M.D. Slessor¹

¹Student

Abstract:

Nuclear weapons represent the unparalleled risk of catastrophic destruction to human civilization. An underrated aspect of nuclear weapons is the idiosyncratic gendered nature of it which makes the prospect of a nuclear weapon detonation especially devastating to women. Women are critically underrepresented in negotiations and high level decision making positions. This imbalance has led to the quagmire the disarmament community finds itself in. The lack of female perspective and input on the discourse and debate of nuclear weapons and disarmament is especially egregious. Nuclear politics sits at the intersection of the sciences and international relations, two fields which have struggled with gender parity and issues of representation. As a result of the lack of meaningful representation and the relative youth of the field discourse has become inundated with gendered language. The abundance of masculine gendered language in use has made it an unwelcoming field for women who are face adversities unless they utilize masculine gendered language speak in their terms. Meaningful progress towards disarmament cannot occur until issues of gendered language and gender parity are dealt with. Disarmament, as it is generally conceived, is a feminine act and as long as normative masculine values are favoured, total disarmament is impossible.