A recent article from the New York Post provides an excellent summary of some of the latest arguments about fraction drilling. Fracking foes have started to deploy the term “feminism” in their slander against shale drilling. They say that oil and gas companies are raping the Earth. They also say that women who are involved in the oil and gas industry are akin to hotel maids and prostitutes. Jillian Kay Melchior, a writer for both the New York Post and National Review, responds by showing that fracking has been beneficial for the economy, and women in particular.
[T]he facts suggest that American energy exploration has a generally good record on safety, and has benefitted women and their families . . . While the risks posed by American energy exploration remain minimal, the benefits to women and their families are significant.
One-third of all oil and gas workers are women, and industry estimates suggest they will fill 185,000 more jobs in the next 15 years . . . IHS Global predicts nearly 70,000 women will obtain white-collar jobs in that same timeframe.
Even broader benefits are enjoyed by women outside of the energy sector. As the United States meets more of its energy needs through production right here at home, the cost of utilities, gasoline and consumer goods have all dropped.
I’d like to address the economic arguments first.
Yes, oil and gas extraction is a predominantly male industry. The same argument can be made about military service, academia, media coverage, construction, medicine . . . the list goes on and on. Women make 72 cents for every dollar a man makes. For women of color, the statistics are even lower. Women of color make 68 cents of what men of all racial backgrounds make. There are many contributing factors for this wage gap. That being said, if feminism is about gender equality, anti-frackers need to address wage gaps in all STEM (science, technology, energy, and math) related professions.
Economic equity will not be eliminated by killing job opportunities for women. This is why I have contributed to the AAUW’s summer camp for young women who are entering high school. It is important to encourage teenage girls to maintain an interest in STEM. Sending a woman into space should not be a rarity – it should be a regular experience. Women who own oil and gas or construction companies should not be considered an exception, either. We are just as strong and smart as any man who wears a hard hat.
I also oppose the statement that fracking is a form of rape. This phrase totally belittles the experience of sexual assault survivors.
Sexual violence affects both women and men. Rape has both physical and emotional impacts. We should focus on the facts about fraction drilling instead of belittling rape survivors.
Every industry has pros and cons. You have to examine both sides. Texas is a prime example. Fifty percent of the state’s economy is based on the extraction and transportation of oil and gas. Fifty percent. There are many families who rely on shale drilling for jobs and for economic stability. Until we have stable alternatives that will provide the same economic security for American families, we cannot abandon the industry that literally keeps this country running.