Gender essentialisms and ecological feminist philosophies

Abstract

The problems posed by gender essentialisms are important for both feminist theorists and environmental ethicists. Ecofeminist philosophers, as both feminist theorists and environmental ethicists, should therefore find this issue relevant to their discipline. In this thesis, I will explore the topic of gender essentialisms and its relevance for ecofeminist philosophers. Specifically, I will provide a definition of "ecofeminist philosophy" and delineate the connections that ecofeminists find between the oppression of women and environmental degradation. I will also provide a logical analysis of arguments for gender essentialisms and arguments against these theories. And, lastly, I will consider why gender essentialisms ought to matter for ecofeminist philosophers. My hope is that this thesis will fruitfully engage with the issues posed by gender essentialisms, including clarifying arguments made in favor of and in opposition to these theories as well as their relevance to ecofeminist philosophies.