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forever. As the women’s rights movement was taking on new challenges in the
United States, she was pushing the limits penning books to influence popular opinion in another way. The late Florida (USA) Governor Chiles expressed his support
for her work, calling Ms. Douglas “ a prophet, calling out to us to save the environment for our children and our grandchildren” (Handcock 2019). Again, humanizing
the issues with a woman’s touch.
2.3 Greta Thunberg (2003)
Current events have no doubt introduced everyone to a young Swedish female activist named Greta Thunberg. This teenager led the largest climate strike in history,
which was said to include roughly four million people from more than one hundred
forty-one countries around the world. A look at her counterparts around the world,
those children and adults who support and stand with her, reveals that an overwhelming majority of them are women.
Specific to Ms. Thunberg on a personal level, she has been congratulated for her
refusal to “kowtow” to the patriarchy (Moore 2019). Political leaders, government
officials, and influential business men have criticized Thunberg not based upon her
actions, but for everything from her looks and her demeanor, to the tone of her voice
and her clothes. The Guardian reported:
The extraordinary reactions of certain men to Greta Thunberg, which have nothing to do
with her urgent and necessary message on the climate emergency, tells you exactly what
happens when a young woman simply refuses to be sexualized. It makes them deeply
uncomfortable (Moore 2019).
Ms. Thunberg is showing the world firsthand what it means to be a strong woman
in the environmental movement and how to shut down critics by refusing to fit into
the stereotypical fantasy of the global patriarchy.
2.4 Berta Isabel Caceres Flores (1971–2016)
The tragic death of this environmental heroine was no accident. Ms. Flores was
assassinated for her work to protect the lands of her people. Ms. Flores brought
attention and legal action to a situation where the developers had “broken international law by not consulting with local tribes, who were concerned that the dam
would prevent Lenca communities from accessing water, food, and materials for
medicine” (Handcock 2019).
Present throughout Ms. Flores’ life and fight to preserve the natural world is an
overarching theme of protecting the vulnerable, providing for others and “fighting
for a life with dignity” (Handcock 2019) She was known as “La Guardiana,” the
Guardian, protecting Mother Earth from those who would harm her, like a mother
protecting her child.
Saving Species, Healthy Humanity: The Key Role of Women in Ecological Integrity
forever. As the women’s rights movement was taking on new challenges in the
United States, she was pushing the limits penning books to influence popular opinion in another way. The late Florida (USA) Governor Chiles expressed his support
for her work, calling Ms. Douglas “ a prophet, calling out to us to save the environment for our children and our grandchildren” (Handcock 2019). Again, humanizing
the issues with a woman’s touch.
2.3 Greta Thunberg (2003)
Current events have no doubt introduced everyone to a young Swedish female activist named Greta Thunberg. This teenager led the largest climate strike in history,
which was said to include roughly four million people from more than one hundred
forty-one countries around the world. A look at her counterparts around the world,
those children and adults who support and stand with her, reveals that an overwhelming majority of them are women.
Specific to Ms. Thunberg on a personal level, she has been congratulated for her
refusal to “kowtow” to the patriarchy (Moore 2019). Political leaders, government
officials, and influential business men have criticized Thunberg not based upon her
actions, but for everything from her looks and her demeanor, to the tone of her voice
and her clothes. The Guardian reported:
The extraordinary reactions of certain men to Greta Thunberg, which have nothing to do
with her urgent and necessary message on the climate emergency, tells you exactly what
happens when a young woman simply refuses to be sexualized. It makes them deeply
uncomfortable (Moore 2019).
Ms. Thunberg is showing the world firsthand what it means to be a strong woman
in the environmental movement and how to shut down critics by refusing to fit into
the stereotypical fantasy of the global patriarchy.
2.4 Berta Isabel Caceres Flores (1971–2016)
The tragic death of this environmental heroine was no accident. Ms. Flores was
assassinated for her work to protect the lands of her people. Ms. Flores brought
attention and legal action to a situation where the developers had “broken international law by not consulting with local tribes, who were concerned that the dam
would prevent Lenca communities from accessing water, food, and materials for
medicine” (Handcock 2019).
Present throughout Ms. Flores’ life and fight to preserve the natural world is an
overarching theme of protecting the vulnerable, providing for others and “fighting
for a life with dignity” (Handcock 2019) She was known as “La Guardiana,” the
Guardian, protecting Mother Earth from those who would harm her, like a mother
protecting her child.
Saving Species, Healthy Humanity: The Key Role of Women in Ecological Integrity