Olympe de Gouges: The Early Feminist Who Paid the Ultimate Price for Equality

Celebrating Women's History Month with a badass a day.

In the tumultuous era of the French Revolution, a time of radical change and fervent idealism, one woman dared to challenge the status quo and demand equality not just for men, but for women as well. Her name was Olympe de Gouges, a playwright, political activist, and pioneering feminist whose bold ideas and unyielding courage would ultimately cost her life. Today, she is remembered as one of the earliest advocates for women’s rights, a visionary who laid the groundwork for modern feminism.

Born Marie Gouze in 1748 in Montauban, France, Olympe de Gouges reinvented herself after the death of her husband, moving to Paris and adopting a new name to reflect her revolutionary spirit. In the intellectual and political ferment of pre-revolutionary Paris, she found her voice as a writer and thinker. Her plays and pamphlets often tackled controversial topics, including slavery and women’s rights, making her a prominent—and polarizing—figure in the public sphere.

De Gouges’ most enduring legacy i…