Ecofeminism

Ecofeminism is a strand of feminist thought (see feminisms) that relates patriarchy and environmental exploitation, seeing common threads between the oppression of women and the destruction and abuse of the natural world and animals. The term was coined by Françoise d'Eaubonne (1920-2005), who created the term in 1974 ("écologie-féminisme, éco-féminisme, écoféminisme), and was also a SF writer.

Drawing from deep ecology analyses and philosophy, ecofeminist thought seeks to draw connections between humans and their natural environment, and thus connections between oppression within humanity (such as and most particularly patriarchy) and human oppression of other animals and destruction of the environment.

Critiques of capitalism, militarism, and violence are also commonly seen in ecofeminist thought; ecofeminism is also tied into the animal rights movement. See also the women's peace movement.

• Sheri S. Tepper's work is frequently cited as an example of ecofeminist thought in SF; Beauty and The Companions in particular, linked human destructiveness of the natural world with government, capitalism, and sexism.

Significant activists, thinkers & works

• Judi Bari (anarchist; founder, EarthFirst!; daughter of Ruth Aaronson Bari (mathematician) and sister to Gina Kolata (science writer))
• J. Biehl, Rethinking Ecofeminist Politics (1991)
• Mary Daly, Gyn/Ecology (1978)
• Françoise d'Eaubonne (created term in 1974)
• Elizabeth Dodson Gray, Green Paradise Lost (1979)
• Susan Griffin, Woman and Nature (1978)
• Carolyn Merchant, The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology and the Scientific Revolution (1980)
• Judith Plant, Healing the Wounds: The Promise of Ecofeminism (1989)
• Vandana Shiva
• Irene Diamond & Gloria Orenstein, editors, Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Ecofeminism (1990 anthology)

ecofeminist SFnal art & literature criticism

• Carol Bigwood, Earth Muse: Feminism, Nature and Art (1993)
• Jane Caputi, Gossips, Gorgons and Crones: The Fates of the Earth (ecofeminist cultural studies)
• Greta Gaard & Patrick Murphy, Ecofeminist Literary Criticism: Theory, Interpretation, Pedagogy (1998)
• Patrick Murphy, Literature, Nature, and Other: Ecofeminist Critiques (1995)