Ecofeminism: Difference between revisions

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'''Ecofeminism''' is a branch of feminism that encompasses the concepts of ecology and feminism.
'''Ecofeminism''' is a branch of feminism that encompasses the concepts of ecology and feminism.
Although the term originated in the 1970s, many consider that ecofeminist practices have existed for much longer. Just as it is customary to speak of feminisms in the plural rather than feminism, ecofeminists will often use the term in the plural, to represent the diversity of experiences and points of view. Most agree that there is a connection (spiritual, material, or both) between the oppressions experienced by women and environmental destruction.
Although the term originated in the 1970s, many consider that ecofeminist practices have existed for much longer. <ref>https://earth.org/ecofeminism/</ref>  Just as it is customary to speak of feminisms in the plural rather than feminism, ecofeminists will often use the term in the plural (ecofeminisms), to represent the diversity of experiences and points of view. Most agree that there is a connection (spiritual, material, or both) between the oppressions experienced by women and environmental destruction. <ref>L. Jarosz, Feminist Political Ecology, International Encyclopedia of the Social &amp; Behavioral Sciences, 2001, Pages 5472-5475, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B0080430767041346</ref>


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== Understanding why gender justice is climate justice ==
== Understanding why feminism is climate justice ==
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'''Disposability discourse'''
'''Livelihoods of women in the Global South'''
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Much discussion around the severity of COVID was lessened by expressing how it mainly sickens and kills elderly, chronically ill, and disabled people. This discourse suggests these groups are seen disposable.&nbsp;
*Women in the global south are often main caregivers of agricultural lands and responsible for providing food and water for the communities. This makes them more vulnerable to effects of climate change, such as droughts and extreme weather.  <ref>UNWOMAN. (2022). Explainer: How gender inequality and climate change are interconnected. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/explainer/2022/02/explainer-how-gender-inequality-and-climate-change-are-interconnected</ref>  &nbsp;<br>
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| style="width: 19.6976%; background-color: rgb(153, 225, 217);" | '''Violence and health consequences as climate migrants'''
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*Climate change causes communities to be forced to move to new areas. Women are more susceptible to gender-based violence in these situations, such as conflict-related sexual violence, humans trafficking, and child marriage.  <ref>United Nation Population Funds. &nbsp;(2021). Five ways climate change hurts women and girls. https://www.unfpa.org/news/five-ways-climate-change-hurts-women-and-girls</ref>
*Women also experience unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections due to loss of access to sexual and reproductive health services.  <ref>United Nation Population Funds. &nbsp;(2021). Five ways climate change hurts women and girls. https://www.unfpa.org/news/five-ways-climate-change-hurts-women-and-girls</ref>
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'''Loosened restrictions too early'''
'''MMIWGT2S crisis links resource extraction'''
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When governments loosened COVID restrictions in response to business demands, political pressure, and public impatience, rather than scientific evidence, high risk populations (the chronically ill, disabled and elderly) were subsequently told they are disposable yet again.&nbsp;
*Deadly violence and sexual assault towards Indigenous women, girls, trans and two-spirit people occurs at high rates in communities located near resource development projects.  <ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/5/5/pipelines-man-camps-and-murdered-indigenous-women-in-canada</ref>  See [https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/5/5/pipelines-man-camps-and-murdered-indigenous-women-in-canada the following article] for more on the MMIWGT2S crisis and it's links to resource extraction in so-called Canada.
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'''Working through illness'''
'''Climate disaster increases incidents of violence'''
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Regulations around how many sick days should be required when someone falls ill with COVID also demonstrated ableism. In relation to these regulations, and in favour of profit above health, many politicians including US President Joe Biden, praised themselves for working through COVID, instead of encouraging people to rest and recover if they'd fallen ill.&nbsp;
*Women and young girls are at greater risk of emotional, physical, and sexual violence by men after climate disasters or other stressful events caused by climate change.  <ref>United Nation Population Funds. &nbsp;(2021). Five ways climate change hurts women and girls. https://www.unfpa.org/news/five-ways-climate-change-hurts-women-and-girls</ref>
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'''[[Individualism]]'''
'''Negative impacts on mother's and child's health'''
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Individuals have been encouraged to make 'personal' choices on vaccines (without legitimate health restrictions), masks and gatherings.
*Indigenous women live with the constant disruption of traditional food systems due to shifting climatic conditions.
 
