I have picked the article, Animals Used In Research. The article goes into detail about the horrors that is makeup testing and what exactly some makeup manufacturers do. They explain that these animals “are used to test whether ingredients will irritate eyes or skin and are sometimes forced to eat or breathe toxic substances. They are often killed after testing” (Rosane). This article is explaining how California is “banning” animal testing but they’re still allowing companies to test if they’re selling overseas. As it pertains to Warren’s introduction to EcoFeminism, this fits in mostly with Warren’s third woman-nature connection– Experimental and Experiential Connections. Warren and other scholars “argue that… animal experimentation, hunting, and meat eating are tied to patriarchal concepts and practices.” Animal testing in the name of cosmetics negatively affects the environment by taking creatures out of their natural habitats, which could lead to an alteration of that ecosystem and the decrease in population of whatever species is being used for tests. The tie-in that I find interesting is that many of these major make-up brands are headed by men. Makeup and cosmetics have come a long way in terms of being “re-claimed by women” (many women are building business empires with their own makeup brands, starting careers as makeup artists, etc.) yet makeup is still considered, by many, a patriarchal tool used to keep women “pretty” so that others will find them attractive enough to court.
EcoFeminism can be described as a connection “between the domination of women and the domination of nature.” (Warren) A main focus of ecofeminism is to “make visible these “women-nature connections” and, where harmful to women and nature, to dismantle it.” (Warren) Due to our male dominated society, ecofeminism became a movement that brings together ecological concerns with feminist concerns.
Warren goes into detail about the eight women-nature connections involved in ecofeminism. The eight connections are: Historical connections, conceptual connections, empirical and experiential connections, symbolic connections, epistemological connections, political connections, ethical connections, and theoretical connections. I found the empirical and experiential connections to be the most interesting. The greatest example of this would have to be the Flint water crisis. Flint is a city where 45% of the residents are living below the poverty line and the majority of residents are black (Denchak). In 2014, residents started to complain about their water and it was found to contain lead. Studies found that the contaminated water was doubling/tripling elevated blood lead levels in children (Denchak). The water was found to also contain fecal coliform bacteria and to correct this, the city decided to add more chlorine to the water. This created a whole new problem, “elevated levels of trihalomethanes, cancer causing chemicals that are by-products of the chlorination of water” (Denchak). Today, Flint does not have clean water and it became very evident that the Flint water crisis is a direct result of systematic racism (Denchak).
Works Cited:
Denchak, Melissa. “Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know.” NRDC, 16 Nov. 2018, www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-you-need-know.
Rosane, Olivia. “California Passes First U.S. Ban on Animal-Tested Cosmetics.” EcoWatch, EcoWatch, 1 Oct. 2018, www.ecowatch.com/animal-testing-cosmetics-california-2609265994.html.
Warren, Karen J. “Warren’s Introduction to EcoFeminism.” There It Is . Org, Michael E. Zimmerman, 29 Mar. 2015, thereitis.org/warrens-introduction-to-ecofeminism/.
