How a lockdown exclusive to cisgender men could save the planet

Cis men have always primarily worked as labourers, hunters, farmers etc since the dawn of humanity. However, with the age of industrialisation, many of these jobs have become a detriment to the environment with factory work becoming incredibly common. This resulted in men being the primary reason for the thick smog in cities like London during the Industrial Revolution. 

Only 11% of the UKs engineers are female (https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/addressing-the-manufacturing-gender-gap/) which really shows the gap between men and women in the industry, showing men are the cause of the majority of environmental pollution as a result. 

The same is happening now but in countries still waiting to fully industrialise; thick smog envelops their cities from factories operated by thousands of men. 

For us to truly save the environment, I believe we need to introduce a similar lockdown system to the one we currently have for COVID19 but for the climate; locking down only men to various degrees to save the climate. 

We could start with the worst offenders (industry and agriculture), working our way down to making pubs and bars a women only zone as women are many times less pollutive than disgusting cismen.

Myself and others, many of which are researchers of the effects of lockdown scenarios, agreed on a 4 phase plan for a lockdown of cismen. 

Phase 1 – Reducing the number of cismen in factories and on farms in order to reduce emissions with minimal economic impact. The men barred from work will be chosen by level of privilege with cishet white able-bodied men being locked down first.

Phase 2 – completely shutting down farms and factories, in order to reduce pollution drastically. This is vital in curbing emissions and agricultural runoff.

Phase 3 – Banning cis men from driving non-electric vehicles and working in powerplants that create power via combustion of fossil fuels with free gender transition plan available from phase 3 onwards. 

Phase 4 – Cis men are banned from leaving their home, as an absolute last resort to protect the climate. 

Obviously, this only applies to cismen, as trans men tend to be much more aware of the climate crisis and supportive of ending it. This also doesn’t apply to trans women, as trans women are women. 

Furthermore, the need to transition these polluting places from men to women is paramount as women will always pollute less. We aim to have 90% of the highest polluting organisations owned and managed by women by 2033. 

This could be the only way we can save the environment. Without this immediate action, we would all be doomed. 

Wrote by: Emma

Edited by: Frank Bordaine