*Climate change has altered the environment where traditional medicinal herbs are cultivated and gathered, elevating health risks and infant mortality.  <ref>Howell, M., Pinckney, J. &amp; White, L. (2020). Black Women, Reproductive Justice, and Environmental Justice. http://blackrj.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/6217-IOOV_EnviroJustice.pdf</ref>  
"''There is no individual safety without collective safety and collective safety requires that no one is safe unless everyone is safe." - Mia Mingus <ref>https://leavingevidence.wordpress.com/2022/01/16/you-are-not-entitled-to-our-deaths-covid-abled-supremacy-interdependence/</ref> ''
 
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== Examples of ecofeminism ==


== Important eco-feminist leaders ==
== Important eco-feminist leaders ==
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| style="width: 100%;" | '''<span style=""></span>'''[[image:800px-F_k93v5ur74-scaled-4120950346.jpeg|300x300px|left|middle|border]]'''Vandana Shiva'''<span style="">&nbsp;(India) is known for her fight against GMOs and for the preservation of traditional agricultural knowledge, she is considered an important ecofeminist figure of our time</span><p>'''<span style=""><br></span>'''</p>
| style="width: 100%;" | '''<span style=""></span>'''[[image:800px-F_k93v5ur74-scaled-4120950346.jpeg|300x300px|left|middle|border]]'''Vandana Shiva'''<span style="">&nbsp;(India) is known for her fight against GMOs and for the preservation of traditional agricultural knowledge, she is considered an important ecofeminist figure of our time</span><p>'''<span style=""><br></span>'''</p>
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Latest revision as of 15:58, 26 February 2024

Ecofeminism is a branch of feminism that encompasses the concepts of ecology and feminism. Although the term originated in the 1970s, many consider that ecofeminist practices have existed for much longer. [1] Just as it is customary to speak of feminisms in the plural rather than feminism, ecofeminists will often use the term in the plural (ecofeminisms), to represent the diversity of experiences and points of view. Most agree that there is a connection (spiritual, material, or both) between the oppressions experienced by women and environmental destruction. [2]


Understanding why feminism is climate justice

Livelihoods of women in the Global South

  • Women in the global south are often main caregivers of agricultural lands and responsible for providing food and water for the communities. This makes them more vulnerable to effects of climate change, such as droughts and extreme weather. [3]  
Violence and health consequences as climate migrants
  • Climate change causes communities to be forced to move to new areas. Women are more susceptible to gender-based violence in these situations, such as conflict-related sexual violence, humans trafficking, and child marriage. [4]
  • Women also experience unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections due to loss of access to sexual and reproductive health services. [5]

MMIWGT2S crisis links resource extraction

  • Deadly violence and sexual assault towards Indigenous women, girls, trans and two-spirit people occurs at high rates in communities located near resource development projects. [6] See the following article for more on the MMIWGT2S crisis and it's links to resource extraction in so-called Canada.

Climate disaster increases incidents of violence

  • Women and young girls are at greater risk of emotional, physical, and sexual violence by men after climate disasters or other stressful events caused by climate change. [7]

Negative impacts on mother's and child's health

  • Indigenous women live with the constant disruption of traditional food systems due to shifting climatic conditions.
  • Climate change has altered the environment where traditional medicinal herbs are cultivated and gathered, elevating health risks and infant mortality. [8]

Important eco-feminist leaders

Wangar ĩ Muta Maathai (Kenya) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 and founded the Green Belt Movement to fight against deforestation by enabling women to learn how to take care of the trees in their homes. community.

Maude Prud'homme (Quebec) fight against the development of hydrocarbon projects and for the protection of ancient forests. She offers training on ecofeminism.
Vandana Shiva (India) is known for her fight against GMOs and for the preservation of traditional agricultural knowledge, she is considered an important ecofeminist figure of our time



Thanks to Nyla Downey for compiling some of the content for this page.

If you have any suggested revisions or additional resources to share related to the above content, please email them to kenzie@lehub.ca.


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.


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  1. ↑ https://earth.org/ecofeminism/
  2. ↑ L. Jarosz, Feminist Political Ecology, International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001, Pages 5472-5475, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B0080430767041346
  3. ↑ UNWOMAN. (2022). Explainer: How gender inequality and climate change are interconnected. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/explainer/2022/02/explainer-how-gender-inequality-and-climate-change-are-interconnected
  4. ↑ United Nation Population Funds.  (2021). Five ways climate change hurts women and girls. https://www.unfpa.org/news/five-ways-climate-change-hurts-women-and-girls
  5. ↑ United Nation Population Funds.  (2021). Five ways climate change hurts women and girls. https://www.unfpa.org/news/five-ways-climate-change-hurts-women-and-girls
  6. ↑ https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/5/5/pipelines-man-camps-and-murdered-indigenous-women-in-canada
  7. ↑ United Nation Population Funds.  (2021). Five ways climate change hurts women and girls. https://www.unfpa.org/news/five-ways-climate-change-hurts-women-and-girls
  8. ↑ Howell, M., Pinckney, J. & White, L. (2020). Black Women, Reproductive Justice, and Environmental Justice. http://blackrj.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/6217-IOOV_EnviroJustice.pdf
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