Eco-feminism, embracing the future

Jack Stead

“Eco-feminism, embracing the future”

Duration: 1 hour

VENUE: Day School

CONTENT

What would the world look like if women had equal power to men? What kind of society would have developed if it had been a different culture that had created the global norms? What is patriarchal capitalism and how has it impacted our planet?

Ecofeminism, a combination of the words “ecological” and “feminism”, is a type of feminism that studies the connection and correlation between humanity’s treatment of women, femininity, indigenous peoples (and so on) and the environment. Feminism can be viewed as a controversial topic, often criticised as creating a divide between women and men. More recently transwomen have been placed into international debates around feminism and more division has ensued. Yet eco-feminists would argue that at the core of eco-feminism is a philosophy that benefits not only women but all genders, races, cultures and perhaps most importantly, nature itself.

In this session, we will analyse the history of gender around the world, until the modern day. We will discuss the similarities between different human rights struggles and how they coincide with and mirror the struggles of our Earth. Finally, we will start to build a new society – in which the qualities we value in ourselves and in our communities – are not based on ideas of gender but instead are based on the need for peaceful and just communities and a healthy relationship with Mother Earth.

ABOUT JACK

Jack Stead is a DNS student and teacher who is specializing in training environmental and social activists.