The Cultural Olympics is a multidisciplinary artistic and cultural program of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, an official product of the IOC. The Paris 2024 Cultural Olympics bring together sport, culture, Olympic and Paralympic values across France. This program, open and accessible to all, promotes artistic creation, meetings between athletes, artists and the intersection of audiences.
Long considered the poor relation of sporting competition, it female sport has acquired increasing importance over a century and a half. The exhibition looks back the events of this eventful story which also implicitly tells that of condition of women in France.
The history of women's sport in France
The history of women's sport in France is, in many respects, a contested history, often even prevented. Despite being born in the same crucible of a culture of free time and a new relationship with the body, which progressively spread throughout society, women's sport has experienced a very different development from that of men. The exhibition bears witness to both sporting practices from the end of the 19th century both the evolution of gender norms through bodily performance, choice of clothing, hairstyles and even the way we hold ourselves and move.
Starting from the object "sport", the concrete, physical history of women in France starting from the end of the 19th century is told. The new social space formed around sport starting from the end of the 19th century was equipped, especially under the male aegis, with autonomous rules, values and institutions. Women have had to negotiate, and sometimes force, their integration into this space. They thus subsequently had access to all sports disciplines, with a more limited opening, some even remaining prohibited until extremely recent periods, such as boxing or ski jumping. This persistent inequality still manifests itself today in the number of licensees, the audience, the income of professional athletes, and even representation on governing bodies.
The trajectory of women's sport in France is not linear
At the turn of the century, diversity was tolerated for the first time within the new “leisure class” that imported tennis or golf from England, while the first hiking, swimming and even cycling competitions emerged in public space.
At the end of the First World War, the posters, press and photographic collections of the BnF testify to the enthusiasm for women's sports. Clubs and competitions are organized, but not without encountering strong opposition. The Second World War interrupted the competitive practice of many team sports.
Rugby and marathon are the first achievements of women
Simultaneously with sporting practices, the exhibition thus testifies to the evolution of gender norms through bodily performance, the choice of clothing, hairstyles or even the way of standing and moving. Starting from the object "sport", the concrete, physical history of women in France starting from the end of the 19th century is told.
Exhibition commissioner: Christophe Da Silva, head of the conservation department at the department of Science and Technology, BnF
