Born: 1846 (Schaerbeek, Belgium)
Died: 1913
Biography:
Marie Popelin (16 December 1846 – 5 June 1913) was a Belgian jurist and early feminist political campaigner. Born in Schaerbeek near Brussels into a middle-class family, Popelin was well educated by the standards of the time and place. She had two brothers, one a doctor and the other an army officer. Along with her sister Louise, Popelin taught in Brussels at an institution run by the leading feminist teacher Isabelle Gatti de Gamond from 1864 to 1875. However, disagreements with Gatti led the sisters to move to Mons to establish a new school for girls with Liberal assistance.
In 1882, Popelin returned to Brussels to head the middle school in nearby Laeken but was removed from her position the following year. Undeterred, Popelin embarked on a new chapter in her life. At the age of 37, she enrolled at the Free University of Brussels to study law. In 1888, Popelin achieved a significant milestone when she became the first Belgian woman to earn a doctorate in law. Her accomplishment was a testament to her determination and dedication to gender equality.
Popelin’s pursuit of justice extended beyond her academic achievements. After completing her studies, she applied for admission to the bar association, which would have allowed her to plead cases in the Belgian courts. Unfortunately, despite no explicit law or regulation preventing women from joining the bar, her application was rejected. Undeterred by this setback, Popelin appealed to the court of appeal in December 1888 and later to the Court of Cassation in November 1889. These appeals garnered significant attention both in Belgian and foreign press.
The rejection of Popelin’s application, known as the Popelin affair, highlighted the need for legal changes to address gender discrimination. It served as a catalyst for the feminist movement in Belgium, shifting the focus from educational feminism to political activism. Popelin’s case inspired other women, such as Jeanne Chauvin, who obtained a law degree in Paris in 1890, to pursue careers in law. Chauvin, encouraged by the Belgian lawyer Louis Frank, went on to apply for admission to the bar after the French law was changed in 1900. It wasn’t until 1922 that women were finally permitted to practice as lawyers in Belgium.
In addition to her legal battles, Popelin actively participated in feminist conferences in Paris in 1889. She played a pivotal role in establishing the Belgian League for the Rights of Women (Ligue belge du droit des femmes) in 1892, with the assistance of Isala Van Diest. Throughout her life, Popelin remained a dedicated advocate for women’s rights and equality, leaving a lasting impact on Belgian society.
Marie Popelin died on 5 June 1913, never gaining admission to the bar, but her legacy continues to inspire and empower women in their fight for gender equality.