As relentless heatwaves push temperatures to record highs, an invisible crisis is unfolding inside homes. Beyond the physical discomfort, a complex logistics operation kicks in—closing shutters before sunrise, managing airflow with fans, preparing meals without ovens, and ensuring children and pets stay hydrated. And once again, this burden falls overwhelmingly on women.
The To-Do List That Grows With Every Degree
“A heatwave isn’t just heat. It’s an invisible to-do list that gets worse with every extra degree,” observed Raphaëlle, a woman in her thirties from Nantes, where temperatures recently soared to 42°C. She shared her thoughts on Instagram, and within days, nearly 6,000 women commented, confirming they too were grappling with what she calls the “mental load of the heatwave.”
“I didn’t expect such a response,” Raphaëlle told Le HuffPost. “It resonated, especially with women. That’s not reassuring—it points to a flaw in how heat-related tasks are divided along gender lines.”
An Unequal Burden Even in Egalitarian Households
Research has long shown that women carry the majority of the mental load in relationships. A 2023 Ifop barometer found that 71% of employed women felt chronically overloaded, and 41% were completely overwhelmed. Heatwaves only widen these cracks.
For Elsa, a Parisian whose apartment hit 33°C, the mental load means a solitary quest to lower the temperature. “I’m the one waking up at 5 a.m. to close windows before the sun hits, testing every trick—pointing the fan at the window, creating drafts, hanging wet sheets in doorways,” she says. Her partner does not share the same urgency.
Claire, whose name has been changed, faces a similar imbalance. While she scrambles to cope with a failing refrigerator, her partner spent two weeks “in denial.” “I’m the one finding solutions, even though it affects both of us,” she notes. This dynamic is particularly striking because, outside of heatwaves, their household division of labor is equitable. “Usually, we share the mental load and chores. He even cooks more and handles laundry. But not since the heatwave hit.”
Science, Suffering, and the Care Deficit
Both Claire and Elsa point to a simple reason for their proactive role: they tolerate heat less well than their male partners. Research backs this up, showing physiological differences in heat tolerance. But the consequences go beyond personal comfort, destabilizing even the most balanced relationships.
Claire sees a “denial of the situation’s gravity” from her partner, especially regarding their child’s welfare. “I made myself sick worrying about sending our daughter to school daily, while he thinks it’s not that bad there. Yet classrooms are 35°C. So I’m the one picking her up early, taking her to the pool. Because I’m self-employed and earn less, it’s considered normal.”
The ‘Care’ Factor Multiplies the Load
Raphaëlle highlights a “bonus multiplier of the mental load”: the care of vulnerable dependents. The comments on her post reveal hundreds of women struggling without childcare solutions, while also caring for elderly, sick, or disabled relatives. The heatwave amplifies pre-existing responsibilities—preparing no-cook meals, stocking cold drinks, buying misters, making ice pops—tasks that still default to women.
Pet care is another largely female responsibility. “I started researching cats’ heat tolerance, something I’d never questioned before,” Raphaëlle admits. For Mathilde, whose name has also been changed, the strain has reached a breaking point. “I’ve been awake since 4 a.m. cooling down my cat, who’s suffering badly, while my partner had his best night’s sleep with earplugs,” she fumes. “I work on my feet all day in sales, still recovering from surgery, while he teleworks.” She adds bitterly: “My worst enemy is in my own home, and honestly, I’m on the verge of leaving.”
When the mercury rises, so do the stakes for gender equality. Heatwaves don’t just expose social inequalities—they deepen them, one stifling degree at a time.
