Feminism: 'A Woman' Committed to Equality for Centuries

A brief history of the term 'feminism' and a short overview of the waves of feminism in France.

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Since June 2020, " A Woman " finally has its (parody) page on Wikipedia. The biography of a woman is very detailed and indeed "A Woman is a journalist, executive, chemist, diplomat, economist, bishop, rabbi, imam, physicist, high-level athlete, sports director, fighter pilot, brewer, comic book author and political figure. Her scientific work has earned her five Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, but only one Fields Medal." This Wikipedia page highlights the invisibilization of women in the media, among other things.

But did you know? Women, anonymous or not, have been advocating for gender equality since the Middle Ages.

A Brief History of the Term "Feminism"

Before starting this article, let's revisit the definition of feminism as found in the Larousse: (Feminism is a) "movement advocating for the improvement and extension of the role and rights of women in society." Those considered feminists are "those who aim to extend this role and these rights for women."

While women have been invisible and erased for centuries, in the Middle Ages, the names of those who could have an important role or position were not mentioned in the writings. Whether they were from noble families, influential wives, or even queens, their identity was often anonymized in favor of the names of men deemed more worthy of recognition and remembrance.

Much later, and at the origin of the beginnings of the term "feminism" in France are authors and philosophers. First, Christine de Pisan, author of the City of Ladies (1404) and the Book of the Three Virtues for the Instruction of Ladies (1405), is considered by Simone de Beauvoir as the first woman to denounce misogyny.

From the 17th century, Marie de Gournay expressed the importance of access to education for young girls. However, the term "feminism" is attributed to Charles Fourier (1772-1837), true defender of egalitarianism in his philosophical writings. Then, it is Alexandre Dumas fils who in The Man-Woman (1872) mentions feminism in its current sense but in a rather pejorative way. It was not until 1882 and the pen of Hubertine Auclert that feminism was defined positively to fight for the improvement of the female condition.

A Short History of Feminist Waves in France

While English women began to rise against the "male domination" promoted by the political system of John Locke in the 17th century, it was the French Revolution that marked the beginnings of feminist waves to follow in France.

The Marquis de Condorcet and Olympe de Gouges are two important figures in these debates about women's rights during the revolutionary period. The Marquis de Condorcet, as early as 1790, in his article On the Admission of Women to the Right of Citizenship, demanded that women be given the right to vote. As for Olympe de Gouges, she drafted in 1791 the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen to demand civil rights equality between men and women.

The first feminist wave is considered to span from 1860, with the publications of works dedicated to gender equality by André Léo (a.k.a. Léodile Champseix), to 1945.

At the beginning of this movement were women who joined forces (such as the Association for the Improvement of Women's Education in 1866, or the Society for the Claiming of Women's Civil Rights in 1869) and who published numerous texts and works to defend gender equality, women's liberation, and access to education. Although the first International Congress of Women's Rights was organized in 1878, women were confined to the roles of mothers and wives and struggled to assert their rights. By the end of the 19th century, the number of feminist associations increased, and they multiplied their actions. The World Wars would hinder their efforts; it would take until 1945 and long debates for women to be able to vote for the first time.

From 1949, Simone de Beauvoir and her essay The Second Sex marked the beginnings of the second feminist wave in France. May 68 also became a means for women to fight for the recognition of domestic work, sexual liberation, and the right to abortion. A right gained with the adoption of the Veil Law in 1975 following the right to contraception in 1967 and 1974.

Feminist debates are at the heart of current considerations with movements like Femen or Balance ton Porc that aim to combat oppression, sexism, and street harassment today.