Month: February 2023

“Vegetarian food leaves a deep impression on our nature. If the whole world adopts vegetarianism, it can change the destiny of humankind.” – Albert Einstein

The image above is of a male figure cutting into a slab of meat. The way in which the man is standing is almost as if he has conquered something. The first thing that came to mind is this painting of George Washington; a strong and powerful man who has just conquered his enemy in battle. That’s the same connotation that meat evokes in the conversation relating to men. It is seen as the “manly” choice (Eisenberg). Choosing any other option will emasculate the male ego, which we can’t have that happen, can we?

We can clearly see two knives, one the man is using to cut the meat and the other is protruding from the top. Typically, when cutting into a slab of meat, one uses a knife to cut and a fork to hold it in place. This image shows two knives, the second not being used for anything which can lead the viewer to think more into the barbaric practice of the meat industry. 

Burgers and wings are two foods that most people associate with men. They’re often paired with a beer and a sports game. Don’t get me wrong, I also like to enjoy a beer with my sports but it is something we’ve been conditioned to associate with masculinity. They’re messy to eat, often stain clothes, and no one bats an eye when the juices or sauces are all over a mans face. The male image has been constructed to portray only the things that will show their strength, virility, and brawn.

Salads, smoothies, or really just vegetables are more associated with femininity. Society has set certain rules and regulations for the female body image. Lighter calorie food options are “more feminine” options because of the smaller amounts of protein. The female image is supposed to be dainty, fragile, small. Lighter, smaller portioned food options are associated with this.

I have been a vegetarian for most of my life. I ate meat until about the age of three. It was around then that red meat started making me sick if I ate it, I decided pork in any form was gross, and would occasionally eat chicken. When I was about halfway through middle school I learned about how bad the meat industry really is and how poorly chickens are treated. As far as seafood goes, I won’t go anywhere near it. The fishing industry is just as bad and I don’t want to contribute to that.

When I was in the nightmare world of dating, I had guys either cancel a date or try to “convert” me because of my vegetarian lifestyle. It was also common for someone to wave money in my face, offering to pay me to eat a steak. “Don’t you just want to bite into a nice, juicy burger?” or “How could you be a vegetarian? You’re missing out on all the best food. ” are just two statements I’ve heard countless times in my life. Men, at least in my experience, don’t want to take the time to learn about another way of life because it would in some way impact them directly.

Most of my reasons for being a vegetarian are because I simply don’t like it, but a larger portion of it is due to moral reasoning. In her essay, Contextual Moral Vegetarianism, Deane Curtin discusses the ways in which vegetarianism directly concerns ecofeminists. Curtin describes vegetarianism as “a moral obligation that results from rights that nonhuman animals have in virtue of being sentient beings”. From a feminist perspective, why stop at vegetarianism? Why not continue to refrain from all foods that involve the abuse of animals and become vegan? “the consumption of eggs and milk have in common that they exploit the reproductive capacities of the female” (Curtin).

Ecofeminist, Greta Gaard discussed the relationship between humans and animals in her article, Ecofeminism on the Wing: Perspectives on Human-Animal Relations. Her article compares the similar natures between having an animal as a pet and having an animal in the food industry. She explains that “speciesism is defined as the oppression of  one species by another” and alludes that feminists should concern themselves with this issue as they are both forms of oppression that need to be addressed (Gaard 2).

Both Curtin and Gaard express their thoughts about the morality of vegetarianism. Should we, as women, decide to live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle? There are some women that choose to take on this challenge as a way to protest the patriarchal constructs of society and not contribute to the abuse of animals in the food industry.

Choosing to live this lifestyle “marks a daily, bodily commitment to resist ideological pressures to conform to patriarchal standards, and to establishing contexts in which caring for can be nonabusive” (Curtin).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These two images are from my hometown of Turbotville, Pennsylvania. Never heard of it? Yeah, I’m not surprised. It’s one of those small farm towns that’s been the same for at least the past forty years. It’s much like Mayberry. Everyone knows each other. There’s a grocery store, bank, and hardware store in the heart of town; and the only traffic you run into is when you’re stuck behind the Amish with their horse and buggy.

