Project 90 Director, Lorna Fuller speaks to the intersectionality’s between climate justice and gender justice this women’s day!

Woman’s month 2021 presented me a challenge to write something personal AND hopeful. With the Climate Emergency is mostly on my mind, coupled to the fact that the women I was thinking about today are under extreme pressure to keep supporting their community. Two friends, Ann and Lucy have been feeding children and hungry adults in their areas for 18 months. Unemployment and desperation are not inspiration for celebration.

I also struggle with having to highlight a month for women. Have we not yet reached the point where we recognise the fight for gender equality is a cross-section of different types of oppression that women and minorities are experiencing? There are cross-sectional identities people ignore, specifically race, socio-economic status, gender identity and physical ability. The “women’s day” trap doesn’t highlight the broader systemic issue of inequality because it disproportionately affects minority groups. Systems of oppression overlap, and the discriminatory effects are compounded, and highlighting intersectionality will remind us to directly address the problem at its core, not select which issue is more important (for the month)— because they’re all important

I remembered reading a short blog from Climate.Emergence.co.uk on Eco-Anxiety. I have the privilege of taking time to follow the guidelines and I am hoping (in their adapted form) they can assist other overwhelmed, caring people as we grapple with all the intersectional issues of 2021.

  1. Grace-taking time in the busy day for short meditation, prayer or even just sitting with a cup of tea. This practice is to help us take a break and notice what we are feeling. Find value in our being as much as our doing.
  2. Grounding-time with our feminine side. Walking barefoot, dancing, baking, sewing, or any activity that gives our minds a break by focusing on our bodies being outdoors, in contact with the earth or under the stars.
  3. Gratitude- listing 10 things you are grateful for at the end of each day. It takes practice to notice the positives and be sure to include something from nature. The sun, a tree of a humble bumble bee.
  4. Get back out there! The system needs changing. Calling all feminists to collaborate and support all minorities, woman and woman led organisations working to eliminate inequality, poverty and let’s actively engage the ongoing racism, patriarchy, capitalism and gender-based violence in our country.

And Honour our mother earth the whole month.

*If you need some ideas for a community-based woman to support-contact me please! The sisterhood on the ground always need additional resources.

Contact: lorna@90by2030.org.za 

Feminism is, defined as the “theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.” Intersectional feminism recognizes the cross-section of the different types of oppression women are experiencing. This includes: race, socio-economic status, gender identity and physical ability