The following is a critical reflection on my research on the topic of ecofeminism practice. 

 

The term "ecofeminist" was first proposed by the French sexualist Franɕoise d'Eaubonnein 1974 in the book " Le Féminisme ou la Mort" [1]. She linked her thinking on ecological issues with her thinking on female issues, believing that the oppression of women is directly related to the oppression of nature; at the same time, she emphasized that women should play an important role in solving the global ecological environment The potential in crisis calls on women to unite to launch an ecological revolution to save the earth, and strongly calls for the establishment of a new equal relationship between men and women as well as the relationship between humans and nature.

 

The most important point of ecofeminism is decentralization, which compares anthropocentrism to the oppression of women in patriarchy. However, this analogy seems to me a bit far-fetched. There are some ecofeminists like Eaubonn who see this perspectives as manifestations of a deep-seated hierarchy, but they ignore some very important distinctions—the distinction between women and nature. Women are conscious subjects, nature is not, and this is very important. We can look at this issue from another angle. Many supporters of this doctrine will say that the coexistence of human beings and nature should be based on mutual benefit rather than under a human-dominated dominance system. There is a point here Very important - what is mutual benefit? The benefits to humans are quite obvious, but what about nature? This is a very difficult thing, and I think a better definition is beneficial to the sum of all sentient beings in this ecosystem.

 

 

Ecofeminism started from the ecological movement, integrating nature and female issues, and became an important basis for its theoretical vitality. For a theory, “the most important thing is not the gain or loss of an idea, but how it affects history”[2]. Facing ecological feminism in different contexts, it is necessary to dialectically abandon its theory and carry out analysis and criticism of ecological feminism in a practical manner, so as to have a positive significance for real problems.

 

In terms of practical ethics, ecofeminism advocates the feminist ethics of care and contextualist ethics, which is a comprehensive ethics to form a harmonious relationship between people-people and people-nature. On the one hand, we advocate harmonious interpersonal care involving men and women, white people and people of color, adults and children, rich people and poor people, etc., and promote the realization of "human" subjects; on the other hand, emphasis on people's care for nature and promotes the creation of a harmonious relationship between people and nature.

 

In terms of practical scope, the practice of ecofeminism is a "political movement for equality that criticizes all inequalities under the patriarchal system"; it is a movement to remove all "grassroots" who are at the middle and lower levels of the logical framework of binary rule. An ecological political movement based on inferior status. The critical vision it focuses on expands from gender relations to the relationship between man and nature, opposes male supremacy and anthropocentrism, denounces all inequalities such as racial discrimination and discrimination between rich and poor, and advocates the overthrow of the coexistence of these different fields. The logic of binary rule achieves harmony between human and nature.

 

In terms of practical characteristics, ecological feminism is an open practical movement with practical pluralism. Ecofeminism "pursues the harmony of humanity and nature" and is an interdisciplinary field with a broad theoretical foundation. In practice, it pursues integration with local situations and emphasizes the regional characteristics of practice.

 

In the terms of practical path, ecofeminism unites the women's rights movement and the environmental protection movement, thereby realizing the blueprint of ecofeminism - the harmony of people, nature and society, in the common progress of all mankind. Seeking the realization of the goal of equality between men and women and the future of ecological civilization. But with the development of the women's liberation movement and the improvement of women's status, the relationship between women and nature has been alienated, and the link between the feminist movement and the ecological movement has been interrupted. How can women and men have equal rights, status, and improve the relationship between man and nature in the same process? Will women still empathize with the destruction of the natural environment and work hard to gain respect and care for nature?

 

In today's complex international environment of uneven regional development, according to the perspective of ecofeminism, developed countries with advanced technology and abundant funds should help developing countries with more sympathy and care. , provide technical support and assistance to enable people in different situations to form alliances and jointly care for our earth. The way ecofeminism realizes this kind of care is by requiring changes in people’s ideas and concepts, breaking the logical conceptual framework of binary rule, and forming a community of life between people and between people and nature through the construction of harmonious concepts; The specific ethical method is to achieve the unity of globalism and nationalism through the care ethics of feminism, through the care between people and the care between people and nature in specific situations.

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It has been 40 years since the term ecofeminism was born, and it has had a huge impact in the fields of environmental philosophy, political philosophy and other fields of the relationship between man and man, man and nature, and man and society. "Women as the land‘s children defend nature, they defend consumption rights as consumers, they defend the environment for the healthy growth of the next generation as breeders, and they strive for safe and reasonable working environments and conditions as workers, all of which are in response to the living environment. React to factors” [3]. The openness and inclusiveness of ecological feminism theory laid the foundation for its existence and development in the context of globalization, and became an important force in the environmental movement. Environmental ethics is a practice-oriented philosophy, which not only requires forward-looking concepts, but also a certain degree of reality in practice. Ecofeminism breaks through traditional environmental ethics, which only focuses on the relationship between man and nature, and provides a broader perspective for environmental protection. However, its practice also faces many confusions.

