Himmacanes!!!
battle of the sexes and meteorology
Our biases can be so subtle that we are unconscious of them. As to gender bias it is commonly believed that some range misogynistic tendencies or bigotry are actively at work to create an unjust society. However the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has just released a study named “Female hurricanes are deadlier that male hurricanes.” My first reaction “nor hell hath no fury.” Then I reexamined my biases.
The paper explores implicit gender bias and gender stereotypes as they relate to hurricane fatalities in the US. Using more then six decades of meteorological data (in the US), the result was that feminine named hurricanes caused significantly more deaths. The conclusion of the researchers is that feminine named hurricanes are perceived as less risky leading to less preparedness. This implicit sexism was evident in both sexes and reflected deep-seated societal values about gender roles expectations. Meteorologists believe using human names enhances clarity and the ability to recall storm information.
This presents a number of delicate issues. If climate change increases storm severity in the future then careful consideration must be made when naming storms. Explaining or legislating against hurricane gender inequality should be ineffective. This is a potentially serious problem for policymakers, media practitioners, and the general public concerning hurricane communication and preparedness. The unintended consequence of human naming of hurricanes is the effect of “well-developed and widely held gender stereotypes” on hurricane preparedness.
A solution would be to reconsider the naming system to reduce influence bias. The media should also avoid using gendered descriptions; avoid using “he” and “she.” Lastly, the general public should be made aware of the “impact of gender biases on subjective risk perception.”
