Actress and environmental activist Dia Mirza has long been a strong advocate for climate change and other social causes. However, more often than not, she is trolled online for her views rooted in ecofeminism. Earlier this year, the actress drew flak for her “patriarchy caused the climate crisis” comment on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast. Now, the Operation Safed Sagar actress has broken her silence on the backlash and slammed trolls for using “vile and disrespectful language.” Dia said that her words are often twisted to fit a certain narrative and also addressed being labelled a “man-hater.”
Dia Mirza On Being Called ‘Man-Hater’
In an exclusive interview with Zoom, reacted to the backlash and said, “Some people basically always use what you say to discredit you because it doesn’t serve their narrative, right? Only maybe the government at some level and industries that are driving the crisis and deepening the crisis. When one says that patriarchy is responsible for climate change, one is not saying that from a place of being a man-hater. Because that’s the narrative that was spun, that she is a man-hater and, in her opinion, all men are responsible for climate change.”
She continued, “That is so untrue because what I was saying was, what is patriarchy? Patriarchy doesn’t recognise any value in terms of equality. It does not nurture. It does not understand the value of resources in a way that we have to protect it, appreciate it, nurture it. It’s exploitative, it’s consuming, it’s destructive. The approach of patriarchy. All matriarchal mindsets operate from a place of nurturing and equality and empathy and love. And then you have, in those mindsets, destruction and wastefulness doesn’t feel normal, right?”
Dia Mirza
Dia Mirza Slams Trolls
also questioned why environmental destruction has become normal and pointed out that only a few companies are responsible for causing widespread harm. She also cited Vandana Shiva’s work on ecofeminism, highlighting how patriarchal mindsets have contributed to the exploitation of the planet.
Reacting to the trolling, she further said, “I will never disrespect anybody even if they are disrespecting me. This is something that the trolls do time and time again. They use vile, disrespectful language and you can also see the copy-cut, the copy-paste, right? They are saying the same things.”
The actress noted that several influencers had made videos about her views, which were widely shared on social media. She questioned why women were also helping perpetuate the same narrative. “There are women out there who are completely convinced that I was propagating the idea that I am a male hater or a man-hater, which I am not.”