 

The transformation of ideological culture is closely related to the material basis of reality. "All historical conflicts are rooted in the contradiction between productivity and forms of communication."[4] Accompanying the widening gap between rich and poor in Japan is economic neocolonialism and political and cultural hegemony in the process of globalization. , among these diverse conflicts, economic motivation is an important driving force behind them. Marxism attaches great importance to the decisive role of material production labor in the development of human society, laying a solid foundation for breaking the logical framework of dual rule and building harmony between man and nature. "Ecological restoration and the restoration of women's rights" "It is a natural historical process, integrated into the history of labor liberation or production development"[5]; only by continuously promoting the development of science and technology and highly developing the level of production can we realize human naturalism and The unity of natural humanism.

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Ecofeminism believes that in Western culture, there is a certain historical connection between domination of women and domination of nature. The empirical, symbolic and political connection is the "patriarchal" worldview. Karen Warren pointed out that in human culture, some conceptual structures are oppressive and are designed to explain and prove the domination relationship, this type of conceptual structure has three characteristics: first, value hierarchy thinking, that is, giving higher value, status and reputation to those at the top; secondly, value dualism, that is, dividing things into two parties that are separated from and opposed to each other, giving one party a higher status and value over the other; in the end

Finally, the logic of rule is an argument structure that proves that a certain rule is legitimate [6]. Patriarchy world view is this oppressive conceptual system, which explains, affirms and maintains women's subordination to men. Human plunder and domination of nature. Therefore, ecofeminists point their criticism at the patriarchal world view, while criticizing the value dualism in the Western rationalist tradition. in a patriarchal culture that dominates

In society, value dualism is its legitimate way of thinking. Men are always attributed to culture, mind, rationality and the objective, public civilized world, while women are attributed to nature, body, emotion and subjective, private. The world of human reproduction. According to this view, men and women, humans and nature can only have accidental and accidental interactions relationship, and are full of hostility to each other. Women can only be an ornament in a male-dominated society and appendages, at the same time, nature as the incarnation of woman can only be placed in the service and servitude of mankind location[7]. Both women and nature have been expelled to the status of "other" and "marginal", and together they have become fathers.

victims of authoritarian society.

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Ecofeminism is a "critical" ecological philosophy, and the thoroughness of its criticism lies in its thorough "non-dualism." It not only opposes "anthropocentrism" and "androcentrism" that pit humans against nature, women against men, but also criticizes white people and people of color, heterosexuality and homosexuality, any form of binary opposition between developing countries and developed countries [8].

 

Ecofeminism is also a "constructed" ethical culture. The completion of criticism is precisely the beginning of construction. The deconstruction of "centered" relationships is precisely the construction of new "harmonious" relationships. The subversion of the anthropocentric cosmology and patriarchal centric culture is to achieve the harmonious coexistence of human beings and nature, women and men, thereby establishing a balanced, harmonious and complete living system . Ecofeminists call for the establishment of an ecological moral and ethical culture that is not based on the principle of domination but on the principles of reciprocity and responsibility. This ethical culture promotes the ethical values of love, care and justice. Marty Kiel believes that ecological feminism represents a "comprehensive" ethics, which is different from the "heroic" ethics that patriarchal society relies on. Heroic ethics uses Tools are the concepts of obligations and rights, while "comprehensive" ethics proposes the concept of "all lives are interdependent" through "holism." We must learn to respect the “whole”, which also includes respect for individual lives [9]. This kind of ethical culture reflects the philanthropic spirit of eco-feminists, which is similar to that of "devout Christians". The objects of its love and salvation include nature, women, people of color, and all those who are controlled and oppressed. group. This kind of ethical culture is a developing ethical culture, and wise criticism and loving care will continue.

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Faced with the reality of serious damage to the ecological environment and deteriorating conditions, eco-feminists bravely stood up and took the dual tasks of theoretical construction and practice as their mission. Each school of ecofeminism has its own program of action and actively practices it, providing effective protection for women and animals who have suffered violence, and organizing demonstrations to demonstrate the oppression of women and oppression. Animal connections, blocking roads built for clearing and destroying forests, protesting and stopping (if possible) the spread of biotechnology, fighting for women’s sexual health, environmental justice, the green movement and all forms of indigenous peoples rights movement[10].

 

What is even more valuable is that third world eco-feminists are full of passion and ambition. They have expanded the concept of female environmental protection into practical actions and composed the "Female Green Revolution" that shocked people's hearts. Chapter: In the 1970s, women in northern India launched the "Tree Hugging Movement (Chipko)" to oppose the massive deforestation in conjunction with large companies in order to get rich quickly. Women in Kenya, Africa, have launched a vigorous tree planting and tree protection movement in the "Green Forest Belt" in order to protect the environment in which they and their families live. As a product of the combination of theory and practice, ecological feminism has demonstrated to the world the profundity of its theoretical strategies and the far-reaching influence of its activist tendencies through shocking practical actions.

