Rising temperature are a gendered issue Heat does not affect all bodies in the same way

We are used to thinking of summer and heat as a phenomenon that affects everyone in the same way. In reality, heat does not affect all bodies in the same way and even the climate crisis, in fact, has a gender dimension. The reason? Men and women often live in different spaces, jobs and responsibilities, and these social differences mean that the effects of heat waves are unevenly distributed.

Not all bodies are the same in the heat

From a biological point of view, there are some differences in the body's response to high temperatures. Thermoregulation, i.e. the body's ability to keep its internal temperature stable, can vary according to body composition, hormones, age and physiological conditions. During certain stages of life, such as pregnancy and menopause, the female body may be particularly vulnerable to high temperatures. Pregnancy, for example, involves cardiovascular and metabolic changes that can make it harder to tolerate intense heat. Scientific studies have highlighted an association between exposure to extreme temperatures and greater risks to maternal and neonatal health. But it would be an understatement to explain everything through biology alone. The real point is that heat becomes a gender issue especially because we live in a society where roles, opportunities and economic conditions are not distributed equally.

More exposed and less protected jobs

Heat waves particularly affect those who work outdoors or in environments without adequate cooling systems. Agriculture, personal care, cleaning, domestic care and seasonal work are sectors in which the female presence is significant. Many women also carry out unpaid care work: taking care of children, the elderly or fragile people even in the family means spending more time at home during the hottest hours, with a greater physical and mental load. The heat is therefore not only a matter of temperature: it is a matter of who has the opportunity to protect themselves. Those who can afford an air conditioner or those who can go on vacation have different tools than those who live in overcrowded houses, work in precarious conditions or cannot choose their schedules.

The heat increases inequalities

The climate crisis is not neutral because people with the least economic resources are often the ones who suffer the most from the effects of extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, today, many women are more frequently in conditions of economic vulnerability, due to lower salaries, precarious jobs and the above-mentioned care responsibility. Cities also reflect these inequalities: neighborhoods with less greenery, more concrete and fewer services become real heat islands. Thinking of heat as a gender problem or even simply a cross-cutting one therefore means asking: who can really protect themselves? Who can stop? Who can choose? In short, climate change, like many other inequalities, also has a gender.