Keywords
Sexism; Climate Change; Politics; Ecofeminism, ANES
Abstract
Climate change is a prominent scientific and political issue today. Research has shown women to be uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and subject towards political opinions that can be rooted in sexism. This study aims to draw a correlation between these factors. It provides an overview of the topic of climate change and women’s linkages with the environment through the topic of ecofeminism. It analyzes the topic of sexism and analyzes research surrounding different types of sexism: hostile, benevolent, and modern sexism. It discusses how studies that have categorized climate change as a gendered issue, climate change denial attitudes being linked towards sexism levels as well as partisanship. This study consists of quantitative methodology, using datasets from the 2024 "American National Election Survey" (American National Election Studies [ANES], 2025). Findings found a gender gap in climate change denial, with more men being denialists than women. Sexism levels in respondents, both hostile and modern, were found to have a strong positive relationship with the denial of climate change and weather/temperature events being linked to climate change, as well as an opposition towards regulations to combat climate change. There was also a positive correlation found between sexist attitudes (both hostile and modern), climate denial, and political affiliation with levels of denial increasing from low to high levels of sexism as well as from Democrats to Independents, to Republicans. A stronger relationship was found with modern sexism levels than hostile sexism, for climate change denialist and resistant attitudes, as well as these linkages to party identification. The results in this study launched a conversation on the complex, powerful linkages between gender, sexism, politics and climate change denial, and discussing framework for future studies on these relationships.
Thesis Completion Year
2026
Thesis Completion Semester
Fall
Thesis Chair
Knuckey, Jonathan
College
College of Sciences
Department
School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs
Thesis Discipline
Political Science
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Nichols, Sierra E., "“Mother Earth” Faces Sexism” (The Relationship Between Gender, Sexism, And Politics To Climate Change Recognition)" (2026). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 643.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/643
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