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Throughout the ancient and modern history of China and the world, the idea of connecting women with nature is not unfamiliar to us. The Chinese call the Yellow River the "Mother River", while the ancient Europeans have the legend of the "Earth Mother" - "Gaia". The ancient Egyptians used the female womb to symbolize the resurrection of life and food. Good harvest. The reason why women are similar to nature is mostly attributed to women’s unique, practical physiological and psychological experiences. According to psychosexual women, the role of women in biological reproduction is similar to the role of the "earth" in the process of giving life and creating all things. Starhawk even believed that the work of nature and women were exactly the same. It is through their unique experiences—their monthly menstruation, their energy-consuming symbiotic relationship during pregnancy, the pain of childbirth and the joy of breastfeeding—that they understand the relationship between humans and nature. are the same, but men cannot understand these [11]. Cultural ecological feminism also highly praises the unique experience of women and believes that it is this actual experience that creates the traditional female virtues—care, nurturing, emotion, and intuition. Unlike other feminists, As advocated, female characteristics are the result of cultural construction. Susan Griffin believes that women have a special connection with nature based on their special way of understanding and perceiving reality, which is to some extent a biological connection. Although she herself denies being an "essentialist," her thoughts reveal a profound and even ontological connection between women and nature.

 

While emphasizing the similarity between women and nature, spiritual eco-feminism and cultural eco-feminism further explore the roots of the oppression of women and nature. Spiritual ecofeminism believes that the "patriarchal" nature of Judeo-Christian religious beliefs has led to environmental degradation and the subordination of women to men because God has given humans dominion over other non-human beings on earth, men. The power to rule over women. Therefore, this "empty" male spirit should be abandoned and a new spiritual belief and a new culture should be sought. This new culture not only regarded women as sacred but also emphasized the sacredness of nature. The “Female Goddess” has become the spiritual support for spiritual feminists to pursue the harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature. They believe that culture is not the opposite of nature, but a harmonious extension of nature. Cultural ecological feminism believes that the key to the problem lies in the binary opposition of patriarchal culture. This opposition infinitely separates humans and nature, men and women, while giving the former a sublime value. sex, wantonly devaluing the latter. Therefore, we must re-evaluate, highly praise and defend the values and advantages of women, nature, bodies and emotions that have been devalued by patriarchal culture. They are also committed to establishing a new female culture, promoting traditional female virtues, and predicting that patriarchy will be overthrown in a female-led culture [12].

 

The emphasis on the connection between women and nature has aroused doubts and objections from many scholars. Many critics believe that spiritual eco-feminism and cultural eco-feminism “see women as ecological beings with unique biological advantages” [13] are too wishful thinking and are retrograde. Rather than being revolutionary. Because the advocates of patriarchal culture use the different biological mechanisms of men and women as the basis for oppressing women and nature. Praising women’s connection with nature is done at one’s own risk, because “it is a formula used to suppress and silence women” [14]. The facts just show that history and culture formed over centuries have been relying on the connection between women and nature to implement oppression, and it cannot be eliminated simply through passionate praise and reaffirmation.

 

 

 

[1] Wu Lin, American ecofeminist critical theory and practice research(People's Press Beijing, 2011).

[2] Roderick Frazier Nash, The Rights of Nature: A History of Environmental Ethics(University of Wisconsin Press, 1989)

[3] Chinese Society For Environmental Sciences, Earth Woman (China Environmental Science Press), p156.

[4] Jiang Lingfei, Marx & Engels Selected Works(People's Press Beijing, 1995), p115

[5] Sun Daojin, Sixiang Zhanxian, p54

[6] Xiao Wei, Ecofeminism and its ethical culture(Woman Reaerch, 2000), p4

[7] Shu Jia, Shu Xuekang, Ecofeminism and natural research(Chinese woman college post, 2008), p2

[8] Chen Xirong, Ecofeminism review(University of Wuhan post, 2002), p5

[9] Janet A. Kourany, Feminist philosophies(Oriental Publishing, 2005)

[10] Yang Yongjin, Ecofeminism: spiritual and social dimensions(Guangdong society and science 2003), p4

[11] Rosemarie Putnam Tong, A more comprehensive introduction(Central China Normal University Press 2002)

[12] Zhao yuanyuan, Li Jianshan, Ecofeminism: Interpretation from a Regional Perspective—A Comparative Study between European and American Ecofeminism and Asian Ecofeminism(Science, technology and dialectics 2005)

[13] Zhao Yuanyuan, Wang Ziyan, Ecofeminism review(Science, technology and dialectics 2007)

[14] Shi Biqiu, Li Xiaozhe, From Disassembly to Reconstruction—Western Feminism's Interpretation of the Relationship between Women and Nature(Women's Studies Series)

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