The woman who makes history stands the test of time and continues to arouse interest. Gisèle Halimi, whose real name is Zeiza Taieb, was born on July 27, 1927 and died on July 28, 2020. The comic strip dedicated to her is created by Danièle Masse and Sylvain Dorange. From childhood to adulthood, the life of this feminist activist is recounted in detail, highlighting Gisèle’s refusal to have a life similar to that of her mother, Fritna. Living under the yoke of a husband who refuses to open up to the world. She submits without question. It is in this climate that Gisèle Halimi lived. She clearly noticed the difference in treatment given to her brother. Although totally devoted to his brother, the fact remains that the latter is far from being up to the task. We read at the level of the speech bubbles the dialogue between the father and the mother: “Your son intercepted glues from the postman and returned them to the school by imitating your signature. » (P. 71). The father slaps him and says: “You bastard, you big bastard, all the sacrifices I make to pay for your studies… Allouche! Big sheep, ould tahan, son of Mac, you are going to pay!! » (P. 72).
Let us remember that paying for the son’s studies was not a problem for the father, unlike Gisèle. For her part, she excelled, wanted to defy all prohibitions. It was visible that she was different, in the way she saw things. At 19, she found herself pregnant. Radically refusing to have a child, she aborted in the worst conditions. Probe, infection, hospital, raw curettage: “One of my most abominable memories” (P. 72), she writes. After going to Paris in 1945 to continue her studies, she returned to Tunis in 1948 with a law degree in her pocket.
Her contribution is considerable, Gisèle Halimi not only made her mark on History but she opened the way for women who refuse to remain victims of their fate.
The comic strip Gisèle Halimi a Tunisian youth[1] of 130 pages is to be read, paying attention to the smallest details. The same pains that women suffered in the past are still present today. Gisèle Halimi’s fight is for those who are yet to come.
Lamia Bereksi Meddahi
[1] Gisèle Halimi, a Tunisian youth | Danièle Masse (Screenplay), Sylvain Dorange (Drawing) | Ed/ Delcourt- Inkings | 2024 | 136 pages
