Ecofeminism breaks down domination ideology by combining feminist and ecological thought leading to the liberation of women and nature. There are many forms of ecofeminism but they all believe “oppression of the natural world and of women by patriarchal power structures must be examined together” (Hobgood-Oster). Patriarchal structures abuse their powers and statue in order to justify the oppression of women and nature. Ecofeminists challenge this by envisioning ” a radical reshaping of the basic socioeconomic relations and the underlying values of this modern industrial society (Ruether).
The dark side to beauty products can shown in the photo below.
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bhaz.com.br
I’d like to analyze the cosmetic beauty industry from an ecofeminist perspective. The multi-billion dollar (over 500 billion) beauty industry targets females by claiming that certain products will make them look younger and beautiful if their products are purchased but to what environmental cost? Ladies, you are beautiful no matter what! Please don’t feel pressured to wear make-up because society says its feminine and proper. If you choose to wear make-up, I hope you do it for you and not for society, but I digress. This industry exploits nature for capital gains by performing gruesome tests on innocent animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys, and rats. Then they target women by claiming that if they buy their products they will look more beautiful and younger. I will not go into detail describing disturbing things that occur to animals during these “tests” but I will say that it is painful to the animal and they are often killed and disposed of after being tortured for money. This type of exploitation of nature and women draws on Warren’s ethical connections because of the treatment towards animals. I am interested in exploring more literature on ecofeminsits ethics of care towards animals and wildlife. Let me know if you find some interesting literature. This example is an ecofeminist issue because the consumer industry exploits animals for capital gains and then targets people to purchase their products so the can be “beautiful”.
Many cosmetic companies are abandoning this unnecessary practice because consumers don’t want to take part in the exploitation animals. If you are interested in learning about cruelty-free products please check out Cruelty Free Kitty. I love this website because they will tell you which products are exclusively cruelty-free and which products are cruelty-free unless the law requires it. For instance, all finished cosmetic products sold to China must be tested on animals. Also, many products will claim ” not tested on animals” even though they actually are! Confusing Right? Basically, the FDA does not have any control over the labeling therefore a company can test an animal and label it as “not tested on animals” as long as the finished product has not touched an animal. It can be very misleading and overwhelming but Cruelty Free Kitty has helped me out so many times while shopping at Sephora. My favorite products that don’t sell to China and are completely cruelty free are TARTE, Sunday Riley, and Ole Henrikson.
Citations:
Hobgood-Oster, Laura: Ecofeminism: Historic and International Developments
Warrens, Karen: http://thereitis.org/warrens-introduction-to-ecofeminism/
Cruelty-Free kitty Website
Hi Holly! The cosmetic industry also immediately came to mind for me when thinking about ecofeminism. I think in recent years with the growth of MUAs on social media we have seen such a reclamation of makeup, often surpassing or going against patriarchal ideals – like the whole “take her swimming on the first date” meme (of course women would be shamed for wearing make up after being told endlessly that they need it). We’ve also seen a lot more men and non-binary people wearing makeup in recent years. Two people that come to mind are Jeffree Star and James Charles, who both have a long history of being racist, so going forward I’m hoping more non-white faces and artists are recognized since there is really so many with such immense talent. In a lot of cases, it is truly a medium for people to express themselves artistically. Some of the looks I see online from MUAs are absolutely unreal and undeniably involve a high level of artistic ability. This reminds me of how historically art forms that are considered to be feminine usually aren’t recognized for the amount of skill they require – like crocheting! For me, I’m not particularly great at makeup application but I definitely think its fun and wear it often. Personally, this raises the question of if I wear make up for my own enjoyment or if its because I’ve been conditioned to enjoy it through exposure to the idea that I need it. Of course, the cosmetic industry, particularly in advertising, is still hugely problematic, especially in terms of ageism and pushing products on women like wrinkle creams and other products meant to reduce signs that they do indeed get old as humans tend to do. Onto the environmental aspect of it, it is amazing to see so many new brands that are cruelty-free and so many consumers are opting to shop that way instead. Hopefully this will continue to motivate other big brands to abandon those abhorrent practices. Thank you for the suggestions of those brands too, glad to see Ole Henrikson on the list because its a favorite of mine.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment! I agree that make-up has evolved over time. It is form of expression and its for everyone.
You bring up a good point about ageism. I have fallen into the trap of purchasing creams and tonics that claim to prevent wrinkles and dark circles. Luckily Ole Henrikson is one of the more affordable brands.
I tried to crochet on my own with just YouTube videos! SO DIFFICULT as lefty and visual learner. After I graduate, I hope to have more time so I can join a club at the local library.