On the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day, the Journal Toulousain has chosen to shine the spotlight on 8 Toulouse women, who have distinguished themselves, each in their field. Artists, resistance fighters, politicians… All have left their mark on the Pink City.
Jeanne-Emilie de Villeneuve, the blue sister
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Daughter of the local aristocracy, Jeanne-Emilie de Villeneuve (born in 1811 in Toulouse and died in 1854 in Castres) was a Catholic nun canonized in 2015 and known for having founded the order of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Castres. An order devoted to charity towards the less fortunate, better known as the “blue sisters”. Émilie de Villeneuve was beatified in 2009 and then canonized in 2015. To recognize the holiness of the nun, the church relies on two miraculous cures: acute peritonitis and remission following electrocution and prolonged cardiac arrest of a child. In both cases after nine days of prayer.
Jane Dieulafoy, the maverick
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Born in 1851 in Toulouse, Jane Dieulafoy was one of the first women to be decorated with the Legion of Honor. Explorer, anthropologist, archaeologist, writer, journalist and soldier, the life of Jane Dieulafoy is a real adventure novel. Born into a notable family, Jane Magre, by her maiden name, very quickly showed an intractable and intrepid character. She even pretends to be a man, donning a sniper’s uniform, in order to join the army and accompany her husband to the war. By cross-dressing, she will also explore many countries. On her return to Paris, Jane Dieulafoy obtained a cross-dressing permit in order to be able to remain in trousers and received, in 1886, the cross of the Legion of Honor. She is one of the first women to receive this distinction.
Marie-Louise Dissard, the exfiltration specialist
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More than 700 Allied airmen owe to Marie-Louise Dissard, alias “Victoire” or “Françoise”, to have been able to escape the Germans and return to England to continue the war. Indeed, this heroine of the Second World War, born in Cahors in 1881, created, during the Second World War, the Françoise escape network which exfiltrates more than 700 airmen. In 1942, she even became head of the sector of Toulouse and its region, for the escape line. In civilian life, Marie-Louise Dissard ran the “A la doll moderne” sewing store. This exemplary resistant, decorated with numerous distinctions by the French, Belgian, English or American authorities, ended her life crippled, sick and alone in 1957.
Marguerite Canal, the woman with the baguette
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Born in Toulouse in 1890, into a family of music lovers, Marguerite Canal joined the Paris Conservatory in 1903. She carried out brilliant musical studies there. A time intended for the song, it is finally her passion for the composition which prevails, and she obtains in this field, several high distinctions of which the First Grand Prix of Rome, in 1920. She then multiplies her melodic productions, her complete work being estimated at 80 pieces. But it passes into posterity by becoming the first woman to conduct an orchestra in France, on the occasion of the French Matinees at the Palais de Glace, at the end of the First World War. She leaves behind an unfinished opera, titled “Tlass Atka”, which she was unable to complete before her death in 1978.
Germaine Chaumel, the jack-of-all-trades
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If history will remember above all her work as a photojournalist, especially during the war, Germaine Chaumel was a jack-of-all-trades. Born in 1895 in Toulouse and adopted by a family of artists, Germaine Chaumel was in turn a lyrical singer, record seller, photographer reporter, fashion designer and hat maker. Germaine Chaumel even sang several operettas for the Capitole theater in the early 1930s, before joining the circles of local photographers. Self-taught, the young woman joined the Toulouse Photo-Club before founding the photographic circle of the XII, in which she would introduce Jean Dieuzaide. Despite several awards and numerous collaborations with major press titles, she will never achieve fame. Germaine Chaumel died in 1965 in Blagnac.
Mady Mesplé, the elegant singer
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She was one of the greatest singers, from her beginnings in the 1950s to the end of her career, which she ended in 2001. This Toulousaine, born in 1931, joined the Conservatory at the age of 7 years, on an exceptional basis, to learn music, the piano more precisely. But at 18, it was singing, lyrical, that won her favors. Soprano, she distinguished herself by her emblematic performance in “Lakmé”, at the Opéra de Liège, which will surely remain one of her finest interpretations. Mady Mesplé has chained triumphs in France and Belgium, but also internationally. She is thus one of the rare French voices to have been exported, brilliantly, all over the world. Suffering from Parkinson’s disease, she died in 2020, in the Pink City.
Miss Van, the graffiti pioneer
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In the 90s, the Miss Van signature flourished on the walls of the Pink City. Booming in graffiti, Miss Van, Vanessa Alice Bensimon of her real name, stands out as one of the figureheads of female street-art thanks to her chubby pin-ups, outrageous makeup and recognizable sensuality among a thousand . In the early 2000s, Miss Van moved from cinder block to canvas and exhibited her work in galleries around the world. Born in 1973 in Toulouse, Miss Van now lives in Barcelona.
Jain, the multicolored voice
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It is through her many travels, following the changes of her father employed by an oil company, that the singer-songwriter Jain, Jeanne Louise Galice of her real name, finds inspiration. From France to the Middle East via Congo-Brazzaville, the young Toulouse native learned Arabic percussion, synthetic drums and the guitar. Multicultural influences that can be found in his compositions with pop, reggae, electro and world sounds. Spotted on the platform Myspace, she launched her career thanks to Yodelice, who became her producer and helped her release her first album “Zanaka”. The latter is certified gold record in 2016a year before Jain landed the Winner of Female Artist of the Year at the music victories.
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