Gender and Radiation / GRIP

Nuclear Hotseat podcast invited me and Amanda Nichols (my coauthor) to come on for a boisterous interview--in part about the power of science to change the world! Check it out:

New UN Report: Gender & Ionizing Radiation - authors Olson, Nichols New UN report analyzes studies showing disproportionate health risks of radiation to women, children. Interview w/co-authors Mary Olson, Amanda Nichols.

My friend and teacher, Joanna Macy is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nuclear Free Future Awards on March 4th in NYC (I don't know if she will attend in person--Dan and I are)

The ceremony will be at the Great Hall at Cooper Union -- There are several other outstanding leaders who will also receive awards--Join us if you are nearby! Hope to see you.

Nuclear-Free Future Awards:
6 pm Reception
7 pm Awards Ceremony
Free and open to the public
7 East 7th Street -- the Great Hall at Cooper Union

The awards are a project of Beyond Nuclear and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (Germany)

Start - The Nuclear-Free Future Award The NUCLEAR-FREE FUTURE AWARDS The Nuclear-Free Future Awards, founded in 1998, honor the many heroes of the global anti-nuclear movement who work to rid the world of uranium mining, uranium munitions, nuclear power and nuclear weapons. The Award was originally managed by the Nuclear-Free Future Fou...

Do not think this is "them" -- "out there" someone else, somewhere else. We have a single race: Human; we have a single family: all of us; we have a single home: Earth.

Over the past day there have been a number of unverified reports circulating of ICE officers questioning and harassing Tribal members in New Mexico and Arizona.

At this time, it appears the one verified incident happened in Ruidoso, NM, where an ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) agent questioned a Mescalero Apache Tribal member in a public place on January 22. According to a statement put out by the Mescalero Apache Tribe, the agents began questioning a family standing in line in front of the Tribal member. The family was escorted outside. Then an ICE agent approached the Tribal member in Spanish. The Tribal member responded by stating they spoke English. The ICE agent asked the Tribal member for a passport. The Tribal member presented a picture of a New Mexico Driver's license and a Tribal identification card. The ICE agent did not continue questions and exited.

Still, this is a disturbing incident and we are concerned for all people who will now be subject to racial profiling and harassment by ICE.

We are sharing here the guidance put out by the Mescalero Apache Tribe. In addition if you are subject to or witness harassment from an ICE agent, please contact our representative:
Teresa Leger Fernandez at (202) 225-6190

HOW TO RESPOND IF CONFRONTED BY U.S. IMMIGRATION AGENTS

If approached in a public space:

• Be polite and respectful. Remain calm.
• Begin documenting the encounter as early as possible by video or audio recording.
• Ask for verification of the Agent's identity and request to see a badge.
• If you are not able to make a video or audio recording, then as soon as possible after the encounter, record or write down as many details of the encounter as you can recall. Try to remember dates, times, and names.
• Report the encounter to the Tribe. If needed, the Tribe will assist you in contacting the ACLU or other resources.

If at home:
• Keep the door securely closed and respectfully ask for a warrant signed by a judge.
• If a valid warrant is not presented, state, "I do not consent to your entry."

If you are detained or arrested:
• Remain calm. Do not resist.
• State that you are exercising your right to remain silent and request to speak to an attorney.

This is a general guide and is not a substitute for legal advice. For a full understanding of your rights, please consult an attorney.

Yeah, Colbert jokes, nonetheless he got this one right--and you just can't make this stuff up. Enuf said:

We're All Girls! President Trump's executive order on gender had an unintended consequence. To ...

We pay taxes, and one of the biggest priced items we buy are nuclear weapons--which, mostly we don't hear about. We know they have not been in use as a weapon since 1945, and that testing of them above ground stopped in 1963, and the USA stopped testing in Nevada in 1992... but lots of new decisions are being made behind closed doors--until NOW!

A group of advocates from communities where the key part for a nuclear weapon is made just won a major legal decision that will require the DOE and the NNSA to launch a major program of public participation on both the environmental impacts of making nuclear weapons parts, what to do with the resulting wastes, and also ALTERNATIVES! Huge. Congratulations to Savannah River Watch and NuclearWatch New Mexico and their allies--read on:

Historic Settlement Reached in NEPA Lawsuit Over Plutonium “Pit” Bomb Core Production — Gender + Radiation Impact Project Gender and Radiation Impact project celebrates the historic victory of radiation impacted communities across the nation standing together in clear conscience to require the National Nuclear Security Administration—owner of the US nuclear arsenal, which it intends to greatly expand—to obey the Na...

