Women and Nature

Welcome back!

In writing this blog, I am creating a space to make note of things to better understand the meaning of ecofeminism and what it means to be an ecofeminist. Ecofeminism is theories and desires combined into one derived from feminism as well as ecology in the late 1970s-80s. To be an ecofeminist means to rid the world of hierarchy and to approach situations without the target of one said person or race but instead look towards a system and make connections through that system. Women and nature are intertwined and have been faced with similar oppressions. Through a feminist point of view as well as the views looked at by ecofeminists, we conclude that the system causing a great deal of the oppression faced by nature and women would be the patriarch system. This just means we live in a world where we are looked as inferior to males or males hold dominance. Ecofeminism was created and is around today to move the world away from a system ruled by patriarchy. Ever since I was a little kid, I have always seen issues arising from a lack of equality between males and females. I’ve heard that females are paid less, I have heard simple arguments about pain levels between females facing childbirth and males facing just about anything. From these small arguments, I was able to conclude equality was non-existent, otherwise what was the need to argue any point?

Women and nature, what is the connection you may be asking yourself? I previously mentioned how they are intertwined and have also attached a picture depicting a woman whose hair is flowing and represents a waterfall through the middle of the picture. Women and nature are one and the same. Not only are women here to represent beauty, but women also create life. As a biology major, life is something extremely important to me and should be to everyone. Life is precious, life is complicated from a scientific standpoint. Throughout nature there is life. Trees, grass, plants, children, adults, all of which are connected through life and living. This work of art shows symbols of beauty, life, and nature all combined within the woman. I believe this picture could represent ecofeminism through all of these ties.

I have made my own connection for women and nature, but I wanted to look at a more philosophical standpoint and hear from a philosopher herself. Karen Warren has come up with eight connections between women and nature. I wanted to highlight women and nature as a political connection. Recently we have all seen or heard of Greta Thunberg, the young girl fighting who serves as an environmental activist for climate change. Whereas she isn’t taking a higher roll in politics, i.e. she isn’t running for president, obviously; she still is being criticized for taking such a stance and is even being criticized by politicians who may be trying to run for such a position. Greta Thunberg is the perfect example of a girl or woman looking to protect the environment.