What do you understand by the term ecofeminism?

 Ecofeminism is a branch of feminism that sees environmentalism, and the relationship between women and the earth, as foundational to its analysis and practice. Ecofeminist thinkers draw on the concept of gender to analyse the relationships between humans and the natural world. The term was coined by the French writer Françoise d’Eaubonne in her book Le Féminisme ou la Mort.

Ecofeminist theory asserts a feminist perspective of Green politics that calls for an egalitarian, collaborative society in which there is no one dominant group. Today, there are several branches of ecofeminism, with varying approaches and analyses, including liberal ecofeminism, spiritual/cultural ecofeminism, and social/socialist ecofeminism. 

Interpretations of ecofeminism and how it might be applied to social thought include ecofeminist art, social justice and political philosophy, religion, contemporary feminism, and poetry. Ecofeminist analysis explores the connections between women and nature in culture, economy, religion, politics, literature and iconography, and addresses the parallels between the oppression of nature and the oppression of women.

These parallels include but are not limited to seeing women and nature as property, seeing men as the curators of culture and women as the curators of nature, and how men dominate women and humans dominate nature. Ecofeminism emphasizes that both women and nature must be respected,

From ecofeminism, came several branches of thought: 

Liberal/radical ecofeminism – This term was used for ecofeminism with a focus on environmentalism and seeking change through legislation and improved regulations.

Socialist/materialist ecofeminism – Through the study of political theory and history, socialist or materialist ecofeminism examines how the patriarchal structure of capitalism turns both women and nature into commodities.

Spiritual/cultural ecofeminism – This branch included the study of nature-based spirituality and focused on the values of caring, compassion and nonviolence.

In her book, “Earthcare: Women and the Environment,” Carolyn Merchant explained that “cultural ecofeminism celebrates the relationship between women and nature through the revival of ancient rituals centered on goddess worship, the moon, animals, and the female reproductive system.”

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