Work

Thermal comfort and gender affirmation: A virtual ethnography of extreme heat among trans women in Rio de Janeiro

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The multisensory experience of feeling hot, breathless, sweaty, and weak during heat spells among transgender people is a critically understudied area in both medical anthropology and thermal comfort research. This article contributes to the anthropology of heat and humidity by intersecting with health and thermal comfort studies. Through virtual ethnography with three trans women in Rio de Janeiro in 2021 and 2022, the research reveals that trans women in the city face heightened risks of heat stress and thermal discomfort due to unsafe living conditions, side effects of gender-affirming modifications, and social discrimination. These findings highlight the urgent need to address the specific challenges transgender individuals face in accessing thermal safety and underscore the importance of considering their unique needs.

Source: Social Science & Medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117481

Author: Antonella Mazzone

Institution: University of Bristol

Language: English

Topic: Climate Change and Health Impacts

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities, Gender equality, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,390