The mythos of Gaia is a powerful for many in the new eco spirituality movement.
My suggestion would be to say that it constitutes the most important epic story of our time.
Whether it is completely true or not, what it implies is one interpretation of the human struggle to overcome a more negative and self-destructive notion of humanity.
Women have been thought to be more connected with the earth due to their key role in the life birth process. Ironically it has also been that this link has also led them to marginalized politically, socially and economically and for most human history to be relegated to second class citizens.
This lack of balance in rule between the sexes is one reason for the misjudgements made over time that have led to much unnecessary calamity and suffering for humanity.
One of the things that was notable from the debate about Gaia among the scientific community was was drowned out by a more simplistic debate between aetheists and religious fundis.