In: Economics
What is the logic of domination and how is it used to dominate women, non-white peoples and the environment according to Warren?
Logic of domination creates discrimination in society and splits it into separate dualisms. Ecofeminists claim that to achieve true equality, the logics provided to justify dominance have to be broken down. Ruling men in The Handmaid's Tale have their rationale in defending women's dominance and oppression in an environmentally ravaged world. The novel is a dystopian masterpiece in which men's authoritarian rule has engendered patriarchal policies, reducing women's status to prisoners. Many limitations imposed on them, directly or indirectly, have crippled them entirely. The oppression of women is linked to deteriorated environment also.
The administration's failure is demonstrated by the fact that people's health has deteriorated significantly, and they are no longer able to give birth to healthy babies. The majority of newborn babies are suffering from congenital abnormalities. Men and women have become infertile and women have to take all of the blame.
The relationship between women and environment stressed strongly by ecofeminists correlates with the novel's main theme. Women are the sufferers and, after an irreparable imbalance in the environment, have to take the entire responsibility for consequences. The causes of the violence inflicted on women are environmental degradation. Some have become infertile, and those who are fertile give birth often to premature babies. Men have put strict rules on women in the current military system and forced them into the corner
Environmental crisis has triggered the dictatorship of the military regime and the strict laws that they enforce on women. In the book, the environmental cause of women's torture suggests the need to check the growing global environmental inequality. Ecofeminists have emphasized finding solutions for environmental imbalances as they are related to women's oppression.The pregnant women suffer more than average miscarriage rates. In newborn babies, the birth defects are found more in number. The recognition of gender differences employed in influential organizations is one of the ecofeminist challenges. In these institutions, women are not granted equal treatment by men, and as a result, they can not take important decisions and are unable to engage in policy making.
They longed for some positive change in circumstances though
living suffocating lives. Women had become prisoners in their own
country, without committing any offence or crime. The handmaids
were educated under tight protection and were not even allowed to
speak to one another. To present themselves, they had to converse
with each other secretly. They had to abandon their families and
bear on their mission of raising mechanized babies.
In the training camps they were being taught to always remain
inferior to the guys.