“This is a woman speaking”: The Feminist Writing of Three French Journalists

Over the past several centuries, women in France have been attracted to journalism as a forum for self-expression and a way to promote the causes that they cared about, particularly women’s rights. This paper examines the work of three French women journalists who wrote in favor of equality of the sexes and more active social roles for women. In the 18th century, the radical Madame de Beaumer shocked royal censors in her Journal des Dames. In the 19th century, the first bachelière Julie-Victoire Daubié wrote extensively about women in poverty. In the 20th century, Louise Weiss fought for suffrage and became a prominent politician. The three wrote on issues ranging from religion and marriage to education and employment for women. However, as feminists, they are little known today. This papers seeks to bring their work back to light.