I come from a family of farmers. Some of us are in rural New York on the dairy farm, others are in Pennsylvania. Before then we were Irishmen from Cork, looking for a better opportunity, finding work building America’s railroad network. For us, the landscapes may have changed but by the end of the day, appreciating the world around us and admiring the beauty in nature is one thing my family still values.

I moved around a lot growing up. Each place was somewhere new, in a new state, getting less and less rural every time. None of those places ever felt like home. I was unhappy with my surroundings, felt extremely disconnected, and longed for the same feeling of my tiny little farm town.

Last year I made the move from Charlotte, NC to Pittsburgh, PA. I never saw myself as someone who would love the city but I have never been happier. As I’m writing this I’m coming to the realization that I have always been by a body of water. In Turbotville there’s the Susquehanna River, Charlotte was close to Lake Norman, and now Pittsburgh the city known for its many bridges that cross the Allegheny. All the other places I’ve lived were near a river or lake as well. “Falling in love with a place, being in love with a place, wanting to care for a place and see it remain intact as a wild piece of the planet” is the one thing Williams states in her article that I feel captures the feeling of home (8).

Pittsburgh doesn’t have corn fields that go on for miles, farm animals that are around every corner, or the openness of untouched family land. It does however, have the same sense of community. Every person I have come into contact with has a deep love for this city. Each for varying reasons but their conclusions are all the same. This city feels like home. This city is their family. This city is proud of the mud brown waters that make up the Allegheny.

Kingsolver states “People will need wild places. Whether or not they think they do, they do. They need to experience a landscape that is timeless” (2) and it’s true. Although, I don’t think we need to go to the middle of the woods, with no cell service, to be able to find that sense of wilderness.  The beauty of nature is everywhere, we just need to slow down to find it. During the summer I travel back to my tiny farm town and use that as my time to reset. I cannot begin to describe the feeling of happiness when driving down a backroad, windows down, and breathing in all the fresh air.

Cities are often associated with chaos, whereas nature is seen as peaceful, calm. The traditional sense of nature does not exist here but the history does. The night sky still shines bright with all her stars, birds still sing their sweet tune, and the flora still grows. We can all experience the sense of serenity that Kingsolver and Williams speak of, regardless of where we are, if we just take a moment to slow down and appreciate our surroundings.

Ecofeminism stresses the idea that women are connected to nature. Both Kingsolver and Williams present the argument that to be connected to nature we must in fact be surrounded by it. I think this varies person to person and how they define nature themselves. For some it could be a trip to a cabin for some peace while writing, like Kingsolver. Others might share the importance of our histories, like Williams. For me, it’s both. Some days all I can do is walk outside and stand with my bare feet in the grass, listening to the breeze.

I don’t think one thing is greater than the other. For those that live in the city, there are pieces of nature all around them if only they turn off the noise of the concrete jungle. Each experience with nature is valid. No one person will take the same thing away from it as we are all individuals with unique histories.

“We women, in all our vibrant and fabulous diversity, have witnessed the increasing aggression against the human spirit, human mind and human body and the continued invasion of an assault upon the Earth and all her diverse species.” – Navadanya

 

Vandana Shiva has become a well-known activist in India after deciding to fight for environmental issues when discovering her “favorite childhood forest had been cleared and a stream drained so that an apple orchard could be planted” (Britanica). Since then she has obtained a few degrees in order to continue to fight against the ecological crisis that has plagued our world. There is a great need to protect the environment, especially the forests in the global south. In an interview with Scott London, Shiva states “people who are dependent on natural resources, on biodiversity, on the land, the forests, the water. Nature is their means of production. So for them ecological destruction is a form of injustice. When the forest is destroyed, when the river is dammed, when the biodiversity is stolen, when fields are waterlogged or turned saline because of economic activities, it is a question of survival for these people”.