A new paper from Gender and Radiation Impact Project at the invitation of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research is now featured in an new blog post from GRIP:

Protect your girls: We show that biological s*x IS a factor in radiation outcomes, WIDELY — Gender + Radiation Impact Project In 2006 an important insight came from evidence in a landmark report by the US National Academy of Science—young girls are harmed more than any other post-birth part of our lifecycle—and that females in any age group are harmed (rate of cancer incidence) more than males. This may sound like bad ...

I am so proud that my primary work partner, Cindy Folkers at Beyond Nuclear has written a new book: The Scientists who Alerted Us to the Dangers of Radiation. It is my new handbook of heroism! AND my friend Alfred Meyer has reviewed the book for the Progressive Magazine, which has included it in their Top 10 of 2024. Read Alfred's review here:

The Progressive's Favorite Books of 2024 Our writers share their picks for this year's best books.

Colleagues Cindy Folkers and Ian Fairlie have a new book out:

The Scientists Who Alerted Us to the Dangers of Radiation

(Ethics Press, 2023—with a new 2024 edition in paper, at a much reduced price, out this month). See below for links.

This book is vital in detailing many ways in which the careers of outstanding researchers, who were contributing to our knowledge of radiation, were over many years systematically suppressed (and worse) by institutions, governments and others invested in the expansion of the nuclear industry. Investment in flawed radiation analysis and inadequate protections required the repression of evidence-based research and therefore the skewing of radiation policy in order to support the continued release of radioactive pollution from every type of nuclear industry, impacting a greater percentage of the human population, year over year.

If this work had not been suppressed, likely we would all know that radiation is more harmful to women and children and the nuclear industry would be much smaller, or nonexistent.

Folkers and Fairlie are meticulous researchers and historians, and create a fabric which supports any reader in finding new perspectives, both of the heroes profiled, and also radiological impact itself. This book is written for scholars and the “interested public” – not casual style.

The paper cover ($39) or hard cover (a lot more) are available from the publisher, Ethics Press which is in the UK, so shipping is additional:

https://ethicspress.com/products/the-scientists-who-alerted-us-to-the-dangers-of-radiation

We encourage you to consider buying an extra copy to donate to your local library or institution of higher education.

A new UN report by Amanda M. Nichols — Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Santa Barbara and Mary Olson — Founder, Gender and Radiation Impact Project entitled Gender and Ionizing Radiation: Towards a New Research Agenda Addressing Disproportionate Harm examines recent research on the correlation between harm from exposure to ionizing radiation and biological s*x. The report contends that the mid- and long-term consequences from radiation exposure are currently less well understood, in part because they manifest differently for male and female survivors. Young children are especially susceptible to harm from radiation with girls aged 0–5 being the most at-risk group. The report proposes questions for a future research agenda that cover gender, radiation impacts and radiological protection standards.

Gender and Ionizing Radiation: Towards a New Research Agenda Addressing Disproportionate Harm → UNIDIR The detonation of a nuclear weapon in a populated area would cause devastating harm. It can kill thousands of people instantly, whether through the explosion itself or through the intense heat and high levels of radiation. The mid- and long-term consequences from radiation exposure are less well und...

This Giving Tuesday, Help Protect Future Generations

Dear Friend,
This Giving Tuesday, we have a unique opportunity to create lasting change for those most affected by radiation. We invite you to join us in addressing an issue that impacts millions but remains largely unspoken: the unequal effects of radiation on women and children.

Why Your Support is Needed

For decades, radiation safety regulations have overlooked the fact that women and children face higher risks from exposure. Research shows that women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop cancer from the same level of radiation exposure. Yet, these risks are still not fully reflected in current safety guidelines.

At the Gender and Radiation Impact Project (GRIP), we’re working to change that. Through our groundbreaking research, public education, and policy advocacy, we’re making the hidden dangers of radiation visible—and preventable.

What Your Giving Tuesday Gift Can Do

Your donation today will help us take vital steps forward in our mission. Every dollar you contribute goes directly toward:
• Conducting research to close the knowledge gap on gender-specific radiation risks
• Advocating for stronger, more equitable protections that reflect the real risks women and children face
• Educating the public so that everyone has the information they need to make informed choices

Join Us Today

Together, we can create a safer, healthier future for generations to come. Will you stand with us this Giving Tuesday and help protect those most impacted by radiation exposure?

Donate Now
http://weblink.donorperfect.com/year-end2024

A Special Welcome and Thanks: To those of you joining our community for the first time—welcome! And to our longstanding supporters, thank you for standing with us. Your dedication fuels our mission and inspires our work every day.

With gratitude,

The Gender and Radiation Impact Project Team