In recent years, Gisèle Pelicot has emerged as a prominent figure in the fight for women's rights in France. Coming out publicly with the horrors she had to suffer at the hands of her abusers has sparked conversations all over the world about gender-based violence and systemic inequalities. Pelicot’s activism underlines that despite all these years, women still have many battles to fight for gender equality in France.
The Fight Against Gender-Based Violence
Gisèle Pelicot's case showed how widespread domestic violence is in French society. She was secretly drugged and raped by her husband for nine years, and this facilitated the assault by an abundance of other men. Her decision to waive her anonymity during the 2024 trial—where fifty men were convicted—has been a valuable tool in helping bring down the taboos concerning sexual violence. This case has renewed calls for systemic reforms that offer better protection to victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
Yet, Pelicot’s ordeal is far from an isolated case. Despite existing measures, gender-based violence remains a critical issue in France. More than a hundred women were killed by their partners or ex-partners in 2023 alone—a surefire signal that more effective interventions are called for. Activists say that an increased implementation of the protective measures is a must, along with more financing of the support services and deep-reaching educational campaigns that change the cultural attitudes that breed such violence.
The Gender Pay Gap and Workplace Discrimination
Despite France's progressive labor laws, women are still paid 15% less than men on average, and the gap widens for women from minority backgrounds. And despite laws to rectify the situation and boost female representation in leadership, such as pay transparency and quotas, change has come at a snail's pace. A report by the Ministry of Labor in 2023 indicated that, despite years of affirmative action policies, women held only 37% of executive positions in major companies.
The gender pay gap is further increased for women who have low-paying, part-time jobs due to caregiving responsibilities. In order to change this situation, many activists are advocating for more generous parental leave policies and low-cost childcare services that would enable women to pursue careers without such penalties.
Reproductive Rights Under Threat?
France has long been a leader in reproductive rights, with the 1975 Veil Law marking a significant milestone by legalizing abortion. Yet recent global events, like the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of Roe V. Wade, have raised concerns about the future of these rights in France. In response, French lawmakers have moved to enshrine abortion rights in the Constitution, ensuring that future governments cannot easily overturn them.
However, access to abortion facilities remains unequal, particularly in rural areas, where medical professionals can use conscientious objection to deny service and thus reduce availability to many women. The High Council for Equality estimates that about 15% of women cannot access abortions because of logistical or financial reasons. Feminist groups continue to demand further access to reproductive health, including more funding for clinics and the ability to access abortion services remotely through telemedicine.
Intersectionality in Feminism
The feminist movement in France is increasingly moving toward a notion of intersectionality. The feminist movement now really realizes that questions of gender intersect with questions of race, class, and sexuality. For example, black and Muslim women bear a special stigma associated with their culture and religious mores, from employment discrimination to personal lifestyle. The debate over the hijab has often been framed as a feminist issue in which a strand of argumentation among the feminist community views state-imposed bans on religious attire as oppression.
The issues of the LGBTQ+ communities, especially trans women, are also at the top of the agenda. A 2022 study by INSEE (L'Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques) underlined that ethnic minority women suffer disproportionately from unemployment and wage discrimination. This data underlines the need for an inclusive feminist movement representative of marginalized groups.
The Road Ahead
The feminist movements in France are undeterred in their struggle for gender equality. Gisèle Pelicot and other founding mothers of the feminist movement remind one that this is what can be achieved through continued activism and social evolution. Today, feminist groups are demanding more legislative change to workplace inequalities, better protection against gender-based violence, and more representation of women in politics.
With the 2024 European Parliament elections, gender parity will no doubt be on the agenda of political debates, testifying to how much has been achieved but still remains to be done. The struggle for gender parity in France is far from over. Ensuring that constructive activism like Pelicot’s continues coming for all women requires a continuous uprising and dedication to change.