Women were on the front lines in the French Revolution
The 18th of March 1871 went down in history as a day when political tension reached its breaking point. Popular anti-monarchical sentiments and a large assembly of Parisians sparked the Paris Commune. Women had an indispensable role in this event. They were the initial defenders of Paris at a point when Thiers’ government troops tried to seize the National Guard’s Montmartre cannons (which had a political and historical significance as property of the Parisian people, and which were funded through public subscription). These cannons [were] used [by the city] to defend itself from the Prussians.” (La Pétroleuse) This surprise seizure was an attempt to disarm Paris’ working population (from which the National Guard mostly consisted). Women mobilized to stop them in the early hours of the morning. These women consisted of all kinds of working-class women in these popular neighborhoods. They were the first line of resistance from Paris’ poorest districts. They were the primary force that started this confrontation, where they physically created a blockade between the cannons and the troops. The hardships they faced during this time were a force behind their mobilization, even though they were not yet politically organized. These women made a moral appeal to the soldiers, including sentiments like “Will you fire upon us? Or your brothers? Our husbands?” (The Women Incendiaries), which disrupted them from firing. Even though this was an unexpected deployment, their organizational efforts were remarkable- they were able to rally National Guardsmen as well as sound alarms in the area and secure the cannons for reinforcements.
Despite their integral efforts to the Paris Commune, they were deliberately misrepresented in the conservative press. Pétroleuses were sensationalized in the media during this time. (Female supporters of the Paris Commune were accused of committing arson against landmarks around the city in spite of the government.) “Observers who watched from the hills outside Paris were convinced that the entire city was burning to the ground. “The disaster was not as great as those who were watching the blaze from a distance, but the number of buildings and houses destroyed or damaged was considerable.” (La Pétroleuse) This caricature was meant to amplify a political fear of these women who challenged the patriarchy. It’s important to note that while this rumor was widespread, it has since been proved that there were no incidents of purposeful arson by pétroleuses in more recent historical research. “The vast majority of fires were set by men [who were soldiers of the Commune].” (La Pétroleuse) The representation undermined female activism due to its depictions of these women as wild, sexually deviant, destructive, and violent. This representation turned the tide of public opinion against political women. Due to this archetype being created, it turned into a greater justification for brutal treatment against supposed perpetrators. Many of these Communard women were executed, exiled, or sentenced to forced labor, with no evidence of them committing arson. Unfortunately, since this image was so widespread and publicized, it casts a shadow and reduces the impact and importance of women’s roles and activism during this time.
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