The connections between the oppression of women and the oppression of nature that I saw from the Vice article, “ The Brazilian Slum Children Who Are Literally Swimming in Garbage”, were that nature and women are deeply suffering and being neglected. Approximately 2500 children from two under-resourced areas in Brazil are living in conditions not suitable for life. The physical environment in these areas ie: the water, are not conducive to life but even through that, people in these specific parts are paving their own way and surviving.
The clear antonym to the previously mentioned realities of the Brazil communities, is the Greenbelt movement in Kenya. Wangari Maathis, environmental activist, and Greenbelt founder, writes potently about the nature of women and their unagreed upon social responsibility. Maathis says this, “Throughout Africa (as in much of the world) women hold primary responsibility for tilling the fields, deciding what to plant, nurturing the crops, and harvesting the food. They are the first to become aware of environmental damage that harms agricultural production: if the well goes dry, they are the ones concerned about finding new sources of water and those who must walk long distances to fetch it. As mothers, they notice when the food they feed their family is tainted with pollutants or impurities: they can see it in the tears of their children and hear it in their babies’ cries” (Maathai, 2000). I kept what Maathai said about the closeness of women and the environment in mind, as an environmental advocate she worked her entire life to protect land but also worked land appreciation. So I half heartedly agree that “behind” the material deprivations and cultural losses of the marginalized and the poor lie the deeper issues of disempowerment and/or environmental degradation because ultimately I believe that both of these two things are happening simultaneously. Our ecofeminist author this week, Ivone Gebara, says this, “While these discussions are going on, lots of women and children are starving and dying with diseases produced by a capitalist system able to destroy lives and keep profit for only a few” (Gebara page 94). Gebara’s work from this week dives into global power structures and their relationships to those oppressed as a result of power structures. 
Over the course of the last 2.5 months we have learned about dynamics like intersectionality, the web of domination, and now religious patriarchy, all having their own at times separate but equal connection to a multitude of equality movements, specifically ecofeminism. When I was reading the story of Recife in Brazil I was immediately reminded of the general quote, “You get out what you put in”. Up until a semester or two ago I believed that quote. However I do not believe this is the case for people living in the global south, specifically women, who as we have established are the primary environmental workers. I think that quote doesn’t take enough about all that is extracted from those living in the Global South. Life in the Global south is described as jail by Gebara.
Gebara points out cycles of persistent poverty within another Brazilian community as a way to showcase what happens when marginalized people are disempowered, “Daily life for poor women is like a jail…Most of them stay at home. They have nothing to cook. They wait for the children to return from school. They hope the children have already eaten, but they have not…The cycle of domestic jail finished today and now women wait to begin again tomorrow” (Gebara page 96). The example I highlighted from Gebara’s essay talks about women and children. We know that men tend to, because of patriarchy, sit closer to the top of this power structure.
However when men have identities like race, socioeconomic status, and location that are outside of the normal western patriarchal heteronormativity identities they become susceptible to oppression. Such would be the case as men living in the Global South where our original example in Gerbara comes from. Since we know intersectionality praxis can be applied globally when trying to end oppressive systems like patriarchy, its place in the conversation on disempowerment and thus environmental degradation.
Jillian – great work! In reading through the class blogs, I saw the common thread that the VICE article had an impact on many of us. The saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, clearly rings true with the image of a boy standing in a literal river of trash. To your point, we see that in places like Recife, it is women and children who bear the brunt of this inhuman way of life. The piles of trash and the sheer amount of waste, illustrate the lack of respect for nature as well. I appreciate how you point out the cycle of domestic jail that Gebara refers to as well. While stories like this exist all over the world, I find it hopeful that in places where there are people of varying degrees of wealth, they can use it to help those less fortunate. In being on the receiving end of help from a stranger or friend, I think there is gratitude and inspiration. I can’t imagine (on so many levels) what it would be like to be a woman, or a mother, living in a place life Recife. Knowing that each day is a struggle, and being unsure if you can provide enough, just for today, to keep your child or children alive. As far as the connection of sisterhood amongst women, I think of myself and my friends/colleagues. What would it be like, if we were all just trying to survive? If there were no stories of hope, or glimpses to help inspire us, and remind us that if we hang on, it will all work out? The daily despair of that must either be emotionally draining, or perhaps, not even recognized, as the women in those situations are concerned with survival.
As you point out, the opposite of this is seeing the difference that women like Maathai make, in their own neighborhoods and around the globe. In recognizing how both capitalism and patriarchal traditions shape decisions that are made for women, with no regard to the effects that they will have on women, there is an opportunity to look at how we improve upon this tradition. Maathai saw a man who wanted to construct the tallest building (as well as a tall statue of himself) in the center of a park. She channelled her respect for nature, fought, and won. For years to come, Matthai stepped up the call of protecting nature as well as women and men, and she did so at high stakes to her safety. I am incredibly inspired by her courage and persistence. Her words, “When they attack me, I attack them back. A lot of people say, “They could kill you.” And I say, “Yes, they could, but if you focus on the damage they could do, you cannot function” (Cstraight Media – http://www.cstraight.com). Here’s to the courage and activism of amazing women as advocates of change for a better world!
Cstraight Media – http://www.cstraight.com. Speak Truth to Power | the Green Belt Movement. http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wangari-maathai/key-speeches-and-articles/speak-truth-to-power.
Hey Jillian!
I thought that you discussed activism in different communities in a very well-written, understanding way. I agree that material deprivations and cultural losses of the marginalized and poor and issues of disempowerment and environmental degradation are happening simultaneously, but I also believe that because of disempowerment and environmental degradation these material deprivations and losses of culture are happening. For example, in the YouTube Gendered Impacts series, it was discussed that Indigenous women in Canada suffered a violation of their livelihood due to mining that was occurring at Baker Lake. The Inuit women were deeply connected to the land, it was a part of their identity. The mining caused an increase of violence towards the women at home, at the mining site and the community, and also caused a loss of cultural practice and traditional knowledge as well as changing animal migration routes.
Something that you touched upon was how life in the Global South is like jail, as described by Gebara. It reminded me of the quote from the Vice article, The Brazilian Slum Children Who Are Literally Swimming in Garbage. Larissa, a ten-year-old child who had ringworm covering most of her body, asked the interviewer Correa to answer the question “Do you think I like living here?” Although Correa responded with “no” Larissa stated she did like living there, following it up with “it’s the only life I know.” I was interested in seeing where Larissa or Paulo were today. Although I couldn’t find any information on them, I did find an article from 2018 revolving around cleaning up the plastic waste in Recife. In the article it discusses how jewelry, toys and handbags are being made from plastic waste by women for profit. One woman stated that it’s empowering and has given her a new social life as well as an opportunity for work. I linked the short article below if you’re interested!
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/brazil-village-plastic-waste-recife/