Actress and environmental advocate Dia Mirza has responded to online trolling and criticism following her remarks linking patriarchy and men to climate change.
The controversy began after she said in an interview that men and patriarchal systems are responsible for driving climate change and the resulting global environmental crisis.
Clarifying her statement on Instagram, Mirza said her comments were not aimed at blaming individual men but at highlighting how long-standing patriarchal systems shape economic and environmental structures.
She argued that these systems concentrate power, prioritise extraction over care, and treat nature and vulnerable communities as resources to be exploited.
According to her, this approach mirrors how women and girls are often treated in patriarchal societies, reinforcing inequality and environmental harm.
Mirza further explained that climate change should not be viewed only as an environmental issue but also as a crisis of inequality and justice.
She said ecosystems such as forests, rivers and oceans have been historically commodified, and that the consequences of this mindset are now becoming increasingly severe and visible.
She also highlighted that women and girls, particularly in vulnerable communities, are disproportionately affected by climate change through issues such as water scarcity, food insecurity, displacement and loss of livelihoods, yet remain underrepresented in decision-making spaces related to environmental policy.
Referring to her podcast appearance, Mirza reiterated that extractive systems driven by domination have contributed to both environmental degradation and the marginalisation of women’s voices.
She stressed the need to move towards systems based on equity, cooperation, care and respect for nature.
Her original remarks, made on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, sparked backlash on social media, with many users criticising her for attributing climate change to men.
She later responded that her intention was to critique systemic structures rather than individuals and to encourage broader discussions on climate justice and sustainability. (IANS)
