Massachusetts is one of the greenest states in the nation. It also happens to be a state with strong female leadership. This week’s reading on women and state government posits that there may be a connection between these two facts. Kari Norgaard and Richard York’s article “Gender Equality and State Environmentalism” for Gender & Society is an empirical analysis of 130 countries, examining whether mechanisms of gender equality in state government may affect environmental policy and legislation. The domination of the environment is linked to ecofeminist theory, they say, through the “parallel social and historical constructions of women,” and the fact that nations with higher gender inequality do not prioritize environmental protections (510). They conclude that examining environmental issues through ecofeminist theory and increasing the presence of women in politics can improve “our understanding of state behavior and the relationship between society and the natural environment” (519).
Why might there be a correlation between women in politics and environmental protection? Norgaard & York posit that the traditional roles of caregiving that women are given affects their overall perception of the world, stating that “women are more concerned about the environment because they have been socialized to be family nurturers and caregivers” (509). Norgaard & York also indicate that women are more perceptible to risk than men, and are more likely to “consider a variety of environmental risks, from nuclear power to toxic substances, to be more serious than do men (508). It would make sense, then, that a predominantly female political administration would prioritize environmental protection. Indeed, perhaps women recognize the urgency and plight of the Earth being stripped of resources as they are stripped of their labor, and the planet acts a mirror for their own subjugation.
In 2005, when the article was published, Norgaard & York recommended further research into whether increased female participation in politics actually translates to greater environmental protection (514). Twenty years later, we have the hindsight to examine if this is true. It seems that over the past few decades, developed nations have caught on to the fact that women are valued members of society, and by educating them and improving their lives, we can improve the lives and health of all around us. One way to do this is to specifically include women in cooperative environmental and nature-based projects, especially in rural areas. Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF) shared in 2016 that an initiative in Georgia to teach women to install and maintain renewable energy structures has led to numerous co-benefits, including reduced domestic labor demand for women, increased community knowledge of renewable energy resources, and reduced energy consumption. You can read more about their efforts here.
Another example of female-driven environmental action is right here at home. Over the past few years, the number of women in politics in Massachusetts has steadily climbed, from a baseline 20% to over 33% in 2024 (WGBH 2024). This meets the 30% threshold that Norgaard & York mentioned in their article, as the United Nations recommends a baseline 30% female participation level in politics in order to promote environmental protection (518). With this rise in participation, the amount of policy directed at protecting the environment has also increased. The female-led Healey-Driscoll administration announced in 2022 that climate and energy policy was their top priority, and have since introduced legislation to double wind and solar targets, electrify public transportation, establish green municipal funds, incentivize electric vehicles, and protect coastal cities from sealevel rise (Commonwealth of Massachusetts). They also established the cabinet-level position of Climate Chief, the first state in the nation to do so. The position is currently held by a woman, Melissa Hoffer.
Even if women and girls choose not to enter the political landscape, they are powerful in the fight against environmental degradation. According to the United Nations, women in developed countries drive 70-80% of consumer spending, and therefore play a key role in enacting change at a household level. Women are also more likely to recycle, thrift, reduce energy consumption, and purchase eco-friendly products (United Nations 2024). This means they lead the charge in switching to more sustainable lifestyles and products. You’ll see this in action if you scroll the sustainability and thrifting communities on social media platforms like TikTok and Reddit. There is a largely female presence in those groups, and it is enthusiastic. As time goes on and gender barriers continue to be broken down, I think the impact of women in the environmental protection space will be loud, clear, and positive.
Works Cited
Cohan, Alexi (2024). The Rising Power of Women in Massachusetts Politics. WGBH.org. https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2024-10-08/the-rising-power-of-women-in-massachusetts-politics
Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2024). Massachusetts Named Most Environmentally-Friendly State in Nation by Forbes. Mass.gov. https://www.mass.gov/news/massachusetts-named-most-environmentally-friendly-state-in-nation-by-forbes
Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2022). The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Priorities. Mass.gov. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-healey-driscoll-administrations-priorities
Norgaard, Kari and Richard York (2005). Gender Equality and State Environmentalism. Gender & Society. Vol. 19, No. 4. pp. 506-522.
United Nations (2025). Why women are key to climate action. UN.org. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/women
Women Engage for a Common Future (2016). Gender responsive energy cooperatives: a social business model to implement renewable technologies within Georgia‘s climate strategy. Womengenderclimate.org. https://womengenderclimate.org/gjc_solutions/gender-responsive-energy-cooperatives-a-social-business-model-to-implement-renewable-technologies-within-georgias-climate-strategy/
I like how you were able to draw a connection between ecofeminist theory and tangible policy changes (it seems logical that caretaking roles would change women’s orientation toward environmental issues). What struck me is how this is playing out in climate change impact zones. One example: indigenous women. They have also led environmental movements for years, such as the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, because land and water protection is vital to their survival. That makes me wonder—do you believe the policies that female politicians are enacting offer adequate support?
Hi Jessica! I really liked your research and I am also on that side of TikTok of women thrifting and recycling and just being conscious in general of consumption especially over consumption and how concerning that is in a consumer based capitalist driven global economy with the rise of online shopping skyrocketing in the last decade. I really resonated with your analysis “by educating [women] and improving their lives, we can improve the lives and health of all around us” since women are responsible for 70-80% of consumerism, it makes sense that we also be the ones to promote the proper way to recycle, and promote thrifting and forms like that in order to sustain a fashion industry which contaminates the environment so harshly. I think that your example of the good deeds happening on policy change regarding the environment in Massachusetts is a great foundation for a blue print for nations to follow and take seriously wether or not females see a rise in parity in global governments or not, women in general should use their platforms to promote a healthy environment which can and has in turn led to policy change.