How is Intersectionality helping me rethink the contemporary issue of Environmental Degradation?
Intersectionality, a term brought into mainstream academia by Kimberly Crenshaw, is the concept of identifying how the identity aspects of a person intersect and interact with each other to result in a perceived position in society [1]. It is a complex theory which emerged from activist and black feminism, such as the Combahee River Collective, and is used to better understand past and present discrimination observed in society. Discrimination and inequality are issues deeply embedded in the climate crisis and its resulting environmental degradation, and using intersectionality as a heuristic device is crucial in addressing these issues in an effective way which helps people of all identities. In this essay I will explore how intersectionality is helping me better understand the issues of discrimination and inequality that environmental degradation is causing.
First, intersectionality is helping me better understand who is affected by environmental degradation in both the global north and south. Inequality in harm from environmental degradation has been occurring since the start of the modern climate crisis, and evidence suggests that Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) are those worse affected. Environmental degradation has harmed these groups' health, safety, well-being, and prospects drastically. For a global north example, in the USA 71% of African Americans live in counties that have air pollution above federal standards, and in turn, African Americans are 36% more likely to suffer from asthma than white people [2]. This is a striking example of how even in developed nations, racial inequality is present through environmental degradation. Additionally, gender inequality is a major issue in global health, as women spend more years in poor health in their lives than men. Women are expected to suffer more from health complications because of many factors, but it is widely accepted that social contextual factors play a significant role. Often, this is because women typically have worse socio-economic status than men, and therefore have less access to resources that prevent and cure illness [3]. Using these examples individually, we can infer that being black in the USA has health implications and being a woman has health implications, but looking at these identity aspects individually along one axis can be problematic as it can take away from the intersectional identity of a black woman, a more complex identity which encompasses better the issues faced from the intersection of these two marginalised identity aspects, shown in this example by health.
Understanding intersectionality allows its application to environmental degradation; to understand who is affected, why they’re affected and how we can approach mitigation, adaptation, and recovery efforts with an intersectional approach. As shown, black women are often the most marginalised group, and the Combahee River Collective claimed in their statement, “If Black Women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free, since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression” [4]. It is widely accepted that those in the global south, and those of BIPOC communities, suffer the worst from environmental degradation whilst simultaneously contributing the least to it. For example, in the global south, East Africa is being drastically affected by environmental degradation, and the effects are not felt equally. East African women are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation but also have less access to resources and opportunities for participation in decision-making processes. This combination is extremely damaging and worsens the problems East African females face. Furthermore, approximately 43% of the agricultural labour force in the global south is women [5], and as an industry particularly vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, women, and especially BIPOC women, holding positions of power is greatly important. Yet this is not something we have seen anywhere near the degree needed.
Something intersectionality has helped me understand is that injustices from the physical effects of environmental degradation only tell half the story. The role of marginalized groups in decision-making processes is equally important. Without the groups suffering most from environmental degradation being able to voice opinions, strategies, and insights, there is little hope in addressing the issues they face effectively; they must be listened to, given space, and opportunity. Although intersectional approaches have brought advancements in gender studies, the same cannot yet be said for studies around climate change. White men have dominated the field and have held positions of power around areas and people they are not part of, and this shows significant coloniality still present. As mentioned, the black woman is widely regarded as the most marginalized intersectional identity, and therefore, only when black women are given space and opportunities to be in positions of power, can we expect the problems of environmental degradation to be fully understood. This is echoed in the quotation from the Combahee River Collective mentioned earlier. Collective action with marginalized groups at the forefront is essential, and an example of this is The Green Belt Movement in Kenya, where women are the driving force of conservation efforts through tree planting. The movement has been a resounding success and larger-scale movements with the same principles are essential to wider world efforts. Acknowledging positionality and epistemology is essential here, and knowing where to position oneself is essential in combating these injustices, as who holds power and privilege directly affects who is affected by environmental degradation.
Overall, intersectionality has highlighted the injustices and inequality that environmental degradation brings with it, but also who hold the positions of power regarding environmental degradation. Intersectional theory has also helped me understand the injustices faced by the most marginalized groups, and how creating space for these voices to not only be heard but given the platform to make real change is essential if we expect to address environmental degradation effectively. Intersectionality helps me understand my own position better, and how to use this to the best of my ability.
Sources & References:
[1] Crenshaw, K. (1998) ‘Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory, and antiracist politics’, Feminism And Politics, pp. 314–343. doi:10.1093/oso/9780198782063.003.0016.
[2] Hoerner, J.A. and Robinson, N., 2008. A climate of change: African Americans, global warming, and a just climate policy in the US (pp. 1-59). Oakland: Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative.
[3] Siegrist, J. and Marmot, M., 2004. Health inequalities and the psychosocial environment—two scientific challenges. Social science & medicine, 58(8), pp.1463-1473.
[4] THE COMBAHEE RIVER COLLECTIVE: "The Combahee River Collective Statement," copyright © 1978 by Zillah Eisenstein.
[5] Thunberg, G. (2022) The Climate Book. Penguin Random House.
Author: Joshua Shanks
Course: Masters in Environmental Change and International Development