I went looking for a photo of a woman gardening in a commercial. Odd selection, right? Well isn’t more odd how commercials portray gardening as a female based hobby/role? Commercials, dialogue, and society expectations limit gardening to a female based demographic. Woman are always depicted as happy, while gardening as a hobby. But, do men not garden? Can men not enjoy it as well? Is it a hobby that reflects a man’s sexuality? Or is it because the Earth/nature are personified as a woman? How has society become so focused on gender roles that we forgot that the nature needs men AND woman to replenish it?
According to, “Warren’s Introduction to EcoFeminism”, by Brendan, Number Two of Eight on Warren’s list of connections between woman and nature, goes into detail about the conceptual connections. “A goal of ecofeminism, is to develop gender-sensitive language, theory, and practices that do not further the exploitative experiences and habits of dissociated, male-gender identified culture toward women and nature”. This is supported by Hobgood-Oster readings that, “Paradise lost its materiality and became a masculine, hierarchical projection. Such theories raise many questions for scholars interested in the reconstruction of early
human civilizations”.
As an ecofeminist, one must take on the struggles that nature deals with. One must focus on balance WHILE allowing diversity. The feminist movement focuses on the struggles of woman and looks for solutions. To break of sexism chains, means to break the false pretense that caring for nature is gender based. Woman are depended on to nurture children and men, along with the Earth. Men should be regarded as nurturers and raising men should also include, gardening and/or taking care of the Earth; just like one would teach their daughter.
So I challenge you… man or woman. When is the last time you did something beneficial for our planet? Would love to hear your comments below!
Photo Credit: https://www.123rf.com/photo_44520360_smiling-woman-working-in-a-commercial-nursery-selling-plants-to-the-public-standing-holding-a-tray-o.html
From the comfort of my throne (my bed),
Princess Joelle
Hi Joelle! I think that gardening was a good subject to bring up! I remember that back when my parents were together my mom would spend hours tending to her garden. She would never really buy the plants that she got; I remember once we pulled over on the highway just so she could nab a patch of orange flowers that were growing on the side of the road. She just dug them up with her bare hands and a stuck them in the back seat. It turns out there was still bugs crawling on the flowers, and my dad was less than happy about that. Now that I think about it, my dad wouldn’t be caught dead tending to our garden unless it involved mowing the lawn. It’s something that’s been imprinted as too feminine for the longest time. And I completely agree with you; I think its important for men to be known as nurturers just like women are. The idea of feminine things being emasculating is something that needs to be broken down.