Popular Culture Review 30.1 INTRODUCTION
The most recognizable national icon of France is that of Marianne . No matter where one goes in the country , it is hard to miss see the image of Marianne because she is represented on postage stamps , money , and she appears on all official government documents . Additionally , Marianne has long been featured as the subject of statues , illustrated on paintings , and shown in every imaginable way . No matter how the iconic image is described , she is always depicted as a defiant and strong woman who symbolizes the strength and revolutionary resilience of the République française . However , despite the enduring presence of the radical allegoric female figure that Marianne represents , French women have been in a subordinate position as compared to men for centuries , and they remain underrepresented in nearly every sector of the country . A recent report published by the World Economic Forum places France in the 57 th position internationally in terms of gender equality , which ranks it in second to last place in Western Europe . When the data are further broken down by specific category , the findings are even worse . In terms of women ’ s economic opportunity , France ranks 64 th internationally . In terms of equality for legislators / senior management positions , the country ranks 61 st globally . Even worse , if one were to look at statistics in regard to wage equality for similar work , the country finds itself in the 134 th position . Although the French government routinely adopts legislation to equalize the playing field in terms of gender equity and issues , numerical findings like these illustrate a different reality for women in the country .
Despite the fact that females remain in a subordinate position in France when compared to men , they find ways to challenge sexism that extend beyond the more traditional way of protesting in the streets . Over the past century and far
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