Gender, participation, and environmental decision-making : case study of the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort

Abstract

This study focused on understanding the role of gender in people’s participation in the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort decision-making processes in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Research questions focused on the ability of Transgender people, women, and men to participate meaningfully, and the identification of enabling and constraining factors of participation. Respondents had experience with formal and/or informal decision-making processes regarding the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort. Qualitative methodology was used to gather data through interviews, surveys, site research, and archival sources, which were analyzed using thematic content analysis. According to most respondents, gender impacted people’s participation in the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort decision-making processes by determining whether they held the right “key” to access participation; which respondents determined was held by men. Consequently, these findings show that the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort decision-making processes were gendered, and were not representative of everyone who was impacted by the decisions. In 2017 this type of exclusion is no longer appropriate, and as both the literature and numerous international agreements point to, in order to achieve human sustainability, we all need to work together.