As part of LGBT+ History Month, we're celebrating LGBT+ environmentalists. This blog post brings together a collection of people, organisations, articles and podcasts to highlight the intersections of LGBT+ with the climate crisis and sustainability.
As part of LGBT+ History Month, we're celebrating LGBT+ environmentalists. This blog post brings together a collection of people, organisations, articles and podcasts to highlight the intersections of LGBT+ with the climate crisis and sustainability.
People
Founder and Executive Director of Our Climate Voices, which aims to humanise the climate crisis by telling stories. This includes a podcast episode about Climate Justice and Queer and Trans Liberation.
An environmental drag queen, Pattie Gonia, is on a mission to dismantle the heteronormativity surrounding hiking and mountain climbing. Using drag to make environmental statements, from outfit repeating to wearing wigs made from rubbish, Pattie is about celebrating the great outdoors while being unapologetically themselves.
A scientist, expert on biodiversity and Director at EAN University, Colombia, Brigitte is a transgender woman and LGBT+ activist. Using her profile to advocate for gender diversity and the relationship between nature and the queer, to challenge social norms surrounding heteronormativity and heterosexuality.
Here is a quote from her Ted Talk, Nothing more queer than nature
“It's time to rejoin and rescue sexual and gender diversity in our visions of nature. It's time to reject homogeneity and make room for real diversity, for the diversity that is represented by the interactions between all the people”
An environmental educator and creator of the QueerBrownVegan platform, for people to learn about diversity, environmentalism and climate justice.
He has created this free downloadable Eco-Education book, which includes 18 illustrated pages of environmental terms that inform readers about intersectionality and all the facets of sustainability.
Businesses
A gender-neutral, ethical and sustainable clothing brand, selling t-shirts, prints and greetings card. Each of their collections raises money for a different cause, and the company has raised money to create an LGBTQ+ Community Centre in London. Everything is cruelty-free, organic and uses non-toxic inks as well as plastic-free packaging. Read more and see their products here.
A Scottish-based vegan, gender and size-inclusive clothing company. All designs are made with OEKO-TEX® certified fabric, which ensures sustainable practices and socially responsible programmes for workers. Any fabric offcuts are made into ostomy bags, masks and wipes or donated to a local college. Read more and see their products here.
Learning
7. LGBT+ inclusion and the Sustainable Development Goals
Stonewall, have created this briefing document that explains the links between the SDGs and the inclusion of LGBT+ people. It suggests practical actions and examples of best practice from around the world for organisations and governments to build into their work.
8. Why Queer Liberation Is an Environmental Justice Issue
This article explores the intersections of Black and LGBT+ identities with environmental hazards and injustices.
9. Why Climate Change is an LGBTQ+ Issue
Young Friends of the Earth Scotland have produced this article which links capitalism, colonialism, LGBT+ oppression and climate change. This is a quote from the article:
“Queer liberation is part of climate justice. Building solidarity between the LGBTQ+ movement and the climate movement has never been more important”.
10. Liberating Sustainability- Sexuality, podcast episode
Students Organising for Sustainability commissioned this five-part podcast series which take an intersectional approach to the climate crisis. This episode on sexuality asks the following questions. Do stereotypes of queer consumerism impact participation in sustainability movements? How does colonialism inform the lives of queer people and the environment? And what might ‘gay penguins’ reveal about the diversity of human experience?
