Eco Feminism Savanna Bailey Briana Morgan Roodie Ford

Eco. Feminism. . Savanna Bailey, Briana Morgan, Roodie Ford, and Joel Silverstein ASU at Lake Havasu PHI-407 – March 2014

Overview • History of Ecofeminism • Influential Women • What is an Ecofeminist ? • The “Man” Bringing you down. • Current Movements for Environment • But first. . a little drama. . . 2

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Dr. Vandana Shiva BS Physics MA Philosophy Ph. D Philosophy Against monoculture, GMOs, and Golden Rice. Helped organize 34 seed banks across India, conserve 2000 rice species. Primary focus at this time is biopiracy, empowering and preserving the rights of local farmers. genderacrossborders. com Written extensively about the Chipko movement. Roody 4

Chipko Movement chipko: to cling In March 1974, 28 women from the Lata Village literally hugged the trees in the forest near their village in an attempt (a successful one) to save the trees from being logged. They do not wholly oppose logging, but the unjust way it was being carried out. www. sead. org. uk mountainshepherds. com 5

Rachel Carson Founder U. S. Environmental Movement “Godmother” of ecofeminism “Who has decided – who has the right to decide – for the countless legions of people who were not consulted that the supreme value is a world without insects, even though it be also a sterile world ungraced by the curving wing of a bird in flight. ” eoearth. org 6

Lois Gibbs and Love Canal 1978 - Niagara, New York City school and subdivision were built on a landfill/chemical dump site. Residents had complained for years of smells and substances surfacing near their yards. Instrumental in forming the Love Canal Home Owner’s Association. “The main lesson to be learned from the Love Canal crisis is that in order to protect public health from chemical contamination, there needs to be a massive outcry – a choir of voices – by the American people demanding change. ” pubs. acs. org audubonmagazine. org 7

Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai BS Biology MS Biological Sciences Ph. D Veterinary Anatomy 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate 1977 - Founded the Greenbelt Movement Under her leadership: • 51 million trees planted • 30, 000 women trained to help them earn income while preserving their lands and resources unliamagazine. com 8

What is an Ecofeminist ? • Ecofeminists Fight for: – women, children – lower class, minorities – 3 rd world countries – nature (sandycasanova. file) Joel 9

• Ecofeminists address issues: – – – – water pollution deforestation toxic waste dumping agricultural development sustainability animal rights child prostitution / slavery – nuclear weapons policies – Grass Roots Activists (nytimes. com) 10

Waves of Feminism • 1 st Wave • Late 19 th and early 20 th centuries – Industrialism and liberal, socialist politics. – Goal of opening up opportunities for women, with a focus on suffrage. • Formally began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 – 300 men and women rallied to the cause of equality • Drafted the Seneca Falls Declaration – outlining the movement's ideology and political strategies. 11

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• 2 nd Wave • Began in the 1960 s and continued to 1990's. (tavana. org) • Unfolded in anti-war and civil rights movements • Self-consciousness of minority groups • The New Left was on the rise, – Increasing Radical Voice • Sexuality and reproductive rights (timelife. com) – Birth Control (The Pill) – Roe V Wade (right to chose) • Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution – guaranteeing social equality regardless of sex (now. org) 13

• 3 rd Wave – Ecofeminism • Ecofeminism connects the exploitation and domination of women with that of the environment, and argues that there is a connection between women and nature. • Began in the 1970 s • Françoise d'Eaubonne – Le Féminisme ou la Mort – “Feminism or Death” ) p ar g • Continues today. . . lie al (c 14

• Ecofeminism underlines – Leadership and Participation • get out there and be heard – Integrating environmental movements • collectivism – Women’s movements • all areas that affect women – Democratic movements • crossing cultural and national boundaries – Africa, Caribbean, China, India, South East Asia 15

Conflict of View • Some feminists argue that ecofeminist are not true feminists – they couple women with having spiritual connection to nature – separates them from society • Ecofeminism may not survive – man continues to exploit women and nature – man sees both as eternally fertile – endlessly capable of providing life 16

