Giving women’s names to geographic locations is part of the Municipal strategy for promoting equality between women and men and reflects the desire of the Administrative Council to make visible the contributions of women – still too often unknown – to local history and to make the city more egalitarian.
Civil society has also mobilized for this cause through the 100Elles* project (www.100elles.ch) and its purple street signs which took up residence in the streets in 2019. In addition, several texts supporting this approach have been submitted in recent years to the Municipal Council and the Grand Council which largely accepted in June 2019 a motion asking to rename within at least three years 100 important streets or squares in the canton with the names of female personalities who have marked Geneva’s history (M-2536).
Grisélidis Réal finally recognized
During the process of feminization of street names launched in 2020, the Department of Finance, Environment and Housing made several proposals so that Grisélidis Réal obtains a location in his name. After three refusals (rue Jean-Violette, section of rue de Zürich and place des Alpes), the Council of State validated the last proposal that the City made to the Cantonal Nomenclature Commission (CCN) last October.
A place currently without an official name in the Pâquis district, at the corner of rue Philippe-PLANTAMOUR and rue du Léman, will in a few months bear the name of the writer, painter, prostitute and sex worker rights advocate. No change of address will have to be made since no current street name will be modified. Internationally recognized personality, Grisélidis Réal, buried in Cemetery of the Kingsleft its mark on the history of the Pâquis district and Geneva. The desire to pay tribute to him in public space follows municipal motion M-1532.
As Alfonso Gomez, Administrative Advisor in charge of equality, explains, “Grisélidis Réal is one of the great Genevan figures of the 20th century. A pioneer, her commitment to defending the rights of sex workers is remarkable and reminds us that the identity and wealth of Geneva are based in particular on its diversity.
Three women’s names in Eaux-Vives and Vernets
During the process of feminizing street names, the Council of State validated several women’s names, but refused the identified streets. He invited the City to make new proposals. As part of the PLQ des Vernets and Rosemont, the Department of Planning, Construction and Mobility therefore proposed to name part of rue François-DUSSAUD rue Lina-STERN (doctor and biochemist) and a new pedestrian path Nora-SYLVERE (actress). In the Rosemont sector, a new route Elisabeth-De-STOUTZ (painter and writer) will be created. These proposals have also just been validated by the Council of State.
In 2020, only 7% of people who gave their name to a Geneva street were women. This figure has doubled and will reach 15% in 2025. The City of Geneva will continue to act on representations and symbols and thus work to increase the visibility of women who have contributed to the influence of Geneva, particularly in the scientific, artistic, political and literary fields.
We acknowledge Source link for the information.
