The Most Feminist Men of the French Revolution — and New Forgotten Female Figures
Following the survey I posted here: https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/779667028438138880/survey-who-is-your-favorite-feminist?source=share I’m making a summary of the names of the men of the French Revolution who worked the most for women’s rights:
Nicolas Condorcet
Armand Benoît Joseph Guffroy
Gracchus Babeuf
Charles-Gilbert Romme
Guyomar (who supported granting women the right to vote)
Charlier (who opposed the ban on women’s clubs and societies)
Jacques Roux
Philippe-Laurent Pons de Verdun
Joseph Lequinio
I highlighted especially those who defended a broader vision of equality between women and men. My source for the last two names comes from Hervé Leuwers.
A Forgotten Female Revolutionary: “La Mère Duchesne” of Calais
Interestingly, in the same talk by Hervé Leuwers, I found mention of a completely forgotten revolutionary woman, nicknamed “La Mère Duchesne” of Calais, who called for women like her to be armed so they could defend their homes—thus allowing men to go fight at the frontiers. Her family name appears to be Morel or Morelle, though since this comes from a video, the spelling isn’t entirely clear.
"La mère Duchesne" of Paris
What makes this even more interesting is that in 1791, pamphlets titled La Mère Duchesne were published in Paris (a different publication not connected to the woman from Calais). These warned Marie-Antoinette. The journal was printed by Guilhaumet at 23 rue du Serpent, a few hundred meters from the printing shop of Abbé Buée, and its author remains unknown.
Here is an excerpt summarizing the publication:
"The issues of this journal are written as epistolary monologues addressed by La Mère Duchêne either to the readers—always referred to as women—or to political figures and groups (the Queen, the King’s aunts, the émigrés). The character of La Mère Duchêne in the Letters differs from Abbé Buée’s version by her militant, violent nature. Starting with the third issue, the author added an illustrated vignette representing La Mère Duchêne. It depicts a young woman standing, smoking a long pipe (...). She wears a cuirass reminiscent of Jeanne d’Arc and holds a national cockade in her left hand and a long, threatening sword in her right. Her patriotic character is emphasized by the inscription ‘Live free or die’ placed above the vignette. The author clearly wanted to associate his Mère Duchêne with popular warrior symbols, which also appears in her relationship with her husband. In contrast to Buée’s portrayal of conflicting gender roles, here her husband is shown as a partner sharing her patriotic zeal and hatred of aristocrats. The opposition between ‘wise’ women and ‘naive’ men that characterizes Buée’s discourse is replaced by a confrontation between patriotic women and aristocratic women. Through this framework, La Mère Duchêne attacks the Queen in the first issue. This number refers to rumors spread in late February suggesting that the Queen intended to follow the King’s aunts and leave France with the Dauphin. In a very violent tone, La Mère Duchêne warns and threatens the Queen in the name of the women of the people:
‘If you should happen to feel like traveling, I can assure you—on my word as Mère Duchêne—you would have quite an escort. All the women of Paris would be up in arms: they would topple the coachman, the postilions, everything, right down to the horses and the carriage. Everything would be sent flying... They would make sure to secure Your Sacred Person and place you somewhere safe. We Frenchwomen are generous: we always return good for evil... Follow our example!...’ This representation of conflict between patriotic and aristocratic women reappears in several Letters published in March and April, where La Mère Duchêne attacks the King’s aunts and the nuns (...).”
This excerpt comes from Ouzi Elyada, La Mère Duchesne. Masques populaires et guerre pamphlétaire (1789–1791), which you can read here: https://www.persee.fr/doc/ahrf_0003-4436_1988_num_271_1_1190
Feel free to add more.
Sources
Hervé Leuwers
Antoine Resche
Mathilde Larrère
Jean-Marc Schiappa
Ouzi Elyada
