First Public Event of the WEIRD Research Project: Cripping and Queering Environmental Futures

On May 12, 2025, WEIRD, in collaboration with RESET and OBaMa research groups, organized their first public event called Disrupt, Reclaim, Transform! Cripping and Queering Environmentalism.

The event was dedicated to celebrating the transformative potential of disability and queer communities in envisioning and shaping more just and sustainable futures. Together with artists, activists, researchers, and all participants, we created a space for an arts-research experience that challenges dominant narratives of social exclusion and environmental degradation from the perspectives of disabled people (cripping) and queer people (queering). 

Why is this important? Cripping environmentalism invites us to think about universal access to nature and ask who is included—and who is excluded—when we seek sustainable solutions. Queering environmentalism challenges the idea that traditional forms of family or reproduction are the only natural ones and resists binary thinking (male/female, good/bad, natural/unnatural) in relation to the environment. Current models of sustainable development often overlook both of these perspectives. This event —and the research behind it— is a step toward addressing that gap. 

The event was hosted by (he/him), PhD PhD, Associate Professor of Social Policy at the University of Helsinki, Principal Investigator of the WEIRD research project, and (she/her), PhD, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Helsinki. 

The program featured poetry, performance, personal testimony, and critical reflections aimed at imagining more just, inclusive, and sustainable futures: 

  • Amu Urhonen (she/her) 

Politician and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, activist, Master of Theology 

Amu reformulated the motto “Nothing for us without us” to the more powerful  “Nothing without us” and called the communities for more political engagement.  

 

  • Sanni Purhonen (she/her)  

Poet; active on and  

and  

  • (she/her) 

Diversity, equality, and inclusion expert, performance poet  

Sanni and Julianna shared their beautiful, moving, and personal poetry, opening up connections between nature, environmental crisis, queerness, and disability. Sanni intoned: “Nature keeps on coming too close,”  while Julianna proclaimed: “Oceans are rising, and so are we.” 

 

  • Sébastien Jodoin (he/him)  

Associate Professor & Associate Dean (Research), Canada Research Chair in Human Rights, Health and the Environment, McGill University 

Disability-Inclusive Climate Action Research Programme .

Sébastien shared his journey of combating multiple sclerosis and the climate crisis and demonstrated the power of research, non-governmental organizations, activist initiatives, and political actors in solidarity and collaboration. He invited us to “celebrate small victories and take time to build trust and relationships.”  

 

  • (they/them)  

Associate Professor in Gender Studies, Karlstad University, Department of Social and Psychological Studies 

and  

  • (they/she)  

Senior University Lecturer, University of Helsinki, Department of Cultures and HELSUS  

Wibke and Kuura guided us into the field of transecology by posing the questions “How do trans people and the planet survive, live, die, or thrive together? How do planetary survival and trans life intersect?” They combined an academic understanding with the queer hope in the face of environmental crisis. 

This was the first event organized by the WEIRD research project. We were very happy to see the active engagement and contribution from all participants: speakers and performers, audience, and organizers. Every person’s input was meaningful and shaped this shared experience exactly as it was. Participants shared that they especially appreciated the accessibility of the event, the diversity of the program, and its friendly, welcoming atmosphere.  

Our greatest wish was to begin creating a shared space for everyone interested in cripping and queering environmentalism — whether from academic, activist, artistic, or any other perspective — and we are glad that this intention came to life. 

We are looking forward to organizing future events to strengthen the connections and collaborations that have emerged, to continue the discussion, and to build a space where our ideals of truly inclusive and just sustainability transformations can grow and no one is left behind. In doing so, we wish to create even more interactive experiences, fostering meaningful engagement and co-creation. 

This article was written by research assistant of the WEIRD project Sasha Krikkerik.

Our event was supported by the Research Council of Finland and the European Research Council and co-organized by three projects at the University of Helsinki: Overcoming Barriers to Democratic Participation with Minoritized and Marginalized Groups (); Resilient and Just Systems (); and Whose sustainability? Understanding and redefining just sustainability transformations through disability and queer perspectives ().