Petro-Masculinity

In 2018, Virginia Tech Political Science Professor Cara Daggett wrote a paper entitled ‘Petro- masculinity: Fossil Fuels and Authoritarian Desire’ which analyzed how society’s constructs of masculinity had become prevalent in attitudes towards fossil fuel use and energy. Cara’s research focuses on feminist political ecology, in particular the politics of energy in an era of planetary disruption. While we spoke, found her definition and analysis of energy completely mind-blowing and it’s shattered my previous understanding of the word and energy as a concept. I’ll never use the word in the same way again!

In the article mentioned above, Cara addresses the new authoritarian movements in the West that embrace a toxic combination of climate denial, racism and misogyny as the planet warms. Rather than considering these issues separately, the article interrogates their relationship through the concept of ‘petro-masculinity’, which highlights the historic role of fossil fuel systems in buttressing white patriarchal rule. Petro-masculinity is helpful in understanding how the anxieties aroused by the Anthropocene era can increase desires for power. The concept of petro-masculinity suggests that fossil fuels mean more than profit; fossil fuels actually contribute to making identities. Moreover, fossil fuel use can even function as a violent compensatory practice in reaction to gender and climate trouble.

I found this article fascinating. I’d never considered the impact that western societal pressures on masculinity could have on environmentalism. Sure, I’ve spent my career as a Wildlife Biologist constantly surrounded by female-identifying people, which is something I’ve definitely noticed, and all of the most environmentally friendly people I know are also female. But, after reading this article so many things started jumping out at me that I hadn’t noticed before, including the way that many environmentally unfriendly products are directly targeted at men, even using anti-feminine and homophobic slurs as a means of increasing sales. Gender is an intersection of environmentalism that I hadn’t noticed quite so much before. The way that Cara discusses masculine domination over the feminine, with the feminine being the Earth, sent chills down my spine and is again, something I’ve consistently noticed since speaking to her.

Why is it that destructive practices towards nature are seen as being manly, whereas being nurturing and kind to the environment are girly and practicing these things supposedly makes you less of a man? It’s a minefield. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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