Gender Justice in Environmental Communication: Exploring the Impact of Message Framing

Gender roles and norms embedded in Western society shape environmental communication, requiring its study through a gendered lens. This study explored how individuals perceived four gendered messages about a program regarding a climate action initiative. Elicitation interviews revealed themes of trust and empowerment influenced by the gendered nature of the messages. Participants generally favored feminine messages, suggesting their potential to influence support; yet, they displayed a greater lack of trust in them. Participants expressed greater trust in masculine messages due to perceived logic and alignment with the status quo of environmental communication; however, some participants actively challenged the status quo and dominant norms. Engagement with the messages depended on personal beliefs and value alignment, with minimal impact from message frames. These findings highlight the complexities of gendered environmental communication, offering insights for future research and communicators to build inclusive communication approaches that challenge oppressive systems and help combat climate change.

Author dc:creator

• Fasano, Carlie

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hodson, Jaigris

• School of environment and sustainability

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-19771

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/28157