Gendered social movements

This article examines the unemployed movement that arose in France during t he winter of 1998 as a "gendered social movement". After having reviewed th e notion of the transversality of social relations - and more specifically, gender relations - in the sociology of social movements, the author descri bes his participation in and observation of the unemployed movement in Morl aix (Brittany). He analyses the under-representation of women in the moveme nt and the gendered nature of behaviours during general assemblies. He rais es the link between gender relations and the structure, demands and actions of the movement. He then evaluates the notion of "gender hatred" in the co ntext of this social movement. Must not the weight of male domination and p atriarcal behaviour be considered as central to the explanation of the prog ressive disengagement of the men and women who participate in a social move ment?.