The Trump administration’s recent social media announcement has ignited a fresh debate over the personification of coal, sparking both support and criticism. On July 31, the official Twitter account of the Energy Department X tweeted, “She’s an icon. She’s a legend. And she is the moment,” in reference to coal, a fossil fuel that has long been synonymous with environmental concerns and public health issues.
Donald Trump has long made it clear that he hates environmental regulations, claiming they get in the way of job creation. Their own data indicates that implementing these regulations has had a dramatic impact on deaths attributable to air pollution. Furthermore, there has been a significant decrease in deaths associated with use of coal. Given this, the simultaneous celebration of coal with the outright rejection of its deadly effect is fundamentally an ethical lapse.
The Trump administration has dedicated significant resources to revitalizing what it refers to as “America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry.” This initiative includes a series of executive orders aimed at reversing Biden-era pollution standards for coal-fired power plants, reflecting a strong commitment to fossil fuels. Yet critics say this intense focus on coal cancels out the wider push for climate action and public health protections.
True personifications are rare but it’s notable that when they happen coal is frequently cast as the feminine. This follows historical precedents, as ships and nations have long been called “she” or “her”. Sailors have long viewed vessels as maternal guardians. At the same time, those same countries are repeatedly referred to in the feminine when men recount their defensive plays. Add to that, the historical practice of naming Atlantic hurricanes with female names for decades. This alarming trend has led to an important conversation about women’s underrepresentation in the natural sciences.
In addition, political actors such as Keir Starmer have actively supported this framing. Starmer previously stated that Israel had “the right to defend herself,” highlighting how language surrounding gender can influence perceptions of power and aggression. Some commentators argue that severe weather events might be taken more seriously if they invoked the idea of female fury.
Focusing on coal as a personified enemy the way the Trump administration seems intent to do is worrisome. In the process, it risks objectifying women and relegating them to second-class citizens. Yet this harmful perspective mirrors deep societal inequities. Women often end up being portrayed from the perspectives of men’s stories or men’s interests.
“She’s an icon. She’s a legend. And she is the moment.” – The Guardian (energy department X account)
Coal’s dirty, dangerous, and deceptive history is well documented. In its short history, over the past two and a half decades, it has been associated with the deaths of no less than 460,000 Americans. This number puts a serious dent into the administration’s efforts to prettify coal. It paints a picture of the industry’s strife, leaving eyebrows raised and hard to protect and celebrate.