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The “Man” Bringing You Down • Oppressive conceptual frameworks- explain, maintain, and justify relationships of unjustified domination – “Up” thinking vs. “down” thinking • Greater value assigned to what is “up” Savanna (seeingthewoods. org) 18

The “Man” Bringing You Down – Oppositional value dualisms • Oppositional vs. complementary • White, male, rational over black, female, emotional • Stresses separation and detachment of sexes, classes, and human vs. nonhuman (Lifesun. org) 19

The “Man” Bringing You Down – Power-over power • Power of ups over power of downs • Ups have privileges that downs do not – Logic of domination • Destruction of nature and women’s oppression are legitimized by hierarchical social structure • Assumes that superiority justifies subordination • If X is conceptualized as morally inferior to Y, then Y is justified in dominating X 20

Logic of Domination • Frequently use language of domination – Sexist, racist, naturist language in everyday life • Land is barren/useless until cultivation provides value • “Up” woman are seen as masculine – further separates men and women, still gives power to “men” 21

Logic of Domination • Scientific revolution – Science had goal to create image of “disorderly” woman and provoked human control over nature • Science-only viewpoint eliminates humannature connection • science and reason over emotion and spirituality • natural births vs. doctor controlled births disrupted image of mother earth 22

Nature is a Feminist Issue "For me, ecology and feminism have been inseparable“ - Vandana Shiva Briana http: //enrichbykennyrich. com/nurture-by-nature/ 23

Nature, Sex, and Gender • All nature issues are issues of class and gender – speciesism, racism, sexism • Loving Nature is equivalent to loving one’s child http: //themetapicture. com/mothernature/ – Not objects, but subjects of Nature’s Community – If they can be harmed, they have moral obligation • Kinship between humans and nature http: //abstract. desktopnexus. com/wallp aper/612303/ – “Mother Earth” – “Mother Nature” 24

Nature, Sex, and Gender • The female sex and ecology – Female capacity for reproduction • Women’s gender is connected with nature (quoteko. com) – Moon cycles and menstrual cycles – Fruit bearing trees and “fruit” bearing women (smg. photobucket. com) 25

Women and Environmental Issues • Women are more aware of environmental issues than men – Women take care of children and family structures • Women have previously helped prevent destruction of nature http: //callingtherealyou. com/mother-nature-knows-best/ – In early history, women were viewed as “goddesses/ deities” – Fertility is directly associated with survival 26

Ecofeminism Changing the Environment • Societal Structure needs “restructuring” – New ethical “norms” – Necessary to solve environmental issues • Enhancing the feminine image – More respect for women = more respect for the environment – Patriarchal dominance dwindles – Environmental value rises http: //duanetoops. wordpress. com/ 27

Summary • History of Ecofeminism • Influential Women • What an Ecofeminist is • How the “Man” tries to bring you down. • Current Movements for Environment 28

• Questions? 29

References Gibbs, Lois M. (2003). History: Love Canal: the Start of a Movement. Boston University School of Public Health. Retrieved from http: //www. bu. edu/lovecanal/ Metz, Winifred Fordham. "How Ecofeminism Works" 12 March 2008. How. Stuff. Works. com. <http: //science. howstuffworks. com Shiva, Vandana (2012) Vandana Shiva: Everything I Need to Know I Learned in the Forest. Yes! Magazine. Retrieved from http: //www. yesmagazine. org The life and legacy of Rachel Carson. rachelcarson. org Right Livelihood Award (2013). The Chipko Movement (India) Retrieved from http: //www. rightlivelihood. org/chipko. html Gettleman, Jeffrey (2011). Wangari maathai, Nobel peace prize laureate, dies at 71. New York Times. Retrieved from http: //www. nytimes. com Warren, K. (2000). Ecofeminist philosophy: A western perspective on what it is and why it matters. Rowman & Littlefield. 30

• Go Home. . . it’s over (media. salon. com) 31