Based on the limited data at the time, the article examines differences in childcare responsibilities, poverty, social networks, traditional roles, discrimination and other gender differences during and post disasters. Fothergill explained how social life is impacted by gender even though research tends to be gender neutral. She outlines not only physical impacts but psychological impacts such as the emotional distress and trauma that occurs post disaster. Fothergill calls for more research on the topic in 1996, hoping that facts and a theoretical perspective would help to explain why there is such a difference of impacts