La Fronde feminist newspaper founded by Marguerite Durand

Background. Marguerite Durand, a French stage actress and journalist, founded La Fronde after covering the International Feminist Congress in 1896. This experience transformed her perspective, leading her to establish a feminist daily newspaper in 1897. The paper was intended to pick up where Hubertine Auclert's La Citoyenne left off, serving as a vehicle for women's rights advocacy.

Publication Model. La Fronde was the first French newspaper to be run and written entirely by women. Durand used her high-profile image as an actress to attract notable Parisian women to contribute articles. The paper began publication immediately following the Dreyfus affair and modeled its feuilletons on mass newspapers, initially publishing daily.

Advocacy Focus. The newspaper advocated for women's rights, including admission to the Bar association and the École des Beaux-Arts. It gave extensive coverage to feminist issues, profiling demands such as Jeanne Chauvin's right to practice law and Madeleine Pelletier's argument for becoming a psychiatrist.