Scorching Inequality: How Heat Waves Expose Gender and Class Divides

Temperatures have been rising dramatically worldwide due to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. This summer, Northwest Asia and North Africa are enduring unprecedented heatwaves, leading to skin burns and fatalities, particularly in densely populated areas. While some governments have implemented measures and individuals are taking precautions, this article delves into the class and gender dimensions of how heatwaves disproportionately impact women and the working class.

Working through heatwaves

Economic circumstances force many people to work outdoors during heatwaves, exposing them to the sun’s harmful effects. Prolonged exposure causes skin damage, dehydration, fatigue, fainting, respiratory distress, and mental health issues.

For the working and middle classes, taking a break from work during heatwaves is often not an option. Paid leave is typically unavailable except in extreme cases, which remain inconsistently applied and subject to administrative discretion. This compulsion to work affects physical and mental well-being, particularly for those in outdoor labor-intensive roles.

Field workers, often employed on a temporary or informal basis, are especially vulnerable. They face punitive measures, including dismissal, if they request time off, often being labeled as “lazy.” This highlights the class inequality in coping with heatwaves, as the burden falls disproportionately on the working class.

For those working indoors, the reliance on air conditioning and fans to combat heat leads to increased fuel and electricity consumption, exacerbating greenhouse gas emissions and perpetuating climate change.

Despite the evident need for alternatives, most workplaces, both public and private, continue to adhere to rigid daytime schedules, failing to adapt to the realities of rising temperatures. Although transitioning to cooler working hours could benefit workers’ health and productivity, such changes are primarily viewed through a capitalist lens that prioritizes labor output over worker welfare.

Heatwaves and domestic and care work

For women, particularly those employed outside the home, the effects of heatwaves are compounded by the added burden of domestic and care responsibilities. While they endure the same workplace challenges as men, women often return home to unpaid labor, including cooking, cleaning, and caregiving. This dual burden is intensified by the gender pay gap, leaving them undervalued and overworked.

Single women face similar challenges. Whether caring for family members or managing their households, they often have limited financial and physical resources to cope with these demands. Even women who are unemployed outside the home are held responsible for domestic and care work, with their contributions undervalued and unrecognized.

Regardless of marital or employment status, women bear the brunt of domestic and care responsibilities. This remains true even when they hire domestic workers, who are predominantly women as well. Rising temperatures make rest nearly impossible, as women are expected to organize their lives around power outages and complete their household tasks within restricted hours.

Heatwaves and sexual violence

One governmental measure to counteract heatwaves has been load-shedding, where electricity is deliberately cut off during the day and night to manage high consumption. However, this creates dark streets and unsafe conditions, increasing the risk of sexual violence.

In poorly lit areas, women and girls are more vulnerable to attacks, as darkness shields perpetrators and prevents victims from identifying or pursuing them. Consequently, women are forced to retreat from public spaces at night, turning these areas into predominantly masculine domains. While men can also experience sexual violence, women, girls, and children are the primary victims.

Additionally, the cultural and societal expectations placed on women further exacerbate their suffering during heatwaves. For example, women and girls wearing the hijab or other conservative clothing may feel compelled to dress in layers unsuitable for extreme temperatures, despite evidence showing no correlation between attire and sexual violence.

The pervasive fear of sexual violence, coupled with societal stigma and victim-blaming, limits women’s freedom of dress and autonomy. Women are effectively trapped—enduring extreme heat in restrictive clothing to avoid judgment and violence.

A call for gender-sensitive solutions

The failure to address the gendered impacts of heatwaves reflects systemic shortcomings. Governments and institutions must adopt a gender-sensitive approach to climate crises, considering how intersecting factors like class and gender amplify vulnerabilities. Without such measures, the burden of rising temperatures will continue to fall disproportionately on women and the working class, perpetuating inequality and systemic violence.

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