Gaining Ground: An Exploration into the Lives of Missouri's Lesbian Farmers

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2020.093.017

Keywords:

Lesbian, Sustainable Agriculture, Ecogender Studies, Community Development, Ecofeminism, Queer Farmers, Food Systems

Abstract

Formerly “invisible,” lesbian farmers have received increased attention recently, within both sociological scholarship and the popular media. Despite this attention, preconceptions about their lives persist. Assumptions of gay culture existing exclusively in metropolitan areas and of rural culture remaining organized by blood linkage and land ownership, combined with the continued predominance of men in agriculture, make this evolving realm of inquiry relevant to social scientists, agriculturalists, and extension professionals. In light of these intersections of identities and assumptions, and the remaining gaps in scholarship concerning this population, I conducted a case study, which was situated within a framework of ecogender studies. As such, the research focused on gendered relationships with nature and the emancipatory potential of women reclaiming their connections to nature through agriculture. The experiences of this population provide transferable lessons about humans as food system participants and present opportunities for rural development through sustainable agriculture.

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Author Biography

Sarah E. Cramer, Stetson University

Department of Environmental Science and Studies

Published

2020-04-24

How to Cite

Cramer, S. (2020). Gaining Ground: An Exploration into the Lives of Missouri’s Lesbian Farmers. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 9(3), 163–178. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2020.093.017