Emmanuel Macron President of France. Women have been involved in the yellow vests movement since its inception. This is a result of women on the whole being more affected by poverty in France than their male counterparts, in part because many are heads-of-household and need to take time off from paid employment to give birth to children. Their role is greater than most past social movements in France because of the economically precarious position that many women in the country find themselves in.
Two women played critical roles in starting the movement. Priscillia Ludosky was one of the first people involved, after launching it inadvertently on 29 May by posting an online petition about the need for lower taxes, reducing salaries and pensions of public officials and creating an implementation of the citizens' initiative referendum.
After she had heavily promoting it in September, it began to really gain traction in October Jacline Mouraud played another critical role that month in creating the movement, when she posted a Facebook video that went viral about France's proposed eco-tax to which she was opposed. Both would become key local spokespeople for their regions.
Act II saw continued involvement of women, along with gender specific violence targeting women of color who were stuck in traffic as a result of the protests. It also saw President Emmanuel Macron mention the presence of women in yellow vest protests, though he failed to address any specific needs of poor women. Act VI saw Eric Drouet arrested and key female figures in the movement condemn his arrest.
It also saw an anti-Semitic act committed by men on the Paris metro against a female Holocaust survivor. Act VII saw the first of the yellow vest women's march taking place on 6 January, the Sunday after the main events of the Act. Act X saw social justice around women's needs begin to feature as an issue that needed to be addressed. Act XII saw women presenting female specific demands for the first time. The yellow vest movement has birthed several political parties, two of which are being led by women.
