This text is part of the special International Women’s Day booklet
Women are more concerned than men about climate change and more proactive on a daily basis when it comes to combating it. A gap that would mainly find its source in the place they occupy (or not) within society, at home and in the public sphere. What if, to turn the tide, we first had to break the stereotypes?
Take the test: spend a few hours in a zero waste store and do the count. It’s a safe bet that you will meet few men there… and that those who are there will be on a mission for their companion. “When I worked at the Les Trappeuses boutique, we had 99% female customers,” says Catherine Granger. For her, who devoted her master’s thesis in the environment to the gender gap relating to eco-responsible behavior, the observation is unequivocal: “In my experience, men get on board because they share our lives, but it’s less important to them. »
A difference of 6%: this is what separates the proportion of women (92%) from the proportion of men (86%) who believe they contribute to the fight against climate change, according to the latest Climate Action Barometer. They are also more numerous (90% against 77% for men) to consider that there is an urgent need to act.
This result does not surprise France Levert, administrator of the Board of Directors of the Network of Women in the Environment, who participated in 2014 in the publication of the study led by the specialist in environmental law Annie Rochette, Gender mainstreaming in the fight against climate change in Quebec. “Women are more motivated by environmental issues,” she says. It is a question of values. »
the care
Above all, Catherine Granger points to social factors: “It all starts with the socialization of women, educated to be more open to others, to the values of devotion and altruism. And the difference would be noticeable… from childhood, according to what an American study reveals, which underlines that little girls already feel more responsible than little boys when it comes to safeguarding the environment.
“As the socialization of children is done mainly in the family sphere, explains Catherine Granger, little girls tend to reproduce the behavior of their mother. However, in all the decisions made in their lives, adds the woman who is now project manager at Nature-Action Québec, women take into account the cost of these decisions on others. “They place people at the heart of the decision. »
The famous care would still be the prerogative of women and would largely explain why they are more strongly involved than men in the face of climate issues. This is a determining factor, according to Julia Posca, a sociologist at the Institute for Socioeconomic Research and Information (IRIS). Majority in sectors traditionally associated with care, such as health or education, they are also, adds Julia Posca, in the front line of the impacts of climate change. “Women are the first to feel the stress of the population, the eco-anxiety generated by these issues. No wonder, then, that they are more sensitive to it than men.
So the mental load would push women to act more? This is an observation shared by sociologist Michel Dorais. He evokes the weight of the “traditional role” attributed to women. “It is first of all cultural. Because they are the ones who transmit life, we find it normal that they are responsible for the quality of this life, whether on a personal or political level. »
Miracle or technological mirage?
Local purchases, carpooling, reduction of food waste and energy consumption, composting: if women are more likely to take daily actions, men are not necessarily inactive, but rather rely on technological solutions… which are not However, it is not a panacea, as Julia Posca reminds us: “We remain in a consumerist logic and in a very individualistic vision of our relationship to the environment. »
So how do you convince men to go a little further in the nature of their involvement? “Eco-responsible products are essentially packaged for women, adds Catherine Granger. Perhaps if we opted for a more neutral visual aspect, we would be able to reach men more. A test, carried out as part of an American study in 2016, proves that by slightly modifying the brand image of a product (typography, color), we reduce the tendency of men to avoid pro-environmental behavior, deemed un-masculine.
Pro-environment and sexy
Not manly, caring about the environment? A study published in the journal Psychology & Marketing by three researchers reveals, however, that men interested in ecological solutions are nonetheless perceived as masculine by the women interviewed. Moreover, their involvement would make them more “desirable”. So what’s wrong? “There is a stereotype that women and the environment are associated,” says Catherine Granger. Some men therefore tend, in order to preserve their masculinity, to [avoir] overconsumption behaviors. »
Education would be the key to breaking stereotypes. “We see that young people have integrated certain behaviors, confirms France Levert. The number of driving licenses, for example, is down among those under 30, who are more inclined towards shared consumption. »
But changing mentalities, “it takes time”, recalls Michel Dorais. However, he has confidence in the new generations. “The 20-30 year olds come out a lot of stereotypes, are more open to cultural and gender diversity. The gender binary is changing, and that’s a good thing. We begin to think that femininity and masculinity can be shared. »
The expert is formal: it is by getting rid of these shackles that we can make things move forward. “We have to stop thinking that there are male or female fights. Quality of life is everyone’s business. »
A first version of this text was published on April 12, 2021 on unpointfive.ca