Have you ever heard of ecofeminism?
The term ecofeminism would have been used for the first time in 1974, by the author Françoise d'Eaubonne, and refers to the relationship between science, women and nature
Unsplash image of Jen Theodore
We are used to thinking and reflecting on feminism, but have you ever heard of ecofeminism? Ecofeminism is a relatively new strand within feminist theory. The aspect of ecofeminism associates the women's movement with the ecological movement and brings a new view of the world, detached from the socioeconomic and domination conception. Her main concerns are the relationships between science, women and nature, in a view that sees in the human approach an aspect of domination over the natural, just as men seek to impose on women.
The first references to the term ecofeminism point to the book "Le feminisme ou la Mort" (Feminism or death), written in 1974 by the French author Françoise d'Eaubonne. It was during this period that the first ecovillages emerged, "as alternative communities in which people strive to lead a life in harmony with themselves, with other animate and inanimate beings and with the Earth", according to the article "Ecofeminism and community sustainable".
Still in the 1970s, the first manifestations of the feminist movement in defense of the environment took place. In 1978, Françoise d'Eaubonne founded the Ecology and Feminism movement in France.
It stands out in ecofeminism that ecology is a feminist issue, but that the similarities between feminism and ecology have been forgotten by ecological science. "This aspect of the feminist movement, uniting the women's movement with the ecological movement, brings a new vision of the world, detached from the socioeconomic and domination conception", write the authors of Ecofeminism and sustainable community.
In the analysis "Is female to male as nature is to culture?" (Is woman to man as nature to culture?, in free translation), Sherry Ortner draws attention to the fact that, in all cultures, women have been the target of subordination, and proposes an in-depth investigation from the origin of violence in the differences of bodies between men and women. She further argues that the lack of a creative function in man led him to produce a destructive function in an artificial way, through technique.
In the vision of ecofeminists, society was built to prioritize the domain of patriarchal values. The movement recognizes that the union of oppressed groups can deconstruct the current social hierarchy, creating a more inclusive society. While feminism strives for gender equality and environmental preservation within a pre-existing patriarchal system, ecofeminism talks about destroying that system and rebuilding it completely, on the grounds that all living things have value.
Instead of fighting for women's equality or prioritizing the environment, ecofeminism fights for a new world where men and women, humans and the planet respect each other and see themselves as equals, contributing to each other and improving the living conditions of all .
Just as many people are feminists and do not know it, because they attribute different meanings to the term, it is also possible to be an ecofeminist without knowing it, as the movement makes reference to the concern with the environment and its preservation, in addition to preaching that all living beings , from plants, water and animals to human beings, regardless of race, sexuality, sex or class, must be treated with equality and respect.
In Europe, ecofeminism is a very famous movement, especially in Spain and France, where it is common for women to come together to develop sustainable projects. In Brazil, ecofeminism is not widely publicized, but it has been growing and diversifying within the feminist movement as a whole.
Check out an interview with Vandana Shiva, Ph.D. in philosophy, environmental activist and avowed ecofeminist:
