When we hyperseparate ourselves, we lose the ability to empathise and create a false sense of our character, argues Val Plumwood (3). In this essay, I will explore Plumwood’s ecofeminism and how she uses the concept of hyperseparation to criticise anthropocentrism, the worldview that neglects the interconnectedness of all beings and ecosystems. Pointing out how Plumwood challenges the environmental injustices with a feminist lens and connecting this to Bell Hook’s critique of "utopian visions of sisterhood," which raises questions about the limitations of idealised notions of solidarity among women. This essay seeks to unravel the connections between Plumwood's ecofeminist critique of hyperseparation and Hook's interrogation of utopian sisterhood, …show more content…
Hyperseparation is the tendency of humans to establish hierarchical boundaries between themselves and the natural world, leading to a distorted view of the relationship between humans and nature. Plumwood can be considered an ecofeminist because she challenges dualistic thinking that separates humanity from nature, leading to oppressive structures. She emphasises the interconnectedness of treating nature and marginalised communities horribly and critiques the systems of capitalism and patriarchy that exploit women and nature for profit and power. In "Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics" Bell hooks critiques what she refers to as "utopian visions of sisterhood” highlighting how such idealised notions fail to address the complexities of power dynamics within feminist movements. She argues that focusing solely on a romanticised notion of sisterhood overlooks the diversity of experiences among women and mentions that “We knew that there could be no real sisterhood between white women and women of color if white women were not able to divest of white supremacy, if the feminist movement were not fundamentally anti-racist.” (hooks