World view France Confounding stereotypes Facing sexism at home and stereotyping abroad, French women are finding strength in more feminine traits and refusing to take themselves too seriously, write Sabine Stork and Jimena Martinez She is clichd as a beacon of sophisticated glamour and effortless style, a woman who is seen as never getting fat, wearing her perfume and scarf with savoir faire and has tousled hair with that irresistible slept-in look. Theres probably not another nationality whose femininity is associated with as much stereotyping as la femme franaise. Its not surprising that French women, like their UK and US sisters, are challenging clichs, sexist expectations, injustices and inequalities, though with a uniquely Gallic ambivalence. This is, after all, a nation with a strong feminist tradition through trailblazers such as Simone de Beauvoir and Simone Weil, while remaining strongly influenced by the Catholic church and family. There can be an edge to the new wave of feminist activism in the wake of a sluggish response to #MeToo or #BalanceTonPorc (denounce your pig) as the French call it ranging from public charges against powerful, prominent men through to feminist writing and grassroots initiatives from Les Colleuses (The Pasters), a group busy gluing anti-misogyny messages across the walls of French cities. These protests come in a country where, to many outsiders, sexism appears rather blatant. Beyond truly grim femicide figures, sexual harassment is a real issue in 2022, according to the French governments first Baromtre sexisme, almost half of women have been subject to sexual acts or propositions at work (compared with 29% in the UK). The majority of French females met by our organisations in their focus groups are, of course, not activists, but there is 12 Impact ISSUE 39 2022_pp12-13 WV France.indd 12 23/09/2022 14:56