Marie Parent facts for kids

Marie Parent (1853–1934) was a Belgian editor, a leader in the temperance movement, and a strong supporter of women's rights and the right to vote. In 1905, she started the Alliance des femmes contre les abus de l'alcool (Alliance of Women against Alcohol Abuse). Later, in 1920, she founded the Ligue belge des femmes rationalistes (Belgian League of Rationalist Women). For more than 20 years, she was the head and editor of the Journal des Mères (Mothers' Journal). For her work, she received a special award from the Royal Academy of Belgium and a gold medal at the 1910 Brussels International Exhibition.

Marie Parent's Early Life

Marie Parent was born in Brussels, Belgium, on December 20, 1853. She was the seventh and last child in her family. Her father, Jean-Jacques Florimond Parent, was a printer and publisher. After he passed away, her mother, Marie de Vogelsang, took over the family business.

Marie first managed a boarding house near Lake Genval with one of her sisters. In 1889, she started working as a journal editor. Her first publication was La petite revue belge, a magazine for young readers.

Fighting for Health and Families

The next year, in 1890, Marie began her work to help families deal with the problems caused by alcohol. She published a brochure called Le rôle de la femme dans la lutte contre l'alcoolisme (The Woman's Role in the Fight against Alcoholism). This brochure advised working-class women about their rights and how to create safer home environments.

In 1899, she became a key figure in the Union des femmes belges contre l'alcoolisme (Union of Belgian Women against Alcoholism). This group helped set up cafés and restaurants that did not serve alcoholic drinks. Marie believed it was more practical to work towards people drinking less, rather than asking them to stop completely. So, in 1905, she founded the Alliance des femmes contre les abus de l'alcool. This group aimed to reduce the negative effects of alcohol on families and society.

A Champion for Women's Rights

Marie Parent was also very active in the wider women's movement. In 1892, she joined the Ligue belge du droit des femmes (Belgian League for Women's Rights) when it was first created.

In 1897, she helped organize the Congrès féministe international de Bruxelles (International Feminist Congress of Brussels). She even led several important discussions at this event. In 1905, after the Conseil national des femmes belges (National Council of Belgian Women) was formed, Marie became the head of its hygiene section. Later, in 1912, she also took over as the head of the Ligue belge du droit des femmes after Marie Popelin retired.

Working for the Right to Vote

In 1914, Marie Parent joined other women's groups in the Union patriotique des femmes belges (Patriotic Union of Belgian Women). This group strongly called for universal suffrage, meaning all adults should have the right to vote.

After World War I, in 1919, Marie was one of the delegates at the Inter-Allied Women's Conference in Paris. This meeting aimed to discuss women's issues for the upcoming Paris Peace Conference. In 1920, she founded and became the president of the Ligue des femmes rationalistes (League of Rationalist Women). This new organization quickly grew to have 20,000 members.

Marie Parent passed away in 1934, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to women's rights and social improvement.