Marguerite Coppin

Marguerite Coppin
Born	Marguerite Aimee Rosine Coppin 2 February 1867(1867-02-02) Brussels, Belgium
Died	1931 (aged 63–64) England
Nationality	Belgium
Occupation	feminist, poet

Marguerite Aimee Rosine Coppin (2 February 1867 - 1931) was born in Brussels and became woman Poet Laureate of Belgium and a noted feminist and pioneer in female emancipation and equal rights for women.^[1] She was compared with Women's rights activists Amelia Bloomer and Emmeline Pankhurst.^[2]

The city of Bruges was scandalised when Coppin rode a bicycle down the streets of the city with her skirts clipped up to each ankle to function like trousers. The bicycle was recognized by 19th-century feminists and suffragists as a "freedom machine" for women contributing to Female emancipation. "A woman on a bicycle? Brazen!" said the shocked people of Bruges according to a 1937 news article. Like Amelia Bloomer, Coppin devised a convenient and comfortable trouser like garment for women to use for bicycle riding.^[2]

In 1914 with the outbreak of war Coppin fled to England where she worked as a French teacher^[3] until her death in 1931.^[2]

See also

Poetry portal

• History of feminism
• Women's suffrage
• Bicycle
• List of women's rights activists
• List of female poets

Notes

1. ^ Éliane Gubin, Marie-Sylvie Dupont-Bouchat, Dictionnaire des femmes belges Bruges, Lannoo Uitgeverij, 2006 ISBN 2873864346, ISBN 9782873864347 Preview available
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Bicycle Ride that Shocked People of Bruges (World's News)". The Herald (Melbourne): p. 16. 4 December 1937. 
3. ^ Marguerite Coppin : Fin de siècle – Ressort cassé (1889). QuestionDeGenre/GKC, Montpellier (France) 2011.

Persondata
Name	Coppin, Marguerite
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	2 February 1867
Place of birth	Brussels, Belgium
Date of death	1931
Place of death	England