How Does Ecofeminism Differ in the West? What are the Direct Effects on Women and Girls?

Hobgood-Oster defined ecofeminism as  “multi faceted and multi located” that challenges structures, such as the patriarchy, and not individuals. It is also described as very fluid, as it changes with time and political climate. While there is no one strict definition of ecofeminism, we do see a difference (and similarities) in terms of Western Feminism and Non-Western ecofeminism.

Before I touch on the differences between Western and Non Western ecofeminism, let’s look at the big similarity. Both Western and Non Western ecofeminism value intersectionality and do not look at problems through just one lens.

Western feminism focuses on incorporating feminist theory and an ecological perspective as well as incorporating feminist theory into solution for ecological problems. When looking at the oppression of women through a western lens of ecofeminism, Hobgood-Oster states that “Oppression of the natural world and of women by patriarchal power structures must me examined together or neither can be confronted fully.” (Hobgood-Oster, page 1). The western idea of the earth is that it is here for human use and conception, and this idea is stemmed from the Judeo-Christian story of creation. Keeping that in mind the western definition of ecofeminism is very similar to the of environmentalism. Which is defined as an ideology that aims to make the planet suitable for long term use, even though environmentalism focus is conservation it is still focused on the earth being of benefit to humans. Non Western ecofeminist Bina Agarwal defined western feminism as it “conceptualizes the link between gender and the environment primarily in ideological terms” (Agarwal, page 1).

Some examples of western ecofeminism can be seen in our society through the fight for reproductive rights and through efforts to produce more clean and renewable energy in the United States. What does reproductive healthcare access have to do with ecofeminism? I touched on this in my previous blog post, reproductive healthcare access is an ecofeminist issue in terms of population control. But how does it tie into the definition of western feminism? It is an aim of western feminism because population control is being tied together with the feminist theory that all women and people with uteruses should have safe and legal abortion access and having this access will help solve the problem of overpopulation.

When discussing the effort for clean and renewable energy in the US, while the purpose to consolidate on the coal and fossil fuel industry to develop healthier ways for energy consumption, it isn’t without its “for human use” goal. Clean and renewable energy is marketed to Americans as a way for them to have more affordable utility bills. So therefore, the rhetoric is – if we take care of the planet you won’t spend so much financially on utilities.

On the other hand, Agarwal is a non-western feminist and she looks at ecofeminism through the lens of its real life effects on living human beings and this is directed towards women in the Global South because the effects they feel because of environmental degradation is completely different than women from the Global North

Women of the Global South experience environmental degradation in a much more tangible way than women on the Global North because the Global North has expendable resources that the Global South does not have access to. One of those resources being clean water and sanitation, which the United Nations explicitly recognized access to clean water and sanitation as a human right.

There are several ways in which women of the Global South are effected by environmental degradation and it is not just what is tangible. It goes a lot deeper than that. For instance the article “Water and Gender” states that without access to clean water and sanitation women and girls are more vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse. This is because frequently in the Global South there are shared toilets and wash spaces between genders, and sharing facilities with men and boys puts women and girls at risk for physical and sexual violence. Another way women and girls are at risk in the Global South is because of lack resources the specific hygiene needs of women and girls is disregarded in terms of having safe and clean facilities with access to period products and proper disposal of those products. (https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/water-and-gender).

Of the two perspectives of ecofeminism I found that the non western focus on ecofeminism was most interesting to me. This is because it is not something that women of the Global North think of very often. Far too often we turn our faucet on and let it run for the entirety of brushing our teeth or take hot showers everyday that we find ourselves taking for granted the resources we have by not consciously thinking about the women and girls that do not have access to something as humane as water. Through studying non western feminism this week, I will definitely be more conscious moving forward of the resources that I have at my disposal and the advantage that gives me in life.