For all the positives the environmental movement stands for, its widespread adoption of the terminology “Mother Earth” must be rethought. This coupling of femininity and nature perpetuates gender inequality, both in theory and in reality.

Another Earth Day has come and gone, one surely filled with gendered language. Upheaving the dominant feminine equation with nature will be no easy task, but, nevertheless, will be a necessary step in discontinuing the harmful gendered associations of women with nature and men with culture.

Nature has been historically commodified in the name of progress. “The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology and The Scientific Revolution” was published in 1990 by Carolyn Merchant, a prominent ecofeminist philosopher. Merchant points to the scientific revolution between the 16th and 17th centuries as marking the shift from nature being seen as something to be revered and respected to something that was conquerable, able to be tamed and controlled.

Think of the typical imagery associated with exploring the great outdoors. Grisly men with frost tipped beards being heralded for mapping virginal wilderness. This is the stereotypical explorer, the heroic male pushing forward for the sake of mankind.

Ecofeminism equates women with nature and men with culture. And in our world, culture is prioritized over nature. You’re starting to get the point.

The terms “Mother Earth” and “Father Time” are ingrained in the minds of children from an early age. They are coupled together, positioning themselves for a comparative critique. These simplistic generalizations enforce existing gender inequalities and socialize these stereotypes firmly into popular culture. Think of a clock, or, in this case, “Father Time.” A clock is an economically recognized and marketable product, as opposed to the invisible work done within the home, historically performed by women — work which is not recognized by dominant economic models.

Marilyn Waring became well-known for supporting this theory and putting it into practice. As the former youngest member of the New Zealand Parliament, Waring has been calling attention to women’s disproportionate lack of representation in the formal economy since the 1980’s. The very word “work” hinges on economic recognition, meaning that domestic work within the household is devalued.

Renowned feminist thinker Vandana Shiva argues in her book “Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Survival in India” that women living in agricultural societies typically handle raw materials which are then turned into marketable products by men. This hierarchy of labor is only enforced by the idea that nature is a feminine phenomenon.
It is interesting to note that when nature offers some sort of immediate marketable benefit, then it is typically men who are involved. Take electricity for example. Traditional utility industries today, both in rural areas and developed ones, are run predominantly by men. In stark contrast, as explained by Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, biofuel sources such as wood are predominantly collected by women, who burn them within the home, providing a domestic service instead of an economic one.

The increased feminization of nature correlates directly with the subordination of women globally. Environmental stewardship is a common topic in the news, led by people fighting to prioritize nature over supposed progress, —or in this case, culture. The main argument against energy reform is always the expected economic loss. True or not, the issue is one of intense debate, the assumption is that masculinized energy sources, such as fossil fuels, are needed to continue forward progress. And with that progress comes the continued exploitation of our “Mother” Earth.

Gendering the environment is easy to do. It is socialized into society in the form of children’s books, television shows and everyday language. With this in mind, the terms “Mother Earth” and “Father Time” suddenly take on a historically entrenched context that is perhaps not so innocent after all.

Azor Cole is a junior public relations major and geography minor. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at azcole@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @azor_cole.

Published on April 22, 2015 at 11:34 pm