S2, E6: Is the climate crisis SEXIST? We need to talk about eco-anxiety
In the sixth episode of season two, We Need to Talk about Eco-Anxiety, Clover dives deeper into eco-feminism and the impact of the climate crisis on women & girls.
Through her conversation with Nergiz De Baere, founder of Chicks for Climate, Clover unearths the disproportionate effects of the climate crisis on women. We then hear from young people whose stories have been shaped by gender inequality; our resident psychotherapist, Caroline Hickman, on why women need to ‘embrace their inner bitch’; and finally, Firdaous El Honsali, Global Communications Director of Dove, on whether companies champion women’s voices or continue to silence them.
Featuring…
Nergiz De Baere: Creator of ChicksforClimate
Nergiz De Baere is the creator of ChicksforClimate, an online platform dedicated to communicating the intersection of environmentalism and feminism, now at +400k community members.
Three things we talked about in the episode:
How Nergiz has navigated her conflicting feelings about motherhood, in a world defined by climate change;
Why women are more adversely impacted by climate change and disadvantaged by the systems that perpetuate it; and
The power of eco-feminism to heal gender divides, support mental health and prevent climate collapse.
Caroline Hickman, resident psychotherapist
Caroline is a psychotherapist from the University of Bath, who has spent years researching children and young people’s relationships with nature and feelings about the climate and ecological crisis; in the UK, Maldives, South Pacific and other communities already affected by rising sea levels.
In their conversation, Caroline and Clover discuss eco-feminism as a force for change; echoing Clover's words: 'the climate crisis - including how we talk about it - is the symptom of a system designed to divide and conquer, instead of connect and nurture.'
Firdaus El Honsali, Global Communications Director of Dove
Firdaous El Honsali is Global Communications and Sustainability Director of Dove, a Unilever brand. She has a demonstrated history of working in the consumer goods industry, with a clear passion for beauty brands and driving purpose-driven communications and sustainable strategy. She was listed in the 2020 global #Influencer50 list.
Quotes from the episode
"The people who are impacted the most by climate change don't have a voice in the policy-making part of fighting it."
- Nergiz De Baere
"Eco-feminism seeks to make a connection between how capitalism and the patriarchy exploit both the planet and women. Ecofeminism connects those two things together as one."
- Nergiz De Baere
With thanks this episode’s sponsor,
Dove
Interested in sponsoring Season 3? Email media@forceofnature.xyz
Share the Force Of Nature Podcast:
If you’re moved by the podcast, share it with a friend.
Share your takeaways on Instagram stories and tag @forceofnature.xyz
Subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts.
Follow us for more content on how young people feel, think and act in response to climate change.
Read the Bloom
Is the climate crisis sexist?
I grew up in Marrakech, the red city full of colour and joy, in a household where perfect strangers were treated like family…
Have you listened to season 1 yet?
In this 9-part series, Clover sits down with the people who are leading the charge: from the woman who started a global movement out of her backyard; to the lawyer responsible for the world’s most historic climate agreement; and a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
A Force of Nature and OneFinePlay production
Director: Clover Hogan
Studio: OneFinePlay
Executive producer: James Bishop
Editor & producer: Kasra Firouzyar
Producer & researcher: Connor Foley
Additional creative support: Selena Christofides
With special thanks to everyone who makes Force of Nature possible!
Phoebe Hanson, Kathleen Hamilton, Alejandra Arias, Sacha Wright, Julia Sams, Vida Han, Zineb Jaoudat and Rohan Shah.