Maria Deraismes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria Deraismes
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| Born | 17 August 1828 Paris, France |
| Died | 6 February 1894 (aged 65) |
| Occupation | Writer, Suffragist |
| Nationality | French |
| Relatives | Anna Féresse-Deraismes (sister) |
Maria Deraismes (born August 17, 1828 – died February 6, 1894) was a French writer and a very important person who fought for women's rights. She was also one of the first women to join a group called the Freemasons.
Maria Deraismes's Life
Maria Deraismes was born in Paris, France. She grew up in Pontoise, a town near Paris. Her family was well-off, and she received a good education. She grew up surrounded by books and writing. Maria wrote many literary works. She quickly became known as a great speaker. Soon, she started working to promote women's rights.
In 1866, a group of women who believed in equal rights, called the Société pour la Revendication du Droit des Femmes, started meeting. They met at the home of André Léo. Important members included Paule Minck, Louise Michel, and Eliska Vincent. Maria Deraismes was asked to join this group, and she did.
Because the group had many different ideas, they decided to focus on one main goal. Their goal was to make girls' education better. In 1870, Deraismes started a new group called L'Association pour le droit des femmes with Léon Richer. She also helped pay for Richer's newspaper, Le Droit des femmes.
After Napoléon III was no longer in power, France had a new government called the French Third Republic. Maria Deraismes understood that women's rights groups needed to be more careful. This way, their ideas would be accepted by the new male leaders. Her work became known in Great Britain. She also influenced American activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who met her in Paris in 1882.
Maria Deraismes and Freemasonry
On January 14, 1882, Maria Deraismes joined a group called Freemasonry. At that time, it was very unusual for a woman to be allowed into this group. She joined the "Les Libres Penseurs" Lodge in Le Pecq, a small village near Paris.
One year later, Maria Deraismes and Georges Martin created a new Masonic lodge. This special lodge allowed both men and women to be members. This co-ed lodge grew into a large international group called the International Order of Freemasonry Le Droit Humain.
Fighting for Women's Vote
Maria Deraismes worked with other suffragettes, like Hubertine Auclert. They wanted women to have the right to vote. This is called political emancipation. In 1885, she even ran as a symbolic candidate in an election. This was to show that women should be able to run for office.
When Maria Deraismes passed away in 1894, she was buried in the Montmartre Cemetery. All of her writings were put together and published in 1895. You can find a lot of information about her work at the Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand in Paris.
To remember her, a street in Paris was named after her. A statue was also put up in a small park called Square de Epinettes. The town square in Saint-Nazaire was also named in her honor.
See also
In Spanish: Maria Deraismes para niños
