Le Collectif Notre Corps, Nous-Mêmes
Le collectif Notre corps, nous-mêmes, based in Paris, was formed in 2016 by a few like-minded women to update the 1977 book of the same name. The core group sought out women from different backgrounds throughout France to ensure greater diversity, understanding, and inclusion. They have since released updated versions of Notre corps, nous-mêmes [2020] and Nos Enfants, Nous-mêmes [2024], published by Hors d’atteinte, an independent feminist publishing house. Both publications can now be found in libraries, schools, and festivals across France, where they are used as tools to increase knowledge about women’s health and sexuality.
Nos Enfants, Nous-mêmes is the revised edition of the 1980 French adaptation of Ourselves and Our Children.
Notre Corps, Nous-Mêmes is a feminist health manual, forged from the words of more than 400 cisgender women, along with a dedicated group of trans and non-binary individuals, who agreed to share their experiences, analyses, resources, and strategies for defending and emancipating themselves, and reclaiming their bodies.
This manual supports all self-identifying women through the various experiences of their lives (periods, sexuality, childbirth, menopause, body awareness, lifestyle choices, work, and more) and helps them defend themselves against patriarchal injunctions and violence in the intimate, institutional, and public spheres.
The new adaptation keeps the spirit of the original 1977 edition published by Albin Michel, and addresses new topics, including: AIDS, trans identity, and occupational health.
Community Action & Activism
Le collectif is currently organizing public events and presentations, including workshops on menstruation in high schools, and sharing their content on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Both books and the collective have received extensive press coverage, and they have been thrilled to share their stories as well as the stories and history of Our Bodies Ourselves.