Month: February 2023

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”
~ Unknown

I chose the photo of me taking a photo to represent the many layers that are embedded in what we “see”. The picture of myself in the mirror captures me, yet also is a reflection of me. My landscape of the places I have been to and those I have yet to discover, help me see my true self as well as the authenticity of others when our paths intertwine. The most amazing thing about the changing landscape is that we are afforded the opportunity to see ourselves in a new place and yet through the experience, have a reflection of ourselves in this new landscape.

I agree with Barbara Kingsolver and her fundamental view on the importance of nature. However, the nature that she writes about is vast and quiet, and she seems to think that is advantageous over the limited interactions city dwellers have with nature. As someone who has lived in large cities, I think that the small glimpses of nature that exist in cities actually have more of an impact as they are so rare and coveted. Springtime in New York City was always one of my favorite times; it is an example of how effortless growth and abundance are  in nature. Nature doesn’t compete against itself, each flower and tree bloom in their own time. In a city surrounded by concrete, noise, cars, and people, seeing a patch of flowers that quietly and beautifully bloom each Spring make even the busiest of city dwellers stop to take it all in.

A similar concept was presented in The New Sisterhood of Black Female Homesteaders in that the women interviewed for the story found a connection to nature, regardless of the setting they were in. One woman found that in her quest to garden in her yard, her city thought her wood chips were causing harm to the surrounding environment. Another woman shared that in her connection to nature and gardening, she learned to be patient. Nature has its own timeframe, one that doesn’t always work with her schedule. When she doesn’t feel well, she has learned to lean on her community to help her. These women found beauty and healing in nature. It didn’t matter that they had small plots of land in their suburban yards, nature in any sized dose helped enforce how necessary connection to it is.

Place is important as a concept, and may not always be represented as a stationary place on a map. Our landscape, be it external or internal, helps inform us of where we have been, and where we want to go. The landscape that we feel most connected to helps anchor us and reminds us what a special role nature – be it the unspoiled beauty of Mother Earth or cityscapes that humans have created – plays in that picture.

 

 

Kingsolver, Barbara. Knowing Our Place.

“The New Sisterhood of Black Female Homesteaders.” Pocket, getpocket.com/explore/item/the-new-sisterhood-of-black-female-homesteaders?utm_source=pocket-newtab.

Williams, Terry Tempest. Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert. Vintage, 2002.

 

We know that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. And yet, how many times do we (as individuals and as a society) stop and think about what the reaction to some of our actions might be, perhaps on people across the globe?

Women in the global south are largely affected by the destruction of the environment in many ways. For those of us fortunate enough to live in the western developed world, the issues that young girls and women deal with on a daily basis are almost unfathomable. Here are a few ways in which women’s daily lives are affected by the degradation of the world around them.

Water Fetching: The task of fetching water historically falls to young girls and women to manage in the global south. This means walking to fetch water each and every time it is needed. In addition to this being a time-consuming task that pulls young girls from school and women from working to earn wages, the sources of water are changing. Ecofeminism reminds us that when we industrialize the earth around us, there are ecological effects. In addition to water systems being re-routed by mankind for our benefits, the climate change effects of industrialized pollution have caused some water sources to dry up.

Seed Cultivation: We have seen this in the West, and by now, it may be so mainstream, that we don’t even talk about it much anymore. The industrialization of seeds has had detrimental affects on those who farm the land and have a connection to the land. Farmers harvest the seeds from each year to replant the next year. In doing so, these seeds gradually adjust/evolve to the environmental changes that happen around them. What has happened with the manipulation and design of seeds has done away with this ancient and connected practice. Genetically modified seeds have become property of those who develop and produce them. Many companies make farmers destroy their own seed in order to have access to the new seeds which are touted to be resistant to diseases and yield faster and more bountiful crops. Ecofeminist Vandana Shiva has been an advocate for farmers being able to control their own seed production as a way to sustain their livelihood. In addition, she protests the seed monoculture (the planting of just one seed/crop) endorsed by large corporations as well as the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Timber: In India,  it’s estimated that 30 million people depend on the forest for their livelihood (Agarwal 129). Through the degradation of the forests to satisfy the demand of consumers worldwide, this had has an impact on women throughout the world. In addition, the statization of forests (control by a few) is leading to both class and gender inequalities (Agarwal 130-137). The lack of access to the forest as well as the destruction of forests from logging has detrimental affects on women in these countries and their earning power.

The commonalities that exist between the western and non-western perspectives of ecofeminism are that they both look at the connection between women and the environment. Both philosophies also commonly accept that there is no one way to look at these issues and there are many threads woven into the tapestry of ecofeminism. An important part of western and non-western ecofeminism is that it takes theory one step further, as it looks at finding and implementing solutions.

As for the western perspective, there is focus on the roles of gender and how women have been oppressed by patriarchal thought and rule since humanity began. The idea of instrumentalism is one where we view the existence of the  world for us to take what we need from it.  In my previous post, I referenced this quote from ecofeminist Laura Hobgood-Oster, who references how ancient religious systems “proposed that patriarch cultures structure revolved around layers of symbol systems that justified domination” (Ecofeminism: Historic and International Evolution 4). The western lens of ecofeminism looks at  how environmentalism and feminism are shaped by the norms of patriarchal society, and how both are damaged by suppression and degradation.

When we look at the non-western perspective, there is focus on how women need their basic safety, hygiene, and wellness needs met. It is virtually impossible for women of the developing world to think about equality amongst men and equal pay for equal work, when issues that western women take for granted are at the forefront of their survival. Young girls and women struggle with access to clean water, which means that safe hygiene practices are at risk when going the bathroom or during menstruation. Ecofeminist Bina Agarwal shares that women are exposed to water borne illnesses more than men due to them collecting and gathering water, washing clothes, and being exposed to pesticide run-off found in water sources (Agarwal 141). In our hierarchy of human needs, the basic ones of survival and safety need to be met first and foremost. 

