Do you identify as a feminist or believe in feminist principles? Are you passionate about the environment? Do you believe there’s a link between women and the environment? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be an eco-feminist.
Figure 1: A representation of the relation between Feminism and Ecology
Do you identify as a feminist or believe in feminist principles? Are you passionate about the environment? Do you believe there’s a link between women and the environment? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be an eco-feminist.
What is eco-feminism?
Eco-feminism is tricky to define, as it a complex concept that isn’t just one singular movement, rather it’s a grouping of several movements that share similar ideals and themes. Eco-feminists explore and study the relationship between women and the natural world, however eco-feminism isn’t solely about women and nature. The theory of eco-feminism also examines the link between gender norms within nature and the structure of our society. It’s no surprise that different genders are found in nature, however, it’s rarer to see unjust treatment and gender bias, as there is no binary structure to nature; all-natural life is equally valuable. Throughout years of study, biologists and ecologists have tried to discover which gender is the most important for the sustainability of nature, when in reality, both genders are vital.
Where did eco-feminism originate from?
The term “eco-feminist” was coined by a French feminist named Françoise D’Eaubonne in 1974, and the movement was “born out of a series of conferences and workshops held in the United States … during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s” [2]. During these conferences and workshops, women came together to start theorizing about women’s connection to the natural world. They arrived at the conclusion that both women and nature had faced oppression due to the structure of society. Women in the 1970’s had less freedoms than they do today and were viewed as unpredictable and prone to chaos and disorder if left uncontrolled, Nature was held in the same regard. In the 1970’s, much like the feminist movement, the environmental movement was beginning to gain more recognition and as such, aspects of the environmental movement were connected with the feminist movement and becoming the eco-feminist movement.
Why is eco-feminism important?
All branches of feminism are equally important, but people who care for the environment tend to find it particularly relatable. As a movement, it deserves more attention than it gets, as it combines two very important elements of modern society under one banner, and as the environment continues to deteriorate, it is more important than ever to support relevant causes. The importance of the planet and sustainability has been seen as less important than economic growth or keeping up with demand, it is more important than ever for feminists who care for the environment to unite and help protect our planet.
If you would like to see a short YouTube video of someone explaining the relevancy of eco-feminism, there’s a great video by the YouTube channel “Our Changing Climate” linked below:
Even if you identify as an eco-feminist, it doesn’t require you become a radical or to boycott everything that isn’t carbon neutral. As with all aspects of feminism, the main goal is to spread awareness. Awareness of not only the environmental issues, but of the other goals within the movement, such as women’s rights and sustainable living. It isn’t possible to fix all the problems in the world but contributing to the solution is more than enough. If you feel inspired by the eco-feminist movement, here is a few examples of how you can help the planet and contribute to an eco-friendlier lifestyle.
What slow fashion is?
Slow fashion is the term used to describe not buying brand new clothing, instead buying high quality, environmentally friendly, and sustainable clothing. Supporting this practice reduces the amount of clothes in landfills and encourages shoppers to research the origin and durability of their clothes.
Figure 2. Venn diagram demonstration on Slow fashion.
Reuse as much as you can
According to research from “reusethisbag.com”, the average American goes through 6 shopping bags per week. This leads to roughly 1.8 billion bags are thrown away in America every week [1]. To help this, investing in reusable bags are a sustainable way to reduce plastic pollution, as well as saving the 5p or 10p carrier bag charge.
Figure 3. Image depicting the usage of reusable bags.
The eco-feminism movement is a sub-group of feminism, but it can be argued that feminism shouldn’t be sub-divided into different categories within society. Eco-feminism itself is already quite divided, having many branches with slightly differing ideals, and this can deter people from joining the movement as it becomes difficult to determine which sub-group you belong to. Due to this, the overall aim and message can get misconstrued and lose its original point. Separating some feminist and environmentalist agendas to their more relevant respective movements might prevent the focus of the movements being discredited and lost. Eco-feminism is important as women are vital to the longevity and sustainability of nature. All feminists could benefit from caring for the environment, as it is relevant to all women, and in unifying to protect it, women will unite and forge common ground between feminists that usually wouldn’t agree. There are so many ways to make an impact, to be involved, and to modify our actions for the good of everyone, and for future generations to come. It is important to stand for what you believe in.
[2]: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ecofeminism Written by Kathryn Miles , October 9th 2018
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