Présentes by Lauren Bastide’s is a powerful feminist manifesto that explores women's pervasive invisibility in critical public domains such as cities, the media, and politics. With sharp analysis and a call for social change, Bastide’s book offers insights on women's systematic marginalization and urges them to reclaim visibility in spaces traditionally dominated by men.
Published in 2020, Présentes draws from Bastide’s extensive journalistic and podcasting career, deeply rooted in gender studies and feminist activism. Through the book, Bastide explores the historical and modern dynamics that render women invisible in public life. Her critique covers various sectors—cities designed without women's safety and accessibility in mind, media narratives that overwhelmingly represent male perspectives, and political institutions where women’s voices are frequently sidelined.
Cities: A space for women?
One of the main areas Bastide focuses on in the book is urban space design. She examines how cities, historically shaped by male architects and landscape planners, often excluded women. Whether through inadequate street lighting, narrow sidewalks, poor public transportation access, or general safety concerns, cities are frequently not built with women’s needs in mind. Bastide calls for a reimagining of urban spaces where women can feel safe and empowered to participate fully in public life without fear.
Media: The male-dominated narrative
Bastide also addresses the media’s role in perpetuating gender inequality. Media narratives, from news to entertainment, often erase or misrepresent women’s perspectives, presenting a largely male-dominated worldview. Through her analysis, Bastide critiques how women are portrayed in the media - either hyper-visible as objects or completely invisible as active participants in the stories being told. She advocates for a shift in media representation that genuinely reflects women’s experiences and their role in shaping society. Bastide emphasizes that this shift is necessary for all women and especially crucial for those from marginalized communities. Their voices are often ignored more than their white counterparts. By pushing for more authentic representation, she argues, the media can empower women across all racial and social backgrounds. This will help to create a truly inclusive and equitable society.
Politics: A male-centric power structure
When it comes to politics, Bastide dissects how power remains concentrated in male hands. Even in systems that promote gender representation progress, women often face structural barriers that prevent them from holding significant power or influence. Bastide argues that true political equality requires more than just symbolic representation; it requires dismantling the underlying patriarchal systems that perpetuate male dominance in decision-making roles.
Lauren Bastide: Journalist and feminist advocate
Lauren Bastide is an important figure in the French feminist landscape. Her journalism career includes work at Reuters and Le Monde, as well as a decade-long tenure at Elle magazine, where she rose to editor-in-chief of the news section.
In 2016, Bastide launched the feminist podcast La Poudre, which became a widely acclaimed platform for discussions with women artists, intellectuals, and activists. Through her work, she has provided a voice for underrepresented women in public discourse. She has become a key figure in France’s modern feminist movement. Her writings, including Présentes and Futures, explore feminist theory while advocating for systemic change in society.
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