Dear Carolyn: I have been working in the forefront of the environmental
movement with a lot of women leaders in Puerto Rico, organizaing
communities to face socio-economic and environmental problems. My comment
about the definitios of ecofeminism and the implications that could have
if we are talking about a real inclusive and holistic movement that
promote real social change, understanding that toward the portection of
the environment, the complte elimiation of oprressive, patriarchal,
colonial, imperialistic and capitalistic, intitutional sytems of
power, is neccessary, then it is great. The expereinces of the
women leaders that I have been working with, reagrding the whole
feminist movement in United States, have been one of exclusion.
On Tue, 11 Nov 1997, Carolyn Gage wrote:
> At 09:35 AM 11/11/97 -0500, you wrote:
> > It is important, in this discussion, to defien properly what is femism
> >and what are we are defining as ecofeminsm. For example, if we are
> >refering to the withe middle class feminism that has dominated the US
> >feminism movement and suportted directly and inderectly the socio-economic
> >structure of capitalism, then I do not see this kind of eco-feminism as
> >good. This is a very important discussion and it is imperative to keep
> >the dialogue.
> >
> >Carlos R.Alicea
>
> "White middle class feminism" no longer sets the agenda for the feminist
> movement in the US and hasn't for years. What an erasure of the very vocal
> and very activist women of color and working class/poverty class women
> activists! It's principle effectiveness is as a weapon for anti-feminist
> men to use in the name of multi-culturalism. Doesn't fool any of us.
>
> Carolyn Gage
> <http://www.monitor.net/~carolyn>
> >
> >
> >On Tue, 11 Nov 1997, Will Bason wrote:
> >
> >> > But, there is a very real topic here and if we don't focus on it
> >> >and get caught up in the politics of the vehicle we will be missing out.
> >> >
> >> > Green Village's are not ecofeminist societies. No one went out
> >> >of their way to take patriarchy out of their society, except maybe
> >> >lesbian communes. And even they, I would imagine must struggle.
> >> >Do these places exist and if so how did they arrange their society
> >> >differently?
> >> >And if they don't exist, how would we go about structuring a truly
> ecofeminist
> >> >society? How do translate ecofeminism to female/male relationships?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Cheryl Taylor
> >> >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> >West Virginia University
> >> >
> >>
> >> You are right, cheryl, about there being a good topic here that we
> >> shouldn't let get "get caught up in the politics of the vehicle".
> >>
> >> I think it's safe to say that most intentional communities (IC) and
> >> all ecovillages(EV) are trying to take patriarchy out of their (and our)
> >> society or at least feel that they are involved in this struggle. Most
> >> communities have worked hard on this, but i wouldn't say its "going out of
> >> their way". I think the search for balance,and fairness, with each other
> >> and with the rest of nature, is the engine that drives the movement
> >> towards intentional community and ecologically sustainable villages.
> >>
> >> I believe that the small, largely self sufficient community will be
> >> a major componant of a future society that is true to ecological and
> >> feminist ideals. I like your term "green village" a lot better than
> >> "ecovillage", and i think we have a right to insist that any community
> >> calling itself either of these is working towards ecological and feminist
> >> ideals.
> >>
> >> Will Bason
> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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