Voilquin, Suzanne (1801–1877)

French feminist, midwife, and writer. Born in 1801 in France; died in 1877 in France; married and divorced.

Trained as midwife; practiced in France, Egypt, and Russia; was editor of Tribune des femmes (Women's Tribune, 1832–34); was a member of the Saint-Simonian movement; published Claire Démar's Ma loi d'avenir (My Law for the Future, 1834); wrote autobiography Souvenirs d'une fille du peuple (Memories of a Daughter of the People, 1866).

Suzanne Voilquin was born in France in 1801 and rose to prominence as a working-class feminist and active member of the Saint-Simonian movement. From 1832 to 1834, she was editor of the feminist journal Tribune des femmes (Women's Tribune), in which she gave a public account of the breakdown of her marriage. At the end of her tenure at the Tribune, despite their differences in views on morality, Voilquin published a radical work by Claire Démar called Ma loi d'avenir (My Law for the Future) in 1834.

Joining an expedition to Egypt, Voilquin trained as a midwife, a profession that enabled her to gain access to and help women in Egyptian harems. On her return to France, she resumed her activism, this time on behalf of her fellow midwives, campaigning for better pay and conditions. She also worked for a time as a midwife in Russia, where she is credited with introducing homeopathic medical practices. In 1866, Voilquin wrote her autobiography, Souvenirs d'une fille du peuple (Memories of a Daughter of the People), which is notable for its frank account of her sexual experiences. She died in France in 1877.

sources:

Buck, Claire, ed. The Bloomsbury Guide to Women's Literature. NY: Prentice Hall, 1992.

Paula Morris , D.Phil., Brooklyn, New York