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For Mood Walk, gender equality is a priority. As illustrated by the messages we display on our Velcro sneakers with our removable straps , we want women to be free and recognized for their skills and potential.
Many women have fought to advance women's rights all over the world. Authors, lawyers, journalists, politicians or simply those who start a movement, anyone can contribute to supporting women in their own way. In this article, we wanted to introduce you to 5 personalities who have had an impact on the advancement of feminism, while not forgetting that there have been so many others!
Simone Veil, the iconic icon of the abortion law
Simone Veil had a difficult childhood. Born into a Jewish family during the interwar period, she was then deported to Auschwitz at the age of 16 with one of her sisters and her mother. A survivor, she returned to France in May 1945 where she continued her life and entered the judiciary as a senior civil servant. In 1974, she was appointed Minister of Health by President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.
She was therefore tasked with presenting the bill for which she was known: Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy, which decriminalized abortion. She succeeded in her mission, the text was adopted on November 29, 1974 and came into force on January 17, 1975.
Her political career continued with several positions that she subsequently held: first president of the European Parliament, Minister of State for Social Affairs and she ended with the Constitutional Council.
In view of all that she has achieved, she was promoted to Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor on January 1, 2009.
Gloria Steinem, the American figure of feminism
A journalist at heart, Gloria Steinem promoted women's rights through Ms. magazine, which she co-founded. Ms. was a liberal women's magazine that departed from the sexist narratives of other women's publications of the time.
Before that, she published an article in New York Magazine entitled “ After Black Power, Women's Liberation” which propelled her as a feminist leader.
Very committed to the right to abortion , she saw precisely what she feared and fought so hard for: the annulment by the Supreme Court of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that allowed American women to abort up to the 23rd week of pregnancy. Indeed, she herself had an abortion at the age of 22 in 1957 in England. It was not legal unless it was performed for reasons of the woman's health.
Today, at 88, she does not give up her fights because "the role of elderly people like me is to have hope, because we remember times when things were worse."
Tarana Burke, the little-known #metoo promoter
American activist and creator of the MeToo movement in 2006, this African-American social worker fights against sexual violence committed against little black girls with her association Me Too.
The #metoo hashtag that we all know, popularized in 2017, comes from this person. Indeed, it was the American actress Alyssa Milano who began to encourage women to testify when she herself tweeted about the sexist and sexual violence she had to face during her career. In 48 hours, the hashtag had reached 82 countries and was tweeted more than 12 million times. The actress then accompanies Tarana Burke in her media speeches, so that the entire press would grant her the origin of the movement.
Simone de Beauvoir, the feminist author
Born in Paris to a wealthy family, she distinguished herself by her intellectual abilities from a very young age. At the age of 14, she decided to become a writer and studied mathematics, literature and philosophy. Later, she met Jean-Paul Sartre at the Faculty of Literature at the University of Paris.
Her fame grew thanks to a philosophical and feminist essay called "The Second Sex" published in 1949. It became the reference in terms of modern feminism and revealed her as a great theoretician of the women's liberation movement. She describes society by saying that women are kept in a state of inferiority, treated as erotic objects, she advocates "equality in difference" and the emancipation of women .
Simone will get involved with other women including Gisèle Halimi and Elisabeth Badinter for the recognition of the torture inflicted on women during the Algerian War and for the right to abortion.
Gisèle Halimi, figure of feminism in France
From a young age, Gisèle felt the need to defend her position in relation to her brothers because she was the only girl in the family. To make herself heard, she went on hunger strike at the age of 13 so that she would no longer have to clean their room. She was looking for more justice and equality. When she came of age, she decided to go to Paris to study law and philosophy at the Sorbonne.
A committed lawyer , she defended women who had illegal abortions from the 1970s. She then signed the Manifesto of the 343, a petition that brought together famous women who confessed to having had abortions. In 1972, during the Bobigny trial, she was the lawyer for women accused of illegal abortion and led to the acquittal of three of the accused and a suspended sentence for the fourth. This case contributed to the evolution towards the Veil law on voluntary termination of pregnancy, which was implemented in 1975.
In 1980, a new law was passed defining rape as a crime and no longer as a misdemeanor, thanks to the trial of Anne Tonglet and Araceli Castellano, two women who were victims of gang rape.
Want to discover other feminist personalities?
On our Instagram account, we regularly highlight different portraits of women : scientists, writers, astronauts, etc. In their own way, they participate in fighting for women's rights in all areas. Don't hesitate to go see our videos about them!: @moodwalk_sneakers
Is women's empowerment also an important topic for you? Then our personalized messages that support this cause are made for you. With our removable straps , you can display your values and beliefs on our eco-responsible sneakers with committed messages.
