From the beginning of feminism to the aftermath of the French Revolution, up to the Weinstein Affair, the International History Film Festival de Pessac (Gironde), which opens this Monday, embraces in all its breadth the theme of this 32nd edition: “Masculine / Feminine, a whole story”. Some 120 films, fictions and documentaries, including around forty previews, will be screened throughout the week, and forty-five meetings are scheduled. Among them, a conference by one of the main historians of feminism in France, Michelle Perrotthis Monday at 6 p.m. 20 minutes questioned him.
How do you view the evolution of the feminist movement since you have followed it?
Feminism is something intermittent, because it does not rely on stable structures like a party or a union. It arises in the cracks of power when there are revolutions, crises, or major problems like today. On the other hand, it is based on something that has been fairly constant for two centuries, which is women’s demand for access to equality and freedom. The system of relations between the sexes was built on male domination, which remained obvious for a long time for women, then they demanded more and more to have the same thing as men, which became in the 19th century. and 20th centuries, something essential.
At what time exactly do we locate the starting point of a “feminine revolt”?
We could find many traces of it in past centuries, but it is more organized from the French Revolution. The Revolution gave women important civil rights, but denied them political rights, so they were not full citizens. It was at that time, especially in the cities, that women really became aware of an inequality, and little by little feminism appeared, even if the movement did not bear the name of it since the word “feminism has only existed since 1872. In 1848, women organized themselves to protest and demand the right to vote, which they would continue to demand until 1944.
You said a few years ago that “women are the great forgotten ones of History, because it was written by men”, is it that, thanks to the evolution of historical works, knowledge of women’s history improves?
Yes, that’s changing, especially since the 1970s. Making the history of women means making them visible, and seeing that there were resistance movements, nibbling away at power. We see them much more alive, active, resistant, speaking, than what we could believe.
Today, what are the areas where you think there is the most inequality between men and women, at least in France?
The salary, surely, and the training too. Women are still confined to jobs that are less well paid than men, which is the main reason for this wage inequality. There has been a lot of progress in recent decades, especially in politics thanks to the law on parity, but there is still a lot to do.
Especially when you watch some TV shows where only men are still invited, or when you see recently the front page French movie who had summoned only men for a subject on the future of cinema. Does this shock you?
There are indeed circles in which this is progressing less quickly, the media being one of them. In the cinema, there is such a legacy of the “actress-object” woman that it takes a long time to change. There are more female directors, but not that many. And finally, in economic circles, the inequality is even greater, especially in the management of large groups. Several estates still remain male strongholds.
You say that feminism is something intermittent, do you think it is necessary to remain vigilant in relation to acquired rights which could be called into question?
There are always possible rollbacks, and as soon as democracy rolls back, women’s rights also roll back. For example, when there is a setback in the United States on the right to abortion, we can’t help but think that it could happen here. So you have to be careful, because when women get advances, some men get scared.
How do you view the #MeToo movement which is celebrating its fifth birthday, and on freeing women to speak about the sexual harassment they may suffer?
MeToo was a very important movement, and since then there has been an acceleration in awareness. Women have been able to take over social networks and reach millions of people. It’s a fundamental liberation of restrained speech, about things they didn’t dare say, incest, rape, sexual harassment. Relations between the sexes are constantly reconstructed, and today we are in a very important phase, because men are also becoming aware of it.
Is #MeToo the most important event for women in recent years?
I think the women’s liberation movement of the 1970s is fundamental, and probably more important than what’s happening now. At that time, women won the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy, and a child if I want, when I want, is the real revolution. Women became masters of their sexuality. What is won today is very important, but it is in the continuity of this movement.
Pessac International History Film Festival, until Monday 21 November.