#CelebrateingtheRainbow at the workplace – share your stories of Pride!
Photo by Carlos Roso on Unsplash
[Greta Thunberg, the 20-year-old Swedish environment activist who had been to the United Nation in Madrid and New York just before the COVID Pandemic, is a crusader for the cause of climate change. Her activism has changed the way we perceive our environment and influenced numerous youths worldwide.]
#gretathunberg, #environmentchange, #climatechange, #environmentactivist, #youthactivist, #earthday, #savetheplanet
“I want to feel safe. How can I feel safe when I know we are in the greatest crisis in human history?”
These were the haunting lines penned by Greta Thunberg, the young environment activist from Stockholm, Sweden’s capital, published in the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet in May 2018. Don’t these lines still carry the startling echoes of the perils that environmental damage brings to humans over the course of time?
Thunberg’s Activism: The Impact
The immediate impact of Greta’s activism happened in her family, resulting in severe lifestyle changes (including her parents supporting her mission in veganism, upcycling and her mother, an opera singer eventually giving up flying.) Flying, one of the essential pursuits of modern civilization, Thunberg believes, is necessary to give up to reduce carbon dioxide emission and climate change. Within no time, the zeal of her activism had spread wings in the school communities with the much talked-about school climate strikes in August 2018. Her initiative had been inspired by The March For Our Lives, a student-led demonstration as an aftermath of the tragic Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Her protest movements, part of her mission to persuade adults to implement significant steps to combat the repercussions of climate change began to gain huge solidarity from young activists globally, fueled by the new age social media. The rest, as they say, is history. In view of the current global crisis of the pandemic and also in view of global warming, deadlier heat waves, and other countless impacts of climate change, shouldn’t we listen more to this 17-year-old? Shouldn’t we be more aware of a devastating decline for mankind that she foresees?
Thunberg at UN’s Climate Change Conference:
In December 2019, Just before the COVID Pandemic struck, Thunberg was invited as an influential speaker at the United Nation’s Climate change conference in Madrid, Spain as a follow up to her presence at the UN in New York City in September. In the conference, her voice bore great resemblance to the voice of another young activist from Vancouver, Canada, Severn Cullis-Suzuki in 1992, who delivered her bold, striking speech, “you must change your ways,” at the UN’s climate conference in Rio De Janeiro.
The existential threat to humanity was pinpointed in a clear, authoritative stance by the mere 12-year-old Severn. The world leaders were as silenced as they were, when 17-year-old Thunberg spoke, with personal, emotional reference to attract attention, to provoke action. Had nothing at all changed in these three decades? How ruthless have we become to safeguard our profit-making industries that the policy makers, leaders and politicians allow the global situation to turn more catastrophic every single day?
Climate Activism: Remembering the Earth Day
Is climate activism a part of social activism, more sought in the places most vulnerable to acute climate change? Remembering the Earth Day in April which started as a celebration to honor the resources of our planet, we would like to say ‘YES’!
No matter what politicians Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Jair Bolsonaro have remarked to belittle the Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Time Person of the Year Thunberg, ‘The Greta Effect’, especially in school-aged children has gained momentum significantly. Initially, Thunberg’s global mission to take action against climate change had resulted in outrages and school strikes in over 7,000 towns and cities. This movement has now turned into a more organic movement of epic proportions as a whole generation of youth activists, aged 9 to 21, are dedicating their lives for greater environment sustainability.
One of the most significant initiatives in this context is the litigation pursued by the youth in Norway and Pakistan for climate protection. And the revolution continues, Thunberg being one of its torchbearers.
References:
National Geographic magazine, April 2020 edition
BBC News: Greta Thunberg: ‘Listen to Climate Scientists’
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-48018034/climate-change-activist-greta-thunberg-listen-to-climate-scientists
Lopa Banerjee is an author, editor, translator and faculty of Creative Writing at Richland College, Dallas, Texas, USA, but originally from Kolkata, India. Her memoir 'Thwarted Escape: An Immigrant's Wayward Journey' and her debut read more...
This post has published with none or minimal editorial intervention. Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
Can you believe this bloke compelled me to wear only saris - full time at home- till the eighth month of my pregnancy?! The excessive heat coupled with humidity made my life miserable.
Recently when I browsed an interesting post by a fellow author on this very forum I had a sense of déjà vu. She describes the absolutely unnecessary hullabaloo over ladies donning nighties and /or dupatta –less suits.
I wish to narrate how I was in dire straits so far wearing a ‘nightie’ was concerned.
I lived in my ultra orthodox sasural under constant surveillance of two moral guardians (read Taliban) in the shape of the husband’s mom and dad. The mom was unschooled and dim-witted while the dad was a medical practitioner. But he out-Heroded the Herod in orthodoxy.
My supervisor introduced me as a valuable member of the team, emphasizing my skills and contributions rather than focusing on my gender identity. This simple act set the tone for my experience in the workplace.
As a transwoman navigating the corporate world, I had encountered my fair share of discrimination and challenges. Transitioning without the support of my parents and having limited friendships in my personal life made the journey difficult and lonely. However, when I stepped into the office, something remarkable happened, I left behind the stress and negativity, embracing a space where I could truly be myself.
Joining the marketing team as a graphic designer, I was initially apprehensive about how my colleagues would react to my gender identity. But to my surprise, the atmosphere was welcoming and respectful from day one. My supervisor, Sarah, introduced me as a valuable member of the team, emphasizing my skills and contributions rather than focusing on my gender identity. This simple act set the tone for my experience in the workplace.
As I settled into my role, I discovered that my colleagues went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and included. They consistently used my correct name and pronouns, creating an environment where I could be authentically me. Being an introvert, making friends wasn’t always easy for me, but within this workplace, I found a supportive community that embraced me for who I truly am. The workplace became a haven where I could escape the stresses of my personal life and focus on my professional growth.
Please enter your email address