UPDATE:

Hi everyone,

As I mentioned previously in the praxis post I wanted try to go vegan. I have been wanting to do this for a long time, mostly because of my love for animals. This class has added to this reason because of connections animals and women in a patriarchal society (Both are oppressed, objectified, and sexualized). Before taking this class, I never made this connection. So by going vegan, I am supporting animals and women!

The first few days were difficult to eliminate traces of dairy (minus eggs and butter). Going strictly vegan was very difficult so I wasn’t too hard on myself if I accidently consumed something. It’s going to be a process and its not quiet the perfect routine, but I’ll get there. It was easy to eliminate products that test on animals and are made of animals because I’m already accustomed to avoiding and boycotting this.

Overall, I am glad I tried this and will continue to work towards a vegan lifestyle because of its many benefits to everyone in the world.

-Cheers!

I am saying goodbye to food with any traces of animal products. No more cage free eggs, butter, chocolate, or cheese for this lady! I have been wanting to do this for awhile now and after the vegetarian ecofeminism assignment, I’ve been slowly transitioning by limiting any consumption of these things. Even though I have been a vegetarian for many years now, I’ve never strictly avoided dairy and eggs, but its time. I feel guilty whenever I eat dairy and its nearly impossible to find a company that is ethically sourced. I don’t want to support the speciation and oppression of cows anymore.

I think some of the challenges I’ll face will occur while ingredient checking or while going out to dinner. My plan is to be aware of everything I consume…Grocery shopping tomorrow, should be interesting! I’ll make sure I report next week. This is going to be a great experience for me and I’m happy to be helping animals in the process! I am excited to try some vegan recipes and hopefully I’ll be able to find a tasty vegan cheese.

Photo Credit

I see a direct connection between the oppression of women and the oppression of nature because they are both shown as exploited and oppressed in the readings. For instance, in poor regions of the world where poverty is common, there is also intense environmental degradation. In the article titled, The Brazilian Slum Children Who Are Literally Swimming in Garbage, we are shown the disturbing images of plastic waste, garbage, and children who wade through the disgusting waters. Children and women are subjected to devastating conditions while living in slums. Paulo, the young boy swimming in heavily polluted waters, searches for aluminum cans for income, and he serves as an example of oppression in nature and in poor regions of the world.

Photo by Diego Nigro/JC Imagem

I hope that images like these will “shake the ship”. We need to deal with these issues and come up with a solution for the connection between environmental degradation and human ethics. No child, or person, should be subjected to these conditions. I believe there is a deeper rooted issue here… Its not just about oppression of nature, women and their children, and material deprivation. It’s also about humanity, ethics, and empathy. Images like the one above represent issues going on in the world that the main stream news outlets don’t talk about enough. I think mainstream news (ABC, NBC, CNN, and others) should focus on international news (such as these issues) because many people have no idea this is going on. Our society cannot continue these issues because as climate change continues and the world population continues to rise, these problems will get worse and create more human and environmental suffering.

“Human rights are not things that are put on the table for people to enjoy. These are things you fight for and then you protect.”
― Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai, founder of the greenbelt movement in Kenya, is an example of a ecofeminist that should be recognized for her dedication to solve a major environmental and human health issue in her country. Because of her efforts, millions of trees have been planted and she has created work for women while empowering them in the process.  She inspires hope for all, especially for the women and children in Kenya. Her story, and other grassroot movements like hers, should be known around the world. Its time that the news highlights things like this. I love how Maathai saw a problem, and she tackled it head on, despite persecution from men with a political agenda.

Wangari Maathai Quotes

This web is useful when analyzing your personal interconnecting web.

We can use intersectionality as a tool to view how our social identities interact and intersect. For instance, I can use it to analyze my female gender and how it relates to a male dominated society. Specifically, this use of intersectionality theory viewpoint from individual level, can be applied to my role as a female in a male dominated work place. I represent roughly 15-25% of the females that work in scientific based work environment. We are underrepresented and stereotyped. I grew up as a natural born, white citizen, I never felt oppressed or noticed oppression until I chose a profession that was dominated by men. This shows intersectionality because in some qualities I am privileged, and in others I am oppressed. This idea relates to Dorothy Allison’s analysis on classes in America because on a global level. I have the right to drive a car, have an education, and the right to choose my own career. There are women all over the world who currently don’t get to do any of this… For example, in 2018, Saudi women were given the right to drive a without a man’s permission.

Saudi Women’s Rights- The things Women still can’t do.

Rachel Carson,marine biologist and environmentalist, was oppressed by men throughout her career, but she inspires many women because she didn’t let this get in her way! She is responsible for the total ban on the pesticide chemical, DDT, which had severe negative environmental impacts. DDT was responsible for the decline of many birds of prey, including the Bald Eagle. When birds with a bioaccumulation of DDT sat in their nest for incubation, they would accidently crack the egg because the shell was weakened by the DDT chemicals. I admire that Carson didn’t let the rich, patriarchal chemical companies intimidate her. Thanks to her scientific work and activism, she put a stop to the environmental degradation caused by pesticides.

This beautiful graph shows the increase in breeding pairs after DDT was banned.