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Influential Women throughout history


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Middle Ages: Eleanor of Aquitaine

17th and 18th centuries: Ninon de Lenclos, Émilie du Châtelet’s, Olympe de Gouges, Marie Tussaud.

19th century: Madame de Staël, Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin (George Sand), Sarah Bernhardt, Marguerite Durand.

20th and 21st century: Marie Curie, Colette, Coco Chanel, Nadia Boulanger, Simone de Beauvoir, Odette Sansom, Marguerite Duras, Edith Piaf, Jacqueline Auriol, Simone Veil, Édith Cresson, Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Coline Serreau, Christiana Tuber, Juliette Binoche, Surya Bonaly, Ségolène Royal.

Have any of these women inspired you? Or perhaps we’ve missed one that you think has played a key role in France’s history. If so, give us your views...

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Simone Veil, who is still alive and a politician. She has been  influential in promoting women's rights including contraception and abortion. She had a hard life too, spending the war years in Auschwitz. Pat.

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You bet !   [:D]

Madame de Maintenon

"In July of 1683, six months after the death of Louis XIV's wife, Maria Theresa, King Louis secretly married Madame de Maintenon. Shortly after her marriage to King Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon began to teach at the Chateau de Noisy which was located near Versailles. In 1686 she began to teach at a school called Saint Cyr that she and the King had founded. Madame de Maintenon ran this institution which educated two hundred daughters of the poor nobility from the area.

Madame de Maintenon ded influence on the King's decision making, especially in making him act more religious. Although King Louis had no theological background himself, she influenced him to participate in religious celebrations. Because Madame de Maintenon believed in strict education of the young people about Roman Catholicism, she is often blamed for the persecutions of the Protestants. Madame de Maintenon supported the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685.

Madame de Maintenon ended her life in quiet retirement at St. Cyr until her death in 1719. She has become an example of how a thoughtful woman could rise in the world of the absolute monarchs through her influence and prestige."

 

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[quote user="Forum Admin"]

Middle Ages: Eleanor of Aquitaine

[/quote]

If only we could have gone fowards from Eleanor (one of my heroines it goes without saying) and not backwards, perhaps equal opportunities might have arrived decades before they officially did - but don't get me onto that topic - we are nowhere near it yet:

"The gender pay gap in the UK is one of the highest in Europe (Bellamy and Rake, 2005)

and recent women graduates earn 15% less than men who have the same qualifications (Equal Opportunities Commission, 2004)."

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Definitely agree on Josephine Baker too.  [:)]

 

Someone who has had a great influence is Sonia Rykiel

When I was young working as a secretary in Paris, there was a very slim, elegant young woman in our office who used to dress "Sonia Rykiel" with those beautiful fine sweaters and skirts with the seams on the outside in soft pastel shades.

 

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[:D][:D][:D]

I always think of Yosemite Sam when I see her, not because she has a moustache [:-))] but because she wears little boots that seem (to me) to be disproportionate to her body. 

She is a good looking woman though, she suits her larger frame.

What is her claim to fame? I have only ever seen her on Nouvelle Star.[:$]

 

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