbates Gender Inequality across the Globe.” Time, Time, 26 Nov. 2019, https://time.com/5738322/climate-change-gender-inequality/.
THOMAS, LEAH. Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet. SOUVENIR PRESS LTD, 2023.
Siegel, Sarah. “Exploring Ecofeminism: Women Who Dared to Believe in a Better Future.” The Daily Californian, 18 Mar. 2021, https://www.dailycal.org/2021/03/18/exploring-ecofeminism-women-who-dared-to-believe-in-a-better-future.
“Vandana Shiva.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vandana-Shiva.
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