What is ecofeminism? How does it effect me? And why should I care?
Ecofeminism is a word that is fairly new to me upon beginning my spring semester classes. Although I call myself a progressive feminist, I have never done a deep dive into the connection between the feminist movement and the environment. So am looking forward to exploring that insight and growing while incorporating ecofeminism more into my viewpoints.
Ecofeminism, according to Hobgood-Oster, “asserts that all forms of oppression are connected… Oppression of the natural world and of women by patriarchal power structures must be examined together or neither can be confronted fully.” (Hobgood-Oster page 1) One thing I love about ecofeminism is that it does not fit one mold – it works to abolish labels. As the feminist movement has advanced it has began to recognize that oppression is not clear cut for all women and that all every woman’s experience of oppression varies because of other groups they may be a part of. For example a heterosexual white woman’s experience with oppression is not going to be the same as a woman of color who is a part of the LGBTQUIA+ community because people of color and the LGBTQUIA+ community experience systemic oppression based on those identifying factors outside of solely being a woman. On the other hand, the fact that a woman who is white and straight, at times, will have those identifying factors work in her favor. Much like the feminist movement, as we know it, has placed importance in intersectionality, and so does ecofeminism. Hobgood-Oster moves to say that, “Ecofeminism is multi-faceted and multi-located, challenging structures rather than individuals” and that “ecofeminism simultaneously challenges patriarchies from different angles” (Hobgood-Oster, page 2).
While ecofeminism is fluid in its definition it also claims that the patriarchal structures justify their dominance through categorical dualistic hierarchies; such as heaven and earth, man and woman, culture and nature, and white versus non white (Hobgood-Oster, page 2). Following, I am going to touch on two of these hierarchies when comparing women and nature: the dualistic hierarchy of man and women and heaven and earth.
In her essay Hobgood-Ostar sites Rosemary Ruether’s tenet of ecofeminism as, “earth and the other-than-human experience the tyranny of patriarchy along with women. Classism, racism, sexism, heterosexism, naturism and speciesism are all intertwined.” (page 2) One connection between women and nature and how it coincides with ecofeminism is the reproductive justice movement. Following my first blog post the access to reproductive health care is also seen as a ecofeminism issue because population control is vital to the survival of the planet, especially with how far the United States is behind in climate change initiatives and actions. When thinking about this connection I am immediately reminded of Ruether’s statement that the “earth and the other than human experience the tyranny of patriarchy along with women”. When looking at the experience of women with the reproductive justice movement and how it connects with nature, both and nature and women are seen as for human, and in this case patriarchal, use. This is called instrumentalism. And with an attack on reproductive healthcare access the patriarchal society is dialing women back decades in order to use them for its benefit. The patriarchy depends on women being redacted for its survival. This viewpoint has its foundation in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the story of creation. In Genesis chapter one, the Bible states the God gave Adam (the man) dominion over the earth – and this was before woman was created (womaqqqqnhjmn was created in Genesis chapter two). Furthermore, because woman was said to be created following this “God-given” dominion over the earth, the Christian patriarchal society that we experience in our country today has inadvertly grouped women with the earth.
So why is the reproductive justice movement important to ecofeminism?
We have already stated that the lack of access to reproductive healthcare could cause a climate crisis due to overpopulation. This is because we are using up our natural resources at an exponential rate and overpopulation could cause a complete depletion in those natural resources as well as economical resources if we are not continuously making efforts to expand renewable energy sources. So let’s take a look back at Hobgood-Oster’s definition of ecofeminism. She states that, “Oppression of the natural world and of women by patriarchal power structures must be examined together or neither can be confronted fully.” (page 1). If women are seen as for the consumption of the patriarchy, just like nature, we must examine how women are to become free from oppression in order for nature to become free of oppression. Afterall, ecofeminists believe that feminist theory must have ecological perspective, and that the solutions to ecological problems must have a feminist perspective.