Myth 14: Wilderness is part of patriarchy

Myth: Wilderness is part of patriarchy (Vance 1997).

Truth: Patriarchy is a social system where men are the authority figures, and is generally understood to repress women. Wilderness in its IUCN definition is a large natural area. It thus has no gender. To seek to protect the remaining large natural areas of the Earth has no relation to one gender being in power and repressing another. To protect wilderness is to protect the ecosystems of planet Earth. Wilderness is gender-neutral but very much biodiversity-positive.