This compelling study traces the changes in women's lives in France from 1789 to the present. Susan K. Foley surveys the patterns of women's experiences in the socially-segregated society of the early nineteenth century, and then traces the evolution of their lifestyles to the turn of the twenty-first century, when many of the earlier social distinctions had disappeared.Focusing on women's contested place within the political nation, Women in France since 1789 examines:- The on-going strength of notions of sexual difference- Recurrent debates over gender- The anxiety created by women's perceived departure from ideals of womanhood- Major controversies over matters such as reproductive rights, significant cultural changes, and women's often under-estimated political rolesBy addressing and exploring these key issues, Foley demonstrates women's efforts over two centuries to create a place in society on their own terms.