La Barbe

A group of French feminists has found a new way to fight inequality - with sarcastic humour and fake beards.

As dusk falls, I sit at a pavement cafe in an upmarket neighbourhood in Paris with a dozen members of the direct action feminist group, La Barbe.
The name comes from the group's pantomime style of protest. Its members infiltrate high-level, male-dominated meetings. In due course they get to their feet and silently don false beards before one of them reads out an ironic statement congratulating the men on their supremacy.
The emphasis on facial hair ridicules antiquated male attitudes.

On this particular evening, the group had invited me to witness a protest at the headquarters of the French Freemasons, the Grand Orient de France, which was founded in 1733.
I wondered why they had picked on the masons. For many years, the Grand Orient would not allow its lodges to initiate women, but this changed in 2010.
"You see, there was a huge conflict," says Colette. "It wasn't easy at all. That proposition was adopted at something like 51% of the lodge, but it was tough and many of them are still fiercely opposed to women."




 "For three centuries, just like the Catholic Church, the Grand Orient kept women to one side. What heresy is it that has allowed women to join since 2010? At first outraged, La Barbe is pleased to learn that the council of the order has appealed against this iniquitous decision!... The women's apron is but for domestic work. To men the task of working for the glory of the Great Architect of the universe!"