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good fight, namely, seeking justice for those (flora or fauna) who cannot seek it
for themselves.
To fully understand, we must investigate the skills, attributes, and societal norms
that have both encouraged and obstructed women’s ability to cause meaningful
change and participate productively in a predominantly male-driven world. Our analysis will help us gain insight into what makes women so well-equipped to flourish at
the forefront of environmental activism, what challenges they face, and how we can
achieve a more secure platform where others feel inspired to join the cause.
2 The Who’s Who?: Celebrating Accomplishments
As environmental activism becomes more and more dangerous, we often reflect
upon those who came before us or those from whom we take inspiration. This is by
no means an exhaustive list, but what follows in this section is an overview of several women environmental defenders who have utilized their unique feminine
expertise to truly make a difference.
2.1 Dr. Jane Goodall (1934)
We begin our venture into the lives of these incredible ladies with a household name,
Dr. Jane Goodall. Huffington Post reported that Dr. Goodall “has transformed the
epistemological framework of how we study primates, and has exemplified immeasurable ecological integrity” (Pierrat 2017). For nearly sixty years, Dr. Goodall has
been the world’s foremost expert in the study of ecology and chimpanzees.
So, we ask, what sets her apart? Dr. Goodall defied the norms of scientific study
by “harnessing the power of the feminine” to validate her work (Pierrat 2017).
Instead of focusing on chimpanzees as another number or thing to be categorized
abstractly, she gave them names, noted their emotions, their personalities, the
behaviors that make each one distinctly unique (Pierrat 2017). By doing so, she
brought ecological integrity at its finest into the work of herself and her colleagues,
forever changing the way we study animals.
2.2 Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890–1998)
Our next SHEro is Marjory Stoneman Douglas, this brilliant journalist turned environmental pioneer discovered that not only were The Everglades in the United
States a vital part of the American ecosystem, but they were in fact a “vibrant web
of ecosystems” tied and thriving together (Handcock 2019). She recognized the
importance of this one of a kind source of fresh water and changed its treatment
S. M. Lange
good fight, namely, seeking justice for those (flora or fauna) who cannot seek it
for themselves.
To fully understand, we must investigate the skills, attributes, and societal norms
that have both encouraged and obstructed women’s ability to cause meaningful
change and participate productively in a predominantly male-driven world. Our analysis will help us gain insight into what makes women so well-equipped to flourish at
the forefront of environmental activism, what challenges they face, and how we can
achieve a more secure platform where others feel inspired to join the cause.
2 The Who’s Who?: Celebrating Accomplishments
As environmental activism becomes more and more dangerous, we often reflect
upon those who came before us or those from whom we take inspiration. This is by
no means an exhaustive list, but what follows in this section is an overview of several women environmental defenders who have utilized their unique feminine
expertise to truly make a difference.
2.1 Dr. Jane Goodall (1934)
We begin our venture into the lives of these incredible ladies with a household name,
Dr. Jane Goodall. Huffington Post reported that Dr. Goodall “has transformed the
epistemological framework of how we study primates, and has exemplified immeasurable ecological integrity” (Pierrat 2017). For nearly sixty years, Dr. Goodall has
been the world’s foremost expert in the study of ecology and chimpanzees.
So, we ask, what sets her apart? Dr. Goodall defied the norms of scientific study
by “harnessing the power of the feminine” to validate her work (Pierrat 2017).
Instead of focusing on chimpanzees as another number or thing to be categorized
abstractly, she gave them names, noted their emotions, their personalities, the
behaviors that make each one distinctly unique (Pierrat 2017). By doing so, she
brought ecological integrity at its finest into the work of herself and her colleagues,
forever changing the way we study animals.
2.2 Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890–1998)
Our next SHEro is Marjory Stoneman Douglas, this brilliant journalist turned environmental pioneer discovered that not only were The Everglades in the United
States a vital part of the American ecosystem, but they were in fact a “vibrant web
of ecosystems” tied and thriving together (Handcock 2019). She recognized the
importance of this one of a kind source of fresh water and changed its treatment
S. M. Lange