 

Like Shiva, Bina Agarwal is an Indian feminist who focuses heavily on environmental injustices, but more specifically the relationship between women and nature. In her article, The Gender and Environment Debate: Lessons from India , Agarwal compares “feminist environmentalism” (119) in the United States and rural India. She states that “Third World women are dependent on nature…the destruction of nature thus becomes the destruction of women’s sources for ‘staying alive'” (124).

When we think of women’s issues we often forget that they happen all over the world, not just where we live.  There are many countries in the global south that are suffering the effects of environmental degradation, resulting in major concern and the need for change. Some of the issues women in these countries face are: safe access to water, sanitation/hygiene, deforestation, forced displacement, lack of female representation in political issues, and general safety concerns.

Women and girls are the ones who are responsible for retrieving water. Because they have to do this by foot, often more than once a day, it leaves them at a higher risk of being attacked, and interferes with their education or making a living. Along with this, sanitation is a major issue.  Having to use a toilet outside or sharing a bathroom with men has proven to be a problem. Sharing these bathrooms with men puts them at a greater risk for abuse or attack.  The UN stated “a clean, functional, lockable, gender-segregated space is needed, with access to sanitary products and disposal systems, for women and girls to manage menstrual hygiene and pregnancy”.

Safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services are extremely important and should have women’s voices involved. Women know what they need and know how things should change for the betterment of their safety, health, and education. One would think we would ask women to have a seat at the table and include their thoughts on how to better their society, and cater to their needs.

Hobgood-Oster references many of these same issues in her article, but speaks more from an objective Western perspective. She speaks more  on the feminine connection to nature and how religion plays a role in patriarchal domination. Both Hobgood-Oster and Agarwal refer to many of the same topics: the oppression of women is a global issue, many protests have occurred in an attempt to fight for women and the environment, and violence has been used against women to silence them in their fight for these issues.

Of these two perspectives, I found both very interesting but enjoyed reading Hobgood-Oster more. I found her references to religion and science to be very informative and it made more sense to me. Both religion and science are two subjects that I enjoy reading about and with the connection to ecofeminism, weaponized or not, I found it easier to understand and relate to. That being said, I feel like part of that comes from my privilege and reading Agarwal really made me rethink some of the “issues” I have in my life and fight for sustainability. Because I don’t live in a third world country, I have better access to a lot of things and don’t have to worry as much about my livelihood being destroyed. Reading her article and the interview with Shiva put a lot of things in perspective for me and only makes me want to continue this fight.

I don’t think it should be so separated. I understand that some places in the world aren’t as technologically advanced or have easy access to clean water. There are women in those countries that are struggling to keep each other safe and protect their homes. Reading about this issues makes me wish I had a genie to solve these problems, but sadly that is not how the world works.

Educating ourselves, not only on issues in our part of the world, and learning that this fight is bigger than our small community is so important. We must protect our Earth in order to also protect ourselves.

 

https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/water-and-gender

Feminism has become wildly more popular in recent years as the new wave continues to reach across many generations. But what is ecofeminism and how do the environment and women relate to each other? What is the patriarchy? What does witchcraft have to do with ecofeminism?

Oxford dictionary defines the patriarchy as “a system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is traced through the male line”. In more simplified terminology, the patriarchy is a male centered or dominated system. This is most evident in the American government and presidential history, most large corporations, the Church, and pretty much every other major system that holds any type of power.

Ecofeminism is the philosophy that claims “patriarchal structures justify their dominance through categorical or dualistic hierarchies: heaven/earth, mind/body, male/female, human/animal, spirit/matter, culture/nature, white/non-white. Established oppressive systems continue to manifest their abusive powers by reinforcing assumptions of these binaries, even making them sacred through religious and scientific constructs” (Oster 2).  A more simplified answer is that the patriarchy asserts control and dominance over “lesser” groups based on the previously existing systems of oppression.  Ecofeminism also argues that environmental issues ARE feminist issues. There is a celestial bond between women and nature that has existed for thousands of years and it has been persecuted by the patriarchy for just as long.

