Critiques of Cultural Ecofeminism
Recently in class we’ve
been discussing the idea of Ecofeminism. Ecofeminism is a movement that makes
connections between environmentalism and feminism. It presents the idea that
the same ideologies throughout society that restrict the environment also
restrict women. While there are many sub-groups of ecofeminists, I am going to
be focusing specifically on cultural ecofeminists. Cultural ecofeminists
criticize the patriarchy and emphasize biological links between women and
nature. When we were first talking about this in class it seemed like most
people were pretty on board with the idea, and I couldn’t quite agree with some
of the ideas that cultural ecofeminists hold. To me, it seemed like the
majority found this empowering towards women. Rather, I found it not only
destructive but also a huge step back when it comes to women’s rights.
To start, one of the first
articles we read on ecofeminism admitted that there was no scientific data
backing the idea that there is anything biological that makes women more
attuned to nature. In fact, when they did a study on soil erosion far away,
they found men actually tended to care more about the impacts. Considering this
theory has a lot of scientific elements within it, I can’t help but feel like
its rather problematic that there’s no scientific research there to support it.
Further, making a biological claim like this also implies that women don’t have
a choice in this role. Rather than a social view, which would point out gender
roles and how they lead women to be more nurturing towards nature, this gives
the idea that if you are born a women then you care about nature because it’s
in your DNA. Therefore, this can lead to the idea that women are naturally the
caretakers, and they should stay in the home to do that job.
Overall, I think cultural
ecofeminism can be used in a rather destructive way to further oppress women in
the global south and keep them from working outside the home. If we utilized a
different approach on this theory, like focusing this difference on gender
norms, then there would be room for change that could help women learn that as
a woman you are not confined to just one role, but you can have multiple
options.
I agree that cultural ecofeminism can be destructive to women's rights. Some may believe it is empowering to women to think that they are more connected to nature. However, this can be used as an argument against women to have even less power than women have currently. Saying that women are more connected to nature because women breastfeed and give birth is only an excuse to keep women in gendered norms. Ecofeminists argue that biology backs the idea up that what effects the environment effects women. However, there is no evidence stating that that is true. In fact, to claim biology is the reason women are more connected to nature only strengthens the patriarchy. This is because men will believe if women are more biologically connected to nature then they should stay at home and assume a caretaker role. If women keep getting put into these roles just because they are assumed to be more natural men will always have power over women. Biological functions should not be a reason to oppress women further. Furthermore, ecofeminists who believe this are only hurting ecofeminism’s effectiveness. Lastly, I think that in order to make real change, society needs to reexamine gender norms.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of your points on ecofeminism and think that you argued your criticism very well! In this essay, http://internationalstudies.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.001.0001/acrefore-9780190846626-e-158 , I read through all of the defenses for ecofeminism and I caught myself not buying it either. On the section "Ecofeminist Postmodernization," it talks about how ecofeminism is only a construct of what we regard men's roles to be. We view men a certain way socially, and that affects the way we view women, therefore delegating specific gender roles to women that are only a result of our patriarchal perspective.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to ecofeminism, this has to do with women's bodies being more connected to the environment. Women give birth, menstruate, and breast feed, but as a woman myself this doesn't make me feel closer to the environment. Men have reliance on the environment as well, like you said in your soil example.
I think for hundreds of years, society has created excuses and reasons as to why men are more superior than women. One result of this is ecofeminism. After that length of time, women have adapted a role that seems more sympathetic to environmental issues, simply because they have been forced into a role that must care more about the environment. I agree with you that ecofeminism is oppressive and enforcing of patriarchal gender roles based on very little fact.
One thing I noticed while we were discussing the the connection between women as reproducers and nature was that men are also reproducers and help to create life. It reminded me of how people blame women for getting pregnant and men can just walk away and wash their hands clean of any consequence. This was just a little thing though. When we did the binaries of women nature men technology that also reminded me of the serious implications that actually has with women in STEM fields as well. Also, the whole connection thing is so heteronormative. How does it account for people who are not cisgender as well? I personally believe as people we are all connected to nature. Nature as a concept is so strange, it is literally just the world around us but people have made it into some abstract or an idea to further destroy it. People are a part of nature, regardless of gender. We are born, live, and die by nature. Saying that one gender is ‘more in tune’ is just absurd. Everyone is, not just a few. This post is kind of all over the place but whatever. I think women have chosen a role closer to the environment due to the fact that they do experience the most exposure to and react in a bit of a more extreme way to pollutants in the environment around this (birth defects, irregular periods, etc.). Like usual, they have to fight to be heard because men already view them as overdramatic and exaggerating when they actually have a problem.
ReplyDeleteWord Count: 263
Erin Cuppett