Introduction
French feminism in the 20th century was ever-evolving, so in this article, I will take you through the different waves, examining how it evolved across different historical moments, shaped by war, colonialism, intellectual innovation, and a growing awareness of intersectionality. There are some book recommendations throughout, too!
While the Second Wave of the 1960s and 70s often dominates scholarly and popular discussions, a full understanding of modern French feminism requires looking back to the post-World War I era—and forward to the fragmented but dynamic currents of the late 20th century.
Interwar period and early activism
Feminism in France during the early 20th century was shaped by both optimism and restriction. Despite a rich legacy of 19th-century advocates like Hubertine Auclert, the suffrage movement faced significant resistance. A bill proposing women’s suffrage passed in 1919 but was ultimately vetoed in 1922.
Class divisions further fractured the movement, with working-class demands—such as wage equality—growing more urgent. Simultaneously, the pervasive influence of Catholic family values confined women to the domestic sphere.
Nonetheless, institutional progress was made. A crucial milestone came in 1932 with the establishment of the Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand, a Parisian public library, housing an unparalleled collection of women’s publications. It became not only an archive but a cultural hub for feminist discourse.
Women in Resistance and Colonial Contexts
Moving into the 1940s, feminist scholarship long overlooked the role of women in the French Resistance, primarily to preserve the myth of national unity. However, recent work has highlighted the contributions of women like Lucie Aubrac and Simone Segouin, who played leading roles in organizing and fighting.
Yet their heroism did not translate into lasting recognition. As historian Anne Sebba illustrates in Les Parisiennes, wartime gave women new responsibilities—and in some cases, new forms of power—but this transformation was both uneven and short-lived.
Even more neglected was the involvement of Algerian women in the war for independence from 1954 to 1962. Despite making up less than 20% of combatants, many women served the FLN (the Front de libération nationale) as fighters, nurses, and logistical supporters. The graphic novel Algériennes by Swann Meralli and Deloupy has helped restore these voices to public memory.
These colonial and wartime experiences underscore an important point: French feminism cannot be understood in isolation from imperialism, race, and national identity.
Second Wave Feminism and Intellectual Innovation
The Second Wave of French feminism—emerging strongly after 1968—brought a radical shift. Unlike in some Anglophone contexts, where liberal feminism dominated, French feminism was characterized by its philosophical and literary depth.
Simone de Beauvoir’s seminal 1949 text The Second Sex laid the groundwork for much of what followed. She argued that “one is not born, but becomes a woman,” framing gender as a social construction rooted in centuries of subjugation.
In the 1970s, figures like Hélène Cixous, Christine Delphy, and Monique Wittig expanded the conversation, introducing concepts such as écriture féminine (or women’s writing), materialist feminism, and radical critiques of heteronormativity.
Activist movements coalesced into the Mouvement de Libération des Femmes (MLF). One of its landmark moments was the 1971 Manifeste des 343, in which 343 women—including celebrities and intellectuals—admitted to having had illegal abortions. This led to legal reform: the Neuwirth Law (1967) legalizing contraception, and the Veil Law (1975), championed by Simone Veil, which decriminalized abortion.
Yet internal disagreements—ideological and strategic—soon fragmented the movement. Disputes over commercialization, priorities, and political affiliations underscored the inherent diversity within French feminism.
Legacy and Contemporary Influence
By the 1990s, French feminism had entered institutions—both political and academic. The Parity Movement, written into law in 2000, required gender parity in political candidacies, symbolizing the shift from protest to policy.
Feminist scholars such as Michelle Perrot chronicled women’s contributions across history, while figures like Ségolène Royal and Martine Aubry demonstrated women’s capacity to lead at the highest levels of governance.
It is also worth noting that France served as a refuge for many American women—writers, artists, and intellectuals—who found in Paris a liberating space to escape the constraints of gender and race in the United States. Figures like Josephine Baker and Gertrude Stein shaped French culture while also drawing inspiration from it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, 20th-century French feminism is not a single movement, but a constellation of struggles—some unified, others contradictory. It was deeply intellectual, often radical, and increasingly intersectional. From the suffrage movement and the Resistance to postcolonial revolutions and the MLF, French feminists have continually redefined what it means to fight for equality—not just in France, but globally.
Understanding this history not only honours their legacy but equips us to meet the challenges of gender justice in the 21st century.
