Meet ecofeminism on International Women's Day: respect for women and nature

Estimated reading time: 3 to 4 minutes

March 8 is the date that the world pays homage to women, that great warrior that everyone exalts. And in this context, it is time to learn about the ideas of ecofeminism, a movement that examines the connections between women and nature. Read more.

Ecofeminism is fundamentally based on the struggle for women's rights and respect for the environment

Ecofeminism is born out of women's consciousness in different parts of the world. Its leading cause is to denounce the intimate relationship of social injustices towards women interconnected with disrespect for nature.

Origins of Ecofeminism

The term for the ecofeminist movement was coined by Frenchwoman Françoise d'Eaubonne in 1974 when she published a book called Le Féminisme ou la Mort. In that book, d´Eaubonne argues that many parallels exist between the patriarchal suppression of women and the suppression of nature. She also proposes a better approach to a world that respects organic processes, holistic connections, intuition, and mutual collaboration between men and women on an equal footing.

The modern ecofeminist movement then developed due to a series of conferences and workshops held in the United States by a team of academic and professional women in the late 1970s. They gathered in order to discuss ways in which feminism and environmentalism could be combined to promote respect for women and the environment.

In short, the motivation of ecofeminism is to remind everyone that there is a long historical precedent that associates women with nature, both oppressed by society.

3 pillars of ecofeminism:

1- Classical

Defend the female ethic as a protector of nature against male aggression. Women have a natural tendency to peace and men to conflict and destruction.

2- Third World

The patriarchal and dominating society ends up generating a process of violence against women, assuming a sexist and racist posture. The oppression extends to women, nature, and, consequently, animals.

3 - Constructivist

Women's relationship with nature is associated not only with their own feminine characteristics but also with their responsibility for family administration, which is fundamental for household management in all sectors.

Thoughts of world-famous ecofeminists

1 - For Brazilian ecofeminist, Daniela Rosendo, in her book, "Ecofeminist Philosophy: Rethinking Feminism from the Logic of Domination::

"Feminism is a plural movement because there are other currents, such as socialist, ecofeminist, and anti-sexist, among others. Each of them indicates the various forms of continuous and systematic domination of men against women with varied motivations, depending on the culture and the environment."

**2 - In the view of the American ecofeminist, Karen Warren, in her book, "Ecofeminist Philosophy":**

"The ecofeminist movement has given rise to actions that have become expressions in the arts, literature, language, science, and technology, with an emphasis on philosophy. These visions are mixed with ecology, from the moment the environment is exploited as it happens to women and the defenseless animals, sacrificed to satisfy male greed."

3 - Ecofeminists Kathy Gibson and Julie Grahan, address the other side of the movement when it makes use of deconstructionism:

"In ecofeminist literature, diverse interconnections between the domination of women, the environment, and animals throughout human history are identified in socioeconomic, linguistic, symbolic, literary, spiritualist, religious, epistemological, political, and ethical terms."

Conclusion

The ecofeminist movement is a flag that is not only bound to ideologies, but rather to the fight for the inalienable rights of women and nature as a whole. Its main focus aggregates forces against man-made abuses with dubious intentions.