Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg has been the target of climate denying trolls before, but the latest example is too far even by already horrifying standards.
A decal showing a naked female resembling the 17-year-old”who, let me remind you all, is still a goddamn minor”featuring the logo of X-Site Energy Services, an Albertan oil and gas company, has been circulating among workers. Honestly, though, this image is just inappropriate and potentially violates child pornography laws no matter what.
The sticker shows two hands pulling braids”Thunberg’s signature look”on a female whose lower back is tattooed “Greta.” Immediately below that, the sticker shows the company’s logo. HuffPost reported the story on Thursday.
Who printed the decal wasn’t immediately clear. The general manager of the company, Doug Sparrow, told Edmonton City News that neither the company nor its employees created the sticker, but HuffPost reports the stickers were passed out at job sites.
Michelle Narang, an Albertan who spoke with HuffPost, disputed that account, though, saying she raised it with Sparrow who said he was aware of it and responded, “She’s not a child, she’s 17.” Which, actually that is a child, and the sticker could well be seen as a form of child pornography under Canadian law.
Thunberg has been subjected to extreme harassment and hate online from right-wing groups and individuals. The teenager only recently turned 17. The image depicting a nonconsensual lewd act on a minor is deeply disturbing and a new low for anti-environmentalist trolls.
This youth-led climate justice movement is full of young women who have become targeted by trolls and the fossil fuel industry. If you needed reason to hate this industry, you got one.
Alberata’s oil and gas industry has been under increased pressure, which might explain this childish perverted behaviour (though that does not excuse this deranged shit). A giant oil sands mine that was in the works for nearly a decade was cancelled this past weekend after developer Teck Resources Limited pulled its application citing a changing global market. While this was a major win for the planet, locals were likely unhappy to see further proof that their major industry is slowly dying.
Meanwhile, Thunberg is dealing with the climate crisis like an adult. On Friday, she was in the streets of Bristol, UK, continuing her fight for our damn future.