I find the many layers of the global, non-western ecofeminism philosophy interesting. The more I read about the many different facets of the relationship between women, the environment, and the way the industrial world is influencing changes, the more I wanted to know. From the responsibility that women shoulder to fetch water, to the expectation of farming and sourcing food, to caring for those in their families and villages. As we explore solutions to this systemic issue of gender inequality,  an ecofeminism lens can help us to look at not only the reality in distribution of domestic duties, but also the expense of what is lost with time, energy, and resources devoted to these life-sustaining responsibilities. Vandana Shiva reminds us about the delicate balance of all things; an increase in production of one thing, will result in scarcity in another (London).

 

Agarwal, Bina. “The Gender and Environment Debate: Lessons From India.” Feminist Studies, vol. 18, no. 1, JSTOR, 1992, p. 119. https://doi.org/10.2307/3178217.

“Ecofeminism: Historic and International Evolution.” Systemic Alternatives, 18 Jan. 2016, systemicalternatives.org/2016/01/18/ecofeminism-historic-and-international-evolution. Accessed 5 Feb. 2023.

London, Vandana Shiva and Scott. “In The Footsteps of Gandhi: An Interview With Vandana Shiva.” Global Research, 3 Feb. 2016, www.globalresearch.ca/in-the-footsteps-of-gandhi-an-interview-with-vandana-shiva/5505135.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “University of Western Ontario | University, London, Ontario, Canada.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2009, www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Western-Ontario.

We live in a world where we crave order – one where it’s clean and simple to view issues as either black or white. As a woman who has had the fortunate opportunity to be on this earth for four decades, I have come to this conclusion: most of life is comprised of the grey in between the black and the white.

What exactly is ecofeminism? Ecofeminism – a concept that materialized in the 1960’s and 70’s – explores the correlations between the environment, feminism, and the oppression and destruction that the patriarchy has on both. In reference to my above statement of many life topics being in the grey, ecofeminism is no exception. This theory looks at the way that the both the environment and feminism are intertwined, the way that male-centric ideals have dominated and affected both, and also to possible solutions. An important facet of ecofeminism is the symbiotic relationship between nature and women, and what happens to both when the majority of decision shaping is curated by men.

Let’s take a closer look at the image above, one that I choose to look at through the lens of ecofeminism. I interpret this image to illustrate one of  the many mainstream (often male-dominated/influenced) visions of beauty for women. Clean, long hair, that is blown dry, styled, and made to look presentable and appealing to the eyes of others – qualities that we have come to associate with the softness of women. Notice how the woman’s face is also non-existent, the blow dryer dispersing her face and hair into tiny pieces. This conveys the objectification of women; how external beauty is expected and judged. The image objectifies the woman as one of many, without any features to establish her identity. Ecofeminist Laura Hobgood-Oster shares “…that patriarchal cultural structures revolved around layers of symbol systems that justified domination” (“Ecofeminism: Historic and International Evolution”). Advertising, marketing, and the gendered roles of society all play a part in what influences a woman to be beautiful (on the exterior), the types of products she should use to do so, and the time that she needs to devote to curating the look.

Ecofeminism is looked at comprehensively, not just its different, separate parts. What I appreciate about the article “Objectification and Exploitation of Girls and Women by the Mass Media and Social Media” is that it also looks at the larger picture of the objectification of women. It shares that in seeing women for the parts and pieces of who they are, for the pleasure of others, allows for a series of objectifications. This idea then gives way to men believing women are there to please them, and as objects, they can do what they want to them (sexually, using violence as force, etc.) This not only devalues women, it then continues on with a lack of respect for them as people and perpetuates the vicious cycle (Sen).

As for the environmental aspect of the above image, many of the chemicals that are used in beauty products have been shown to have detrimental effects on both the human body as well as the environment. We see evidence of this by the plastic bottles that are use for shampoos, conditioners, and moisturizers, the aerosol cans and particles contained in hair and body products, as well as the waste generated by all of the disposable beauty items women have been told to rely upon (razors, makeup, etc.) in order to reach this perceived universal standard of beauty.

If we look to find a connection between women and nature, we needn’t look much further than the concept of Mother Nature, itself. Mother Nature is defined as “nature represented as a woman thought of as the source and guiding force of creation” (Mother Nature). I also found it interesting that in Greek mythology, the goddess Gaia is the human version of the earth, and from her, came all elements found in nature (“Gaea (Gaia) • Facts and Information About Primordial ‘Mother Earth’”). This concept is still widely referenced, as nature consists of inherently female characteristics, with the ability to reproduce, nurture, and comfort.

Here’s to the continued conversations around ecofeminism; how we mindfully advocate for the preservation of Mother Nature for all (not just for what we humans need it to give us in the moment) as well as protect women from oppression in all forms.

 

Works Cited:

“Ecofeminism: Historic and International Evolution.” Systemic Alternatives, 18 Jan. 2016, systemicalternatives.org/2016/01/18/ecofeminism-historic-and-international-evolution. Accessed 5 Feb. 2023.

“Gaea (Gaia) • Facts and Information About Primordial ‘Mother Earth.’” Greek Gods & Goddesses, 25 Oct. 2022, greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/gaea.

Sen, Swagata. “Objectification and Exploitation of Girls and Women by the Mass Media and Social Media.” Rights of Equality – Promoting Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, 20 Oct. 2022, www.rightsofequality.com/objectification-and-exploitation-of-girls-and-women-by-the-mass-media-and-the-social-media.