When hearing the term “witchcraft” or “pagan” one might think of the children’s Hocus Pocus or a silly costume on Halloween.  While these are more modern associations, paganism has been practiced by many across the world since the beginning of time. One paganistic practice that has suffered greatly comes from the country of Ireland. The ancient Celtic practice is “centered on the interplay of the divine element with the natural world. Springs, rivers, and hills were thought to be inhabited by guardian spirits, usually female” (Britannica).  Celtic paganism very much aligns with ecofeminist philosophies. They believe in the preservation of nature and thought there was a living spirit in each natural things, much like the Japanese practice of Shintoism. Some held religious ceremonies in the forest to deepen their connection with nature and revere the Celtic goddess Brigid. She is known for protecting women and children, preventing natural disaster and healing. Some things that she is associated with are motherhood, fertility, passion, and the divine feminine.

I know we’re all familiar with St. Patrick’s Day and how he ‘drove the snakes out of Ireland’. These “snakes” weren’t actually snakes. They were women and men who practiced an ancient Celtic belief. Within the Christian belief, snakes are associated with the devil and paganism. With the crusade of spreading Christianity, St. Patrick wanted to fully convert the pagan practitioners to his Christian belief. There is evidence stating that this conversion began before St. Patrick and continued after him. He was made a religious symbol and Ireland began it’s conversion to a male-centered belief, leaving the Brigid and reverence of nature behind. The old world was making it’s shift a nature centered society to one that is male-dominated and destructive. 

This example may not seem like a major issue, compared to many other issues ongoing in our world, but freedom of religion and faith has been something that most countries have. Over the course of history, other religions led by men, in the reverence of a male centered figure, have overcome all other practices and severed the divine connection between humanity and mother Earth. In a male dominated world, we have lost respect for nature, and ancient tradition of reverence.  This was ” an effort to establish a patriarchal order and to control forces assumed to be chaotic repeats itself consistently” (Oster 4). These beautiful goddesses have been replaced by a man, nature is not the focal point, and many women have lost faith in themselves or their own abilities.

Through every culture there is a variation of a goddess that is representative of the Earth. In Greece they have many female figures that represent the Earth: Gaia, Demeter, Persephone, Artemis. In Africa they have Asase Afua, in Hinduism they have Prithvi or Bhumi. I could go on with every different culture across the world and share how each and every one of them have a female figure who represents the Earth. If you’re interested in learning more, below is a Wiki link that has a list of deities across every culture and what they represent. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nature_deities

In most forms of paganism, nature is the center of the witch’s practice. It’s not what the media claims it to be. Paganism is not a devil-worshiping cult that dances naked in the woods and sacrifices a man on the night of a full moon. For me personally, it’s a way to connect with my ancestors and regain my power as a woman in learning how I can health the Earth as much as she heals me. With this belief, I see more of the beauty in nature and want to do what I can to preserve it and fight for it. Every morning I receive notifications of ongoing environmental issues and that makes me belief so much more important to me. I don’t have to subscribe to a male-centered belief and listen to whatever nonsense our patriarchal society wants me to believe. In my practice I choose what I want to believe. I define my connection and empowerment to nature. I have the freedom to fight for Mother Earth and protect her rapidly fading world.

I’m not using this as a soapbox to convert others to what I believe. Personally, I don’t think anyone should, especially when it comes to religion. I practice a more eclectic form of paganism because of how empowered and connected I feel to nature.  In my belief I see nature for what it is and want to protect it. I feel the same about women’s rights. Both of these things, in my experience and opinion, are deeply connected and cannot exist without the other. As it’s seen in the Celtic belief, women would be something we hold in reverence along with nature. The point of this post is to enlighten others on one of the ways in which ecofeminism has been a philosophy longer than any of us have been alive and explain how that practice was shattered when a group of men decided they knew what was best.

Below I have the two sites I referenced. They’re full of great information if anyone is interested in learning more.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Celtic-religion/The-Celtic-gods#ref65540

https://wildhunt.org/2016/03/saint-patrick-druids-snakes-and-popular-myths-revisited.html