Marti Kheel

Marti Kheel (1948-2011) co–founded Feminists for Animal Rights (FAR) in California in 1982. "Kheel's articles have been translated into multiple languages and have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. Her groundbreaking 1985 article "The Liberation of Nature: A Circular Affair" offered the first feminist critique of environmental ethics. Originally published in Environmental Ethics, the article has been widely cited and republished in several edited volumes. Along with many of her other articles, this essay has been required reading in numerous college courses. It also laid the foundation for the future focus of her work at the juncture between animal advocacy and environmental ethics.

"Kheel's 1989 article "From Healing Herbs to Deadly Drugs: Western Medicine's War Against the Natural World" provided the major inspiration for a historic lawsuit filed by University of Toronto professor Franklin D. Tall against the Canadian government. Kheel provided expert–witness testimony in the suit, which charges the government with religious–based discrimination against holistic forms of healing. The case is still pending final judgment.

"Over the years, Kheel's primary goal has been to develop an ecofeminist holistic philosophy that can bridge the seemingly disparate movements and philosophies of feminism, animal advocacy, and environmental ethics. Drawing on the model of holistic health, Kheel believes that ecofeminism offers the possibility of a genuinely holistic way of perceiving the world. By shedding light on the root causes of social problems, ecofeminism can help us to deepen our capacity for empathy for all living beings, thereby helping to bring about a world of peace and respect for all living beings.

"Kheel received her doctorate in religious studies from the Graduate Theological Union. In 2008, her book Nature Ethics: An Ecofeminist Perspective was published by Rowman & Littlefield. She is currently a visiting scholar at the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM), University of California, Berkeley."