Ecofeminism links the treatment of women and nature in patriarchal societies. Both are exploited and not revered, with linguistic terms in common. Exploitation of nature impacts women and society, and masculine attributes are favored over feminine ones. Ecofeminism is a way of thinking that can have practical and positive results when applied, with examples including protesting deforestation and exposing potential harm from toxic chemicals.
Ecofeminism is a term first coined in the 1970s by writer Françoise D’Eaubonne, but the term is somewhat difficult to describe due to its many definitions and applications. In essence, D’Eaubonne’s description has focused on the similarities or interconnectedness of how women and nature are treated in paternalistic societies. The term paternalistic could be replaced with others such as advanced, high tech or western.
The idea of a connection between the treatment of women and the treatment of nature is one of the hallmarks of ecofeminism. According to its theorists, both women and nature are not left alone or revered, but instead are exploited. There are also many linguistic terms in common when it comes to natural resources. “Rape the earth” and “tame nature” are relatively common expressions. These ideas suggest that nature must be both exploited and also tamed, and there are numerous people who believe that these attitudes are quite similar to those of women in societies. They’re mysterious, wild elements that aren’t worth it until they’re used in some way.
Another element of ecofeminism is that the exploitation of land, water or nature often creates a significant impact for women and the general population. When poor farmers in some parts of the world grow cash crops, they do not provide enough food for families, leading to land depletion and food shortages. Once land is seen only as something to be used for profit (as can be common in a paternalistic mindset), instead of a source of nourishment that requires care, it deprives people of resources that provide basic dignity such as ability to get food or feed children. On a larger scale, many of the activities undertaken that pollute the earth and fail to steward it with consideration have far-reaching impacts for women.
An additional idea in ecofeminism is that paternalistic societies tend to favor attributes traditionally masculine over those traditionally considered feminine. Masculine attributes might include competition, linear thinking, and the praise of rational thinking. Those things considered feminine might include cooperation, a less linear method of perceiving time, and intuitionism. When these things are lost to predominantly male thinking, both the land and its people suffer the consequences.
For some, ecofeminism has led to an embrace of feminine values and even a rejection of things like paternalistic religious forms that state that most women are not equal but are instead subject to males. In addition to celebrating “feminine” attributes, ecofeminists can examine ways these values can be applied to create balance throughout nature so that the earth is not raped or molested but instead is cared for, to create protective environments for everyone and mutual benefit.
There is no right way to be an ecofeminist, and the theories ecofeminism espouses are varied and not exclusive to women. Women and men can be attracted to her ideas through feminist principles or through their work in environmental protection. The many theories cannot be described as a discipline, but are rather a way of thinking that can have practical and positive results when applied.
Some practical examples of ecofeminism include those where women have come together to bring awareness to practices that are inherently harmful. Ecofeminists might work to protest deforestation or create think tanks that help expose the potential harm and contamination of toxic chemicals. Some people call ecofeminism a mindset rather than a precise theory because it has expressed itself in numerous ways, and those who share elements of this mindset believe that changing attitudes about both nature and women could help change the world in many positive ways .
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