Women are more connected to the environment than men. Whether it’s through pregnancy or policy, numerous sources concur that women are at the forefront to protect the environment over men, again and again. The work of Norgaard and York supports this theory about ecofeminism. Ecofeminism is the movement which combines feminism with environmentalism which argues that both fall under the oppression of patriarchy and capitalism worldwide and which also advocates for a change in thinking and policy making in order to heal not only our perspective of women, but nature as well. The world would be a better place with more women in positions of power, especially women at the helm of governments globally. In Norgaard and Yorks paper they state, “research indicates that women are more likely than men to express support for environmental protection and that women consider a variety of environmental risks, from nuclear power to toxic substances, to be more serious than do men” (Norgaard, York, 508). Men, as in patriarchy, are more inclined to support capitalism in all of its destruction, than do women. “Explanations for the gender gap in environmental concern have built on this work, suggesting, for example, that women are more concerned about the environment because they have been socialized to be family nurturers and caregivers” (Norgaard, York, 508). Women have been known across cultures and history to be the caregivers to not only our children, but to our ecosystem. More women in positions of power directly correlates to better protection of the environment, according to Norgaard and York. How does this happen, you may wonder? Well, women have long been oppressed under men as well as many other groups of people such as indigenous people and people of color- all of whom have great ties to nature over that of the culture of colonialism and capitalism which we experience today. “This occurs because powerful groups or individuals can force the less powerful to pay the costs of environmental degradation, as is the case when young girls are employed in dangerous situations in factories because they are seen as passive and less likely to organize or when toxic materials are produced and disposed of in poor communities” (Norgaard, York, 510). Ecofeminism implies many specific ways in which gender and the environment intersect in its degradation, one being the tie between nations with higher gender inequality having less environmental responsibility as a mindset due to patriarchal standards of domination. Second, for the same reason, men are less concerned than women about the protection of the environment as it is seen (similar to childcare) as a woman’s domain. Women must see parity across international governments in order to scratch the surface of the wrongdoings against ecofeminism and the environment as a whole. “In 1990, the UN Commission on the Status of Women estimated that for women to influence key outcomes and be taken seriously, a threshold of 30 percent women in Parliament was required” (Norgaard, York, 514). The fact of the matter is that women are not being taken seriously in the global community as leaders, especially regarding concerns of the environment since it does not serve capitalist endeavors. “Global efforts aimed at developing environmental policies should therefore concentrate more on improving the status of women, including especially those efforts aimed at increasing women’s political representation” (Norgaard, York, 519). We should focus on voting for more women into positions of power in order to heal our environment, as well as our communities. The comparison goes hand in hand, as ecofeminism implies, since women and nature are both explicitly oppressed by men in the sense of patriarchy and capitalism- both of which dominate the global sphere today. According to the national library of medicine, “ecofeminism is richer than any other branch of feminism in that it strives to expose the connections between the myriad forms of oppression rooted in man’s efforts to control nature” (Dong). Men in positions of power have a long history of oppressing people and political obstacles which do not align with the patriarchal agenda. Climate change and women’s rights are both constantly pushed to the side under male dominated global government, which is why it is more important now more than ever to start to take women seriously as leaders in order to reverse and amend the damages done. According to Earth.org, “women have often been found to be more invested in social issues, including education, healthcare and environmental impacts. Research also indicated that women who hold an elected office tend to prioritise resolving tangible issues that directly affect other women, families and children. Given that women and children are disproportionately affected by climate change, women in politics have shown themselves to be more aware of environmental impacts, and integrate relevant solutions into their policy agendas” (Bove). It is essential for policy makers to understand how social issues such as feminism and environmental issues such as climate change impact all of us the same. Only when women see parity in global governments will ecofeminism be given the platform it deserves as both question and answer to the modern day struggle against patriarchy and capitalism. An illustration of a statistic which I would like to highlight is figure 3 from the source listed below from Earth.org which shows the “age and gender demographics of climate activists across 66 countries worldwide; Boucher et al; Energy Research and Social Science; 2021. The degree of women under 65 years of age and older, which goes to show the urgency and current struggle of ecofeminism is evident in this graph chart since across the board, more women than men are seen as environmental activists and at younger ages than many men who currently hold office or men in general. Women are at the forefront of the cause for environmental change worldwide, and we need to begin to take them seriously as leaders if we want this world to be habitable and equitable for all genders and races in the future.
Bove, T. (2021, November 1). Ecofeminism: Where gender and climate change intersect. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/ecofeminism/
Dong, W., & Kim, S. (2022). [Retracted] Promotion and Protection of Feminism Creativity for Public environment: The integration of Ecofeminism and Public environment. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2022(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5706699
You highlight such an important point about the overlapping issues of gender inequality and environmental degradation through an ecofeminist lens. I would say I agree with you that women, especially women in marginalized communities, have always been stewards of nature. However, I would ask—while women in political positions can undoubtedly use their voices to shine a light on the environmental crisis, do you think there’s a risk of ‘greenwashing’ if women assume leadership, such as in the climate management position? Women-led governments may advocate for climate policy, but are those policies ever radical enough to challenge the capitalist structures that harm the environment, or are they still working within those same frameworks?
Your argument highlights a huge part in women play in both environmental and policy advocacy. The connection you draw between gender equality and environmental awareness is key to understand the larger socio-political dynamics at work. Enhancing female representation in governance could trigger a move towards more sustainable practices, promoting a healthier planet and society.
Hi Megan! Your opening statement is so powerful and confident, and you go on to support this statement beautifully. I think the reason why women are more concerned with environmental and social issues is because our day-to-day is rooted (pun intended) in nature-based activities. Water fetching, gathering food and firewood, raising children and livestock are all chores commonly performed by women, as we discussed in the early weeks of this course, and all these chores require connection to nature: weather, seasons, other species, the safeties and dangers beyond human society. Well done!