Ecofeminism in Today's World

My Thoughts on Eco-feminism

In a society where women are becoming more and more independent, in a world where the traditional role of the woman is changing and there is no more normal I wonder how eco-feminism ideas have changed. During the 1970's the feminist movement was in full swing and along came the idea that the destruction and oppression of the earth was connected with the oppression of women. Many people consider the earth as female in being. The name Mother Earth is given for the reason that the earth is the center of all life and in the belief that the earth sustains all life forms, just like a mother would for a child.

Many religions worship the earth and parts of nature. The Native Americans and Wiccan religions hold nature and the elements in nature to be very sacred. The whole idea of the earth and women come together more often then many believe or know.

Throughout history females have been held to a higher level then men in the form of nature and care giving. References throughout media give examples of the relation between women and the earth. In the Chronicles or Narnia series by C.S. Lewis there are references of Eve being the mother of all the earth. In the popular book the DaVinci Code, the author shows many relations in religion to why the earth and women are considered to be respected at a higher level. In visual and verbal art we are shown how nature and women are one and the same. Everywhere we look we can find a form of reverence for the earth and women together if we just look.

Times have changed though. What use to be a stereotype of women held as delicate beings, now are viewed as strong and independent. In today's day of age women are told they can do anything a man can do. With these ideas, the basis of eco-feminism will die out and be considered irrelevant. Eco-feminism today though has changed and adapted. Eco-feminism does not just apply to the way women and the earth are treated. Many forms of eco-feminism now include women and healthcare, the military and spirituality. It was a stretch for me, but trying to make the correlation between the earth and women in healthcare was very hard until I came to the example of abortion. With humans cutting down the forest and not replanting them is like abortion. They are preventing the ability for future resources by cutting the tree just like future reproduction with the abortion of a embryo. A long stretch but I could see it.

Something I truly do agree with on the eco-feminism ideas is the ideas of war and eco-feminism. Eco-feminist believes that war affects everything and not only looks at the effects of war on